ENGLISH  LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 
No.  9?>V  b 


THE 


Shakespeare   Cyclopedia 


AND 


NEW    GLOSSARY 


3e8tabUsbe&  1870. 


The 

Shakespeare   Cyclopaedia 


AND 


New  Glossary 


GIVING 

The  meaning  of  the  Old   and  Unnsual  Words  found  in  Shakespeare'*  Works 
and  of  the  Ordinary  Words  used  in  Unusual  Senses  and  in  unusual  forms 
of  Construction— Explanations  of  Idiomatic  Phrases  and  of  Mytho- 
logical, Biographical  and  Antiquarian  References— Notes  on 
Folk-I^ore,  I^ocal   Traditions,   I^egends,    Allusions, 
Proverbs,  Old  English  Customs,  Btc,  Etc., 

WITH  THE 

Most    Important   Variorum    Readings 

INTENDED  AS  A  SUPPLEMENT   TO  ALL  THE  ORDINARY 
EDITIONS  OF    SHAKESPEARE'S   WORKS 


JOHN    PHIN 

Author  of  "Shakespearean  Notes  and  New  Readings ;"  "Practical  Dictionary  of  Apiculture; 
"  How  to  Use  the  Microscope ;"  "  How  to  Become  a  Good  Mechanic ;"  etc.,  etc. 


WITH   AN    INTRODUCTION    BY 

EDWARD     DOWDEN 

Litt.D.,  LL.D.,  Dublin;  LL.  D.,  Edin.;  D.C.L.,  Oxon.;  Professor  of  English  Literature 
in  the  University  of  Dublin 


NEW    YORK 
THE    INDUSTRIAL    PUBLICATION    COMPANY 

1  902 

of  T.'.E 


^NGL.  LIB,  FD. 


C er-     iT 

Those  who  would  enjoy  Shakespeare  fully,  must  understand  him 
thoroughly.  "  

To  read  Shakespeare's  Works  even  superficially,  is  entertainment ; 
to  linger  over  them  lovingly  and  admiringly,  is  enjoyment;  to  study 
them  profoundly,  is  wisdom,  moral  and  intellectual. 

— Mary  Cowden- Clarke. 


Copyright,  1902,  by  John  Phin.     Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall 
All  rights  reserved. 


TO 

HENRY   PHRKE,   K.  D.. 

of  Patersoq,  N.  J.,  U.  S.  R., 

Witl:|OUt  wl:\ose  tender  care  ai\d  scientific  s^ill  tt\ese  pages 
\s^ould  never  t\a\'e  seeq  tt\e  ligl\t, 

Tt\is  volucqe  is  dedicated  by 
His  grateful  frier\d, 

THE  AUTHOR 


124030 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

Preface, ix 

Introduction  by  Professor  Dowden:  "The  Language  of 
Shakespeare  considered  as  an  Encyclopaedia  of  Con- 
temporary Knowledge,  " xv 

How  to  Read  for  Pleasure  and  Profit, 1 

Shakespeare  Clubs  and  Societies, 8 

The  Text  of  Shakespeare, 10 

The  Sources  and  Causes  of  Errors  in  the  Text,      .     .     .     .  14 

On  the  Choice  of  a  Copy  of  Shakespeare's  Works,      ...  18 

A  Short  List  of  Helpful  Books, 21 

The  Bacon- Shakespeare  Controversy, 24 

The  Cyclopaedia  and  Glossary, 33 

Addenda, 387 


Note. — Readers  of  this  Cyclopaedia  who  fail  to  find  in  the  body  of  the  work,  the  word  of 
which  they  desire  an  explanation,  should  consult  the  Addenda  which  contain  a  large  number 
of  cross-references  as  well  as  several  words  which  were  overlooked  in  the  preparation  of  the 
earlier  pages.  Even  while  the  Addenda  were  passing  through  the  press  some  subjects  have 
been  suggested  as  requiring  elucidation.  The  insertion  of  these  mars  somewhat  the  symmetry 
of  the  work,  but  it  adds  very  considerably  to  its  usefulness,  and  the  author  has  always  con- 
sidered that  the  latter  is  of  far  more  importance  than  the  former. 


PREFACE, 


HE  purpose  for  which  this  volume  was  written  is  to  furnish  those 
readers  and  lovers  of  Shakespeare  who  have  not  easy  access  to  an 
elaborately  annotated  copy  of  the  poet's  works,  with  such  notes  and 
explanations  of  obsolete  words,  obscure  passages  and  unfamiliar 
allusions  as  will  enable  them  to  get  close  to  the  mind  of  the  great  dramatist  and 
thus  derive  from  his  works  an  amount  of  pleasure  and  profit  which  otherwise 
would  be  unai:tainable.  For  while  it  is  undoubtedly  true  that  there  is  not  a 
single  play  which,  as  a  whole,  cannot  be  easily  understood  by  any  one  who  has  a 
fair  common  school  education,  and  this  without  any  aid  from  glossaries  or 
commentaries,  it  is  also  true  that  there  are  in  Shakespeare  many  obsolete  words 
as  well  as  many  allusions  and  expressions  which,  although  quite  clear  to  those 
whose  reading  has  been  extensive,  are  not  familiar  to  many  who  are  really 
anxious  to  fully  enjoy  their  Shakespeare.  For  example  :  When  Hamlet  likens 
his  mother  to  "Niobe,  all  tears,"  the  intelligent  reader  would  like  to  know 
something  about  Niobe  and  the  cause  of  her  grief.  So,  too,  when,  in  The  Tempest, 
Sebastian  says  of  Gonzalo  that  "his  word  is  more  than  the  miraculous  harp," 
it  would  certainly  add  to  the  pleasure  and  profit  of  the  earnest  reader  to  have 
this  allusion  explained.  Then,  again,  in  regard  to  old  customs  :  When,  in  Love's 
Labour's  Lost,  Biron  says  of  Longaville  that  "he  comes  in  like  a  perjure,  wearing 
papers,"  the  expression  carries  no  force  unless  we  have  a  knowledge  of  the  old 
custom  on  which  it  was  based.  In  addition  to  this  there  are  many  words  which 
have  lost  their  original  significance  and  consequently  have  not  to  present-day 
readers  that  force  and  beauty  which  they  formerly  had.  Such,  for  example,  is 
the  word  silly.  As  usually  defined  it  has  no  special  significance  in  the  speech 
of  the  'British  Captain  in  Cymbeline,  Act  V,  Sc.  3,  line  86,  but  as  it  is  explained 
for  the  first  time  in  these  pages  it  has  a  force  and  beauty  which  are  truly 
Shakespearean— lighting  up  with  a  single  word  the  whole  story  of  a  daring 
exploit. 

To  thoroughly  enjoy  Shakespeare  we  must  fully  understand  him,  and,  unfor- 
tunately, the  "  Glossaries  "  which  are  appended  to  most  copies  of  Shakespeare's 
works  are  too  meagre  to  give  us  the  information  that  is  required.  It  is  to  supply 
this  want  in  compact  form  and  at  a  moderate  cost  that  this  book  has  been 
written;  and  we  have  not  hesitated  to  take  the  element  of  cost  into  consideration 
in  this  connection,  although  bibliophiles  and  collectors  may  generally  regard  a 
cheap  book  as  a  poor  one.  But  to  the  class  to  whom  this  volume  is  addressed — 
the  common  people  whose  whole  education  has  been  acquire^  in  our  commoa 

(ix) 


PREFACE. 


schools,  this  point  is  one  of  considerable  importance.  Fortunately,  cheap  and 
really  good  editions  of  Shakespeare's  works  are  easily  procured.  A  copy  with 
sound  text,  legible  type,  good  paper  and  neat  and  durable  cloth  binding  may  be 
obtained  in  this  country  for  a  dollar  or  even  less,  and  in  England  the  "Shilling 
Shakespeare  "  is  a  feature  of  every  book-stall.  If  to  one  of  these  cheap  copies 
any  person  who  desires  to  read  Shakespeare  understandingly  should  add  the 
present  volume,  I  think  he  will  have  a  fairly  good  outfit  for  the  intelligent 
enjoyment  of  the  poet's  works. 

It  is  very  obvious  that  in  a  work  like  the  present  there  is  not  much  opportunity 
for  originality,  but  in  a  few  cases  I  have  offered  new  glosses  which  I  think  must 
commend  themselves  to  those  who  are  competent  to  form  a  sound  opinion  in 
the  matter.  Indeed,  they  have  already  received  the  commendation  of  some  of 
our  foremost  Shakespearean  scholars.  On  turning  to  the  words  childed,  kindless, 
odd-even,  prick,  silly,  silly  cheat,  the  reader  will  find  examples  of  what  I  mean;  and 
there  are  a  few  passages  in  which  the  sense  is,  I  think,  obscured  by  typographical 
errors  in  the  generally  accepted  text  for  which  I  have  suggested  a  correction.  I 
take  this  opportunity  to  say,  however,  that  I  am  in  entire  accord  with  those  who 
deprecate  any  interference  with  the  text  of  the  old  editions  for  the  purpose  of 
what  some  are  pleased  to  call  "improvement  ";  I  think  that  even  the  Cambridge 
edition  has  gone  too  far  in  this  direction.  It  is  only  in  the  case  of  the  most  obvious 
typographical  errors  that  we  are  justified  in  making  an  alteration.  This  subject 
I  have  discussed  at  greater  length  on  a  subsequent  page  under  the  heading 
"Sources  of  Error  in  the  Text." 

As  regards  the  sources  upon  which  I  have  depended  for  information,  a  few 
words  may  not  be  out  of  place,  especially  as  I  have  not  thought  it  necessary  to 
give  a  formal  list  of  the  books  which  I  have  read  or  consulted.  In  executing  a 
work  of  this  kind  the  shelves  of  public  libraries,  however  accessible  they  may  be, 
and  however  attentive  and  efficient  the  librarians  may  prove,  must  be  regarded 
as  accessory  helps  and  not  as  a  chief  dependence.  Occasionally  they  may  enable 
us  to  make  an  indispensable  reference  to  some  rare  book,  but  the  great  bulk  of 
the  work  of  study,  comparison  and  extracting  must  be  done  where  the  writer  has 
continuous  control  of  a  large  number  of  volumes.  Now,  the  extent  of  even  a 
moderate  collection  of  Shakespeareana  is  sufficient  to  appall  most  private 
collectors.  The  number  of  volumes  would  easily  run  into  five  figures^-a  library 
which  is  beyond  the  reach  of  most  men,  myself  included.  It  is,  therefore, 
obvious  that  most  workers  in  this  department  have  to  content  themselves  with 
a  careful  selection  of  moderate  extent.  For  many  years  I  have  been  accumulating 
a  small  collection  of  such  books  as  I  found  useful  or  interesting  in  my  Shake- 
spearean reading,  and  when  I  came  to  put  my  work  into  final  shape  I  endeavored 
to  add  to  these  such  books  and  editions  as  were  absolutely  necessary.  For  the 
early  Folios  and  Quartos  I  have  had,  of  course,  to  depend  upon  public  libraries 
or  reprints— volumes  costing  from  $500  to    $9,000  being  entirely  out  of  the 


PREFACE.  xi 


question.  Of  the  First  Folio,  however,  there  are  several  excellent  reproductions; 
two  of  these  I  have,  as  well  as  the  admirable  reprint  of  Lionel  Booth.  It  happens 
also  that  several  of  the  modern  editions  of  Shakespeare  have  added  to  their 
contents  exact  reprints  of  some  of  the  Quartos,  so  that  no  earnest  student  need  be 
greatly  handicapped  in  this  respect.  Of  the  editions  between  Eowe  and  Malone, 
such  as  those  of  Theobald,  Warburton,  Johnson,  Steevens  and  others,  it  is  easy  to 
procure  copies,  and  I  have  endeavored  to  quote  from  the  books  themselves  and 
not  at  second-hand.  Outside  of  these  the  great  source  of  information  in  regard  to 
early  glosses  and  comments  has  been  the  Third  Variorum  of  1821,  in  twenty-one 
volumes.  Boswell,  to  whom  Malone  left  all  his  notes  and  materials  for  a  new 
edition,  seems  to  have  been  most  painstaking  and  judicious,  and  his  work  must 
always  f)rove  indispensable  so  far  as  old  glosses  and  comments  are  concerned. 

For  the  various  readings  of  different  editions  and  suggested  new  readings, 
I  have  depended  upon  the  "Cambridge  Shakespeare,"  edited  by  William  Aldis 
Wright  (9  vols.,  1891).  This  might  well  be  known  as  the  Fourth  Variorum.  The 
editions  of  Singer,  Knight,  Collier,  Verplanck,  Hazlitt,  Hudson,  Dyce,  White, 
Staunton,  C.  and  M.  Clarke,  Kolfe,  The  Kugby,  The  Clarendon  Press,  "The 
Leopold"  (Delius  and  Furnivall),  "The  Henry  Irving"  (Marshall,  Symonds, 
Verity  and  Adams),  Dowden,  Craig  and  others  have  all  been  laid  under  con- 
tribution, as  well  as  the  "English  of  Shakespeare,"  by  Craik  ;  "The  Shake- 
spearian Grammar,"  by  Abbott;  the  "Shakespeare-Lexicon,"  by  Schmidt,  and 
the  works  of  Douce,  Nares,  Caldecott,  Dyer,  Patterson,  EUacombe,  Beisley, 
Grindon,"  etc.,  and  I  freely  acknowledge  the  aid  I  have  derived  from  them. 

Special  acknowledgment  is  due  to  "  The  New  Variorum  "  edition  of  Dr.  Horace 
Howard  Furness.  This  must  form  the  foundation  stone  of  all  future  collections 
of  Shakespearean  literature  ;  it  is  so  thorough,  accurate  and  comprehensive  that 
after  consulting  it  upon  any  disputed  point  the  student  feels  that  he  has  heard 
all  that  is  to  be  said  upon  the  subject.  In  the  thirteen  volumes  already  issued 
(twelve  plays),  one  is  pretty  sure  to  find  a  discussion  of  the  most  important 
Shakespearean  words,  allusions  and  dark  passages  which  occur  in  the  other 
plays,  and  by  the  aid  of  a  Concordance  it  is  easy  to  see  just  where  to  look  for 
what  is  wanted.  Some  may  think  that  I  have  drawn  too  freely  from  this  noble 
work,  but  at  most  I  have  merely  dipped  my  little  bucket  into  the  tide  of  a  full 
flowing  river  and  given  my  readers  a  taste  of  its  pure  and  refreshing  waters. 

For  information  in  regard  to  Mythology  and  Classical  Biography  I  have  gone 
to  the  great  storehouse  of  such  knowledge,  the  "  Dictionary  of  Greek  and  Roman 
Biography  and  Mythology,"  edited  by  WilUam  Smith,  D.C.L.,  LL.D.,  and  I 
cannot  too  fully  acknowledge  my  indebtedness.  To  those  who  wish  to  extend 
their  studies  in  this  direction  this  work  is  invaluable. 

In  regard  to  credits  in  the  body  of  the  "  Cyclopaedia  "  my  rule  has  been  as 
follows :  Wherever  I  have  made  an  exact  quotation  and  was  sure  of  the  author 
I  have  placed  the  extract  within  quotation  marks  and  have  appended  the  author's 


xii  PREFACE. 


name.  In  many  cases,  however,  the  exigencies  of  space  have  compelled  me 
to  abridge  or  condense,  and  where  this  has  been  done  the  author's  name  has  been 
retained,  but  the  quotation  marks  have  been  omitted.  Where  the  definition 
or  explanation  has  so  far  become  common  property  that  I  have  been  unable 
to  trace  the  originator,  no  credit  has  been  given.  In  this  connection  I  would 
remark  that  perhaps  the  reader  may  notice  a  number  of  glosses  for  which  I 
have  given  no  credit,  but  which  in  recent  Shakespearean  literature  have  been 
credited  to  Schmidt,  which  in  general  means  his  "  Shakespeare-Lexicon."  My 
reason  for  this  omission  is  that  they  have  long  been  the  common  property  of 
Shakespearean  commentators,  and  why  Rolfe,  Fleming  and  others  should  credit 
to  Schmidt  that  which  belongs  to  his  predecessors  is  not  easily  understood,  but 
that  they  have  done  so  every  careful  student  knows,  A  curious  result  of 
Schmidt's  habit  of  omitting  credit  may  be  found  in  the  writings  of  the  late 
Richard  Grant  White.  White  wrote  a  justly  severe  criticism  of  the  "Shakespeare- 
Lexicon  "  for  the  Atlantic  Monthly  and,  provoked  no  doubt  by  the  abusive 
insolence  which  Schmidt  so  often  exhibits  towards  commentators  of  English 
blood,  his  remarks  are  sometimes  rather  bitter.  But  in  the  case  of  one  of  his 
most  severe  notes,  his  condemnation  is  directed  against  a  gloss  which  originated, 
not  with  Schmidt,  but  with  Dr.  Johnson  from  whom  Schmidt  "  conveyed"  it ! 

In  every  case  my  sole  object  has  been  to  discover  and  present  the  meaning 
which  Shakespeare  himself  actually  intended,  and  not  that  which  he  might  have 
intended  or,  as  some  of  the  early  commentators  have  actually  put  it,  which  he 
ought  to  have  intended.  Imaginative  interpretations  are  so  easily  devised  that, 
with  many,  the  temptation  to  let  fancy  run  riot  becomes  very  great. 

The  attentive  reader  cannot  fail  to  notice  the  number  of  instances  in  which 
I  have  referred  to  Scottish  literature  and  lexicons  for  explanations  and  illustra- 
tions of  the  language  of  Shakespeare.  With  a  single  exception,  I  know  of  no 
Shakespearean  commentator  who  has  given  special  attention  to  the  light  which 
the  language  of  the  lowland  Scotch  throws  upon  many  of  the  dark  passages  in 
Shakespeare's  writings.  That  exception  is  Dr.  Charles  Mackay,  who  has  pub- 
lished a  "  Glossary  of  the  Obscure  Words  and  Phrases  in  Shakespeare."  Dr. 
Mackay,  however,  being  a  highlander,  depends  more  on  Gaslic  than  upon  low- 
land Scotch,  and  his  etymologies  often  differ  widely  from  those  of  Skeat,  Mahn 
and  other  recognised  authorities.  I  notice,  however,  that  Dr.  Furness  and  one 
or  two  others  are  turning  their  attention  in  this  direction  and  with  good  results. 
But  in  order  to  make  effective  use  of  this  source  of  information  there  is  needed 
something  more  than  an  acquaintance  with  dictionaries.  Having  been  familiar 
from  childhood  with  the  Scottish  language  as  a  living  and  spoken  tongue,  I  feel 
confident  that  I  have  been  able  to  give  a  correct  interpretation  of  several  words 
and  phrases  of  which  the  explanations  hitherto  given  have,  to  say  the  least,  not 
been  quite  satisfactory.  I  do  not  refer,  of  course,  to  the  purely  Scottish  words 
which  so  frequently  occur  in  Shakespeare,  such  as  bonny,  chapman,  neif,  pash, 


PREFACE. 


reek,  wee,  yeild,  etc.,  etc.,  but  to  the  peculiar  shades  of  meaning  which  many 
modern  English  words  have  in  Shakespeare  and  which  dififer  from  the  meanings 
ordinarily  assigned  to  them,  a  striking  instance  of  which  is  found  in  the  word 
sUly.  And  here  it  may  be  well  to  note  that  by  the  Scottish  language  I  do  not 
mean  that  corrupted  jargon  which  has  become  familiar  to  the  American  public 
under  the  name  of  "kail-yard  literature."  The  Scottish  language  has  its  dialects 
just  as  we  find  a  dialect  for  every  county  in  England  and  for  every  State  in  our 
Union,  and  our  "kail-yard "  friends  do  not  always  choose  the  best.  Shakespeare 
ridiculed  this  very  form  when  he  put  it  into  the  mouth  of  Captain  Jamy,  but  the 
number  of  true  Scottish  words  which  he  himself  uses  shows  the  intimate  relations 
which  existed  between  that  language  and  his  speech.  This  relation  was  freely 
acknowledged  long  after  the  days  of  Shakespeare.  I  have  on  my  shelves  "A 
Complete  Commentary  on  Milton's  Paradise  Lost,"  published  in  1744,  by  James 
Paterson,  M.  A.,  in  which  he  claims  to  explain,  amongst  others,  the  words  of 
"Old  English  or  Scottish."  Not  only  the  meaning,  but  the  pronunciation  of 
many  words  was  nearly  alike  in  the  two  languages  and  frequently  very  different 
from  the  English  of  the  present  day,  so  that,  as  I  have  noted  under  the  word 
shovel,  if  Shakespeare  were  to  appear  in  London  or  New  York  in  one  of  his  own 
plays  it  is  more  than  probable  that  only  educated  Scotchmen  could  understand 
him.  In  pursuing  this  line  of  study,  however,  I  have  endeavored  to  prevent  my 
natural  predilection  for  my  mother  tongue  from  leading  me  into  the  swamp  of 
forced  definitions  and  fanciful  etymologies;  in  other  words,  I  have  tried  to  pre- 
vent a  valuable  line  of  investigation  from  degenerating  into  a  "fad." 

Those  who  are  familiar  with  Elizabethan  literature  know  that,  however  the 
morals  of  Shakespeare's  time  may  compare  with  those  of  the  present  day,  it  cannot 
be  denied  that  the  language  then  in  common  use,  not  only  amongst  men,  but  women 
and  even  "ladies  of  quality,"  was  such  as  would  not  now  be  tolerated  anywhere 
except  perhaps  in  the  very  lowest  society  ;  and  while,  in  the  matter  of  decency, 
Shakespeare  stands  head  and  shoulders  above  most  of  his  contemporaries,  there 
are,  nevertheless,  in  his  plays  many  words  and  phrases  which  cannot  be  read  aloud, 
much  less  discussed  where  young  people  are  present.  In  preparing  this  Cyclo- 
paedia I  have  kept  constantly  in  mind  the  fact  that  it  is  intended  for  use  in 
families,  and  I  have  therefore  excluded  every  subject  which  cannot  be  freely 
discussed  in  the  family  circle. 

The  line-numbers  which  I  have  used  are  those  of  the  "  Globe,"  chiefly 
because  this  is  the  standard  adopted  by  the  great  majority  of  those  who  have 
occasion  to  give  a  reference  to  a  passage  in  Shakespeare.  Even  where  the  reader 
is  using  an  edition  in  which  the  lines  are  not  numbered,  these  line-numbers  are 
a  great  aid  to  the  quick  finding  of  any  required  passage  ;  and  by  taking  a  slip  of 
cardboard  and  marking  off  spaces  showing  10,  15,  20  and  25  lines  as  measured 
on  the  copy  in  use,  it  is  very  easy  to  get  quite  close  to  any  passage  without 
incurring  the  trouble  of  actually  counting.    But  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  in  future 


PREFACE. 


all  editions  of  Shakespeare  will  have  the  lines  numbered  according  to  some 
generally  recognised  standard.  This  is  something  that  might  be  easily  done 
even  with  an  abridged  edition  ;  and  it  is  greatly  to  be  desired  that  future  editions 
of  the  "Globe"  should  have  the  line-numbers  at  intervals  less  infrequent  than 
those  in  the  present  edition.  Jumps  of  more  than  one  hundred  lines  are  alto- 
gether too  great ;  the  index  numbers  should  appear  at  every  tenth  line  at  least. 

It  has  not  always  been  an  easy  matter  to  decide  just  what  words  should  be 
admitted  to  tins  glossary  and  what  ones  omitted,  and  tlie  room  wnicn  exists  for 
tne  exercise  of  good  judgment  in  this  matter  is  well  shown  by  a  comparison  of 
the  different  glossaries  appended  to  the  various  editions  of  Shakespeare's  works. 
A  large  percentage  of  words  that  are  admitted  to  some  glossaries  are  not  found 
in  others  and  vice  versa.  Dr.  Johnson  stated  this  difficulty  very  clearly  in  his 
famous  preface.  He  says  :  "  It  is  impossible  for  an  expositor  not  to  write  too 
little  for  some,  and  too  much  for  others.  He  can  judge  what  is  necessary  oniy 
by  his  own  experience;  and  how  long  soever  he  may  deliberate,  will  at  last 
explain  many  lines  which  the  learned  will  think  impossible  to  be  mistaken, 
and  omit  many  for  which  the  ignorant  will  want  his  help.  These  are  censures 
merely  relative,  and  must  be  quietly  endured." 

Where  I  have  presented  views  of  my  own  which  differ  from  those  usually 
held,  I  have  endeavored  not  only  to  give  sound  reasons  for  my  own  peculiar 
opinions,  but  to  present  also,  in  an  unprejudiced  manner,  the  arguments  of  the 
other  side.  To  do  this  has  sometimes  demanded  more  space  than  the  subject 
under  discussion  would  have  seemed  to  require,  but  if  by  any  means  we  can 
attain  to  the  truth,  all  considerations  of  space  and  labor  must  give  way. 

I  am  fully  aware  of  the  fact  that  I  have  frequently  laid  myself  open  to  the 
charge  of  presumption  by  offering  definitions  and  interpretations  which 
differ  from  those  of  the  great  lights  of  Shakespearean  exegesis,  but  I 
cannot  help  that.  Perhaps  the  atmosphere  of  New  Jersey  leads  to  that 
kind  of  independence.  Some  years  ago  we  had  in  our  city  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace  whose  legal  attainments  were  of  a  grade  which  frequently  led  to 
a  reversal  of  his  decisions,  though,  like  the  British  at  Waterloo,  he  never 
seemed  to  know  when  he  was  beaten.  On  one  occasion,  when  a  case  of  more 
than  usual  importance  was  being  tried  in  his  court,  a  prominent  lawyer,  who 
had  been  engaged  by  one  of  the  litigants,  very  respectfully  called  his  honor's 
attention  to  certain  decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court  which  seemed  to  be  adverse 
to  the  views  which  he  had  propounded.  Nothing  abashed,  however,  he  simply 
retorted:  "  Mister  Smith,  I  would  have  you  to  understand  that  that  is  where  I 
differ  from  the  Shuprame  Coort. " 

And  so  in  these  cases,  even  at  the  risk  of  being  considered  a  copesmate  of 
our  Paterson  Justice,  I  can  only  say  :  That  is  where  I  differ  from  Furness, 
Eolfe,  Schmidt  and  the  acknowledged  authorities. 

Patebson,  N.  J.,  April.  1902.  JOHN  PHIN. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Zhc  XauGuaae  of  Sbaftespeare  Consibere^  as  an 
lEnc^clopa^Dia  ot  Contemporary  IknowleDge, 


EDWARD    DOWDEN, 

LiTT.D.,    LL.D.,    Dublin;    LL.D.,    Edin.  ;    D.C.L.,    Oxon.  ; 
Professor  op  English  Literature  in  the  University  op  Dublin. 


INTRODUCTION 


BY 


EDWARD   DOWDEN, 

LiTT.D.,    LL.D.,    Dublin;     LL.D.,    Edin.  ;     D.C.L.,    Oxon.  ; 
Professor  of  English  Literature  in  the  University  op  Dublin. 


lANY  readers,  I  believe,  will  feel  that  they  owe  a  debt  to 
Mr.  Phin  for  helping  them  to  understand  Shakespeare 
better.  By  his  own  studies  and  by  a  judicious  use  of  the 
work  of  his  predecessors  he  has  brought  together,  within  a  moderate 
compass,  a  large  body  of  information ;  and  he  has  so  arranged  the 
store  of  knowledge  as  to  make  it  readily  accessible  to  one  who  cares 
to  learn.  In  work  so  comprehensive  and  so  full  of  detail,  errors  are 
no  doubt  inevitable ;  nor  can  everything  be  included  which  a  student 
may  desire  to  find.  But  if  we  are  to  be  grateful  only  to  those  who 
are  infallible,  the  range  of  our  gratitude  may  have  to  suffer  some 
contraction.  The  reader  of  Shakespeare  cannot  fail  to  obtain  from 
this  "  Cj^clopaedia "  much  that  will  instruct  and  interest  him.  To 
reach  the  spirit  of  Shakespeare  should  be  our  aim  and  end  ;  but  in 
order  to  reach  the  spirit  of  Shakespeare  we  must  conceive  aright  the 


xviii  INTRODUCTION. 


meaning  of  what  he  wrote,  and  to  do  this  is  not  always  easy.  There 
is  nothing  worse,  the  greatest  of  critics,  Goethe,  tells  us,  "  than  for 
any  one  to  make  pretensions  to  the  spirit  of  a  thing,  while  the  sense 
and  letter  of  it  are  not  open  and  clear  to  him,"  And  this  is  true  of 
a  sentence  or  a  phrase  as  well  as  of  an  author's  entire  work.  It  may 
require,  for  example,  a  little  fortitude  to  dismiss  from  our  minds  the 
amiable  misconception  or  misapplication,  which  has  become  general, 
of  the  line  "  One  touch  of  nature  makes  the  whole  world  kin "  ;  but 
we  gain  more  in  the  end  by  understanding  what  Shakespeare's 
Ulysses  really  meant,  and  by  recognising  the  place  which  that  meaning 
occupies  in  the  large  worldly-wisdom  of  Ulysses,  than  by  reading 
into  his  words  some  sentiment  of  our  own,  or  some  pleasant  doctrine 
of  fraternity  which  has  its  grounds  in  the  common  heart  of  humanity. 
Apart  from  the  wisdom  and  the  passion  which  are  conveyed 
through  the  words  of  Shakespeare,  the  very  language  is  a  record  of 
thoughts  and  things  which  has  a  high  value  and  interest  of  its  own. 
The  vocabulary  of  Shakespeare  is  by  far  the  largest  collection  of 
ideas  and  of  facts,  reduced  to  verbal  representation,  which  any 
English  writer  has  made  and  has  put  into  circulation.  The  student 
of  Shakespeare's  language  is  more  than  a  mere  specialist,  for  he  is 
called  on  to  explore  almost  every  province  of  life,  almost  every 
department  of  knowledge.  Of  course  a  large  proportion  of  these 
words  are  still  current  coin,  and  pass  every  day  from  hand  to  hand. 
But  many  of  the  coins  are  out  of  date,  bearing  strange  devices  on 
the  obverse  and  reverse,  and  it  needs  some  inquiry  to  estimate  their 
value.  Here,  in  Shakespeare's  vocabulary,  are  preserved  for  us,  as  in 
a  museum,  the  relics  of  our  forefathers'  lives  and  minds;  their 
manners  and  customs,  their  modes  of  salutation,  their  peculiarities  of 
costume,  their  domestic  economy,  their  field-sports,  their  indoor 
games,  their  music  of  the  virginal  and  the  lute,  the  furniture  of  their 
houses,  their  arts  and  crafts,  their  military  weapons,  their  superseded 
laws,  the  lore  of  their  schools,  their  quaint  notions  of  natural  history, 
their  faith  in  the  virtues  of  herbs  and  of  stones,  their  astronomical 
theories,  their  theories  of  man's  physical  and  mental  constitution, 


INTRODUCTION. 


their  belief  in  the  supernatural,  their  demonology  of  witchcraft,  their 
tidings  from  fairy-land,  their  omens  of  fear  or  hope  drawn  from  the 
conjunction  of  planets  or  the  lines  of  the  palm.  All  these  things, 
and  much  besides,  are  displayed  in  the  rich  museum  of  Shakespeare's 
language.  And  if  we  are  interested  in  its  contents,  every  old  curiosity 
shop  of  a  minor  dramatist  or  obscure  pamphleteer  becomes  interesting 
to  us,  for  amid  its  dusty  lumber  we  may  light  upon  something 
which  fills  a  gap,  or  supplies  a  link,  or  interprets  a  puzzle  in  the 
treasures  of  our  museum. 

Let  us  take,  for  example,  some  words  which  are  still  in  common 
use,  and  which  therefore  cannot  all  be  expected  to  appear  in  such  a 
volume  as  the  present,  the  words  elements,  humours,  complexion, 
melancholy,  choler,  temper,  spirits.  How  much  of  primitive  physio- 
logical theory  lies  behind  their  familiar  meanings!  "Does  not  our 
life  consist  of  the  four  elements  f  asks  Sir  Toby  in  Twelfth  Night, 
In  a  companion  pair  of  Sonnets  (XLIV.  and  XLV.)  Shakespeare  finds 
in  the  theory  to  which  Sir  Toby  refers  the  explanation  of  the  sadness 
and  the  gladness  which  he  experiences  in  absence  from  his  friend; 
the  heavier  elements  of  earth  and  water  in  his  composition  cannot 
fly  across  the  distance  which  separates  him  from  the  man  he  loves ; 
the  "quicker  elements"  of  air  and  fire  pass  to  and  fro,  and,  returning 
with  tidings  of  joy,  "recure"  the  composition  of  his  life.  "I  am  fire 
and  air,"  exclaims  Cleopatra  when  about  to  fly  to  Antony  through 
the  portal  of  death,  "my  other  elements  I  give  to  baser  life."  With 
one  of  tl^se  four  elements,  according  to  ancient  and  mediaeval 
physiology,  each  of  the  fluids  or  humours  of  the  body — blood,  choler, 
phlegm,  melancholy — was  specially  connected,  and  as  one  of  these 
humours  predominated  in  the  composition  of  a  man  his  temperament 
or  complexion  was  determined ;  it  was  cold  or  hot  or  moist  or  dry. 
By  a  fashion  of  speech  in  Shakespeare's  day  the  word  "  humour  "  was 
detached  from  its  scientific  meaning,  and  was  loosely  applied  to  any 
self-willed  oddity  or  freak  of  fancy,  and  Nym  in  King  Henry  y. 
adorns  his  vocabulary  with  the  much-abused  expression.  Against 
which  popular  misapplication  of  the  term  Ben  Jonson,  the  dramatist 


INTRODUCTION. 


of  the  humours,  having  explained  the  correct  meaning,  thinks  it 
needful  to  protest : 

But  that  a  rook  by  wearing  a  pyed  feather 
The  cable  hatband,  or  the  three-piled  ruff, 
A  yard  of  shoe-tye,  or  the  Switzer's  knot 
On  his  French  garters,  should  affect  a  humour ! 
O,  it  is  more  than  most  ridiculous. 

When  the  elements,  and  the  humours  connected  with  each  of  these, 
were  duly  proportioned  in  a  man,  then  he  was  of  perfect  "  temper  " 
(see  the  word  in  the  "  Cyclopsedia ") ;  such  was  the  character  of 
Shakespeare's  Brutus,  as  described  in  the  eulogy  of  Mark  Antony 
at  the  close  of  Julius  Caesar  : 

His  life  was  gentle,  and  the  elements 

So  mix'd  in  him  that  Nature  might  stand  up, 

And  say  to  all  the  world  "This  was  a  man!" 

But  in  addition  to  the  humours,  the  "spirits"  also  play  a  large 
part  in  our  life.  "Forth  at  your  eyes,"  cries  the  alarmed  Queen 
to  Hamlet,  "  your  spirits  wildly  peep ! "  And  Cressida's  wanton 
"spirits"  look  out  "at  every  joint  and  motive  of  her  body."  The 
word  is  intelligible  to  every  reader,  but  again  an  antiquated 
theory  of  physiology  lies  behind  the  word.  As  we  learn  from  that 
mediaeval  historian  of  nature,  Bartholomew  Glanvil,  whose  work  in 
its  Elizabethan  form,  "Batman  upon  Bartholome,"  1582,  is  a  valuable 
storehouse  of  Shakespearian  illustrations,  "the  spirit  is  a  certain 
substance,  subtle  and  airy,  that  stirreth  and  exciteth  the  vertues  of 
the  body  in  their  doings  and  works."  A  smoke  arising  from  the 
liver,  where  the  blood  seethes  and  boils,  is  purified  and  made  subtle 
in  the  veins ;  this  is  the  "  natural  spirit,"  which  causes  the  motion  of 
blood  through  the  body.  By  "  smiting  together  the  parts  of  the 
heai-t "  it  is  further  "  pured "  and  rarified,  so  becoming  the  "  vital 
spirit,"  which  "  worketh  in  the  artery  veins  the  pulse  of  life."  Passing 
upward  to  "the  dens  of  the  brain,"  and  there  being  rendered  yet 
finer  and  more  subtle,  it  is  converted  into  the  "  animal  spirit,"  which 


INTRODUCTION. 


in  part  spreads  itself  over  "the  limbs  of  feeling,"  in  part  remains  in 
the  brain  in  order  that  "  common  sense,  the  common  wit,  and  the 
virtue  imaginative  may  be  made  perfect."  And  these  three  spirits, 
natural,  vital,  and  animal,  without  which  sensation  and  motion  could 
not  exist,  are  diverse  forms  of  one  and  the  same  spirit,  by  whose 
instrumentality  the  soul  operates  upon  the  body  and  the  body  upon 
the  soul. 

Thus,  by  tracing  a  few  words  back  to  their  original  uses,  we  are 
conducted  into  the  strange  realms  of  mediaeval  science.  And  those 
who  read  Shakespeare  with  attention  and  put  Mr.  Phin's  "  Cyclo- 
paedia "  to  good  use  will  find  as  strange  a  cosmology  and  natural 
history. 

The  heavens  themselves,  the  planets  and  this  centre 

Observe  degree,  priority,  and  place, 

says  Ulysses  in  Troilus  and  Cressida.  "  This  centre,"  for  Shake- 
speare's astronomy  (see  sphere  in  the  "  Cyclopaedia ")  is  Ptolmaio, 
and  the  earth  stands  as  the  fixed  centre  of  the  universe.  Around  it 
revolve  the  spheres  or  orbs  of  the  Seven  Planets,  of  which  the  moon 
is  one  and  "  the  gloripus  planet  Sol "  is  another,  each  celestial  body 
being  whirled  around  the  earth  by  the  motion  of  its  sphere.  In  the 
eighth  sphere  are  planted  the  fixed  stars,  which  themselves  are  fiery 
substances  : 

Doubt  thou  the  stars  are  fire ; 

Doubt  that  the  sun  doth  move. 

Even  Bacon  maintained  that  "  the  celestial  bodies,  most  of  them,  are 
true  fires  or  flames,  as  the  Stoics  held."  And  it  was  a  beautiful 
fancy,  coming  down  from  old  philosophy,  and  one  to  which  Shake- 
speare lent  an  ear,  that  the  revolving  spheres  express  the  harmony 
of  their  movement  in  a  spheral  music,  or,  as  Lorenzo  puts  it,  that  the 
planets  and  stars  themselves  are  heavenly  choiristers,: 

There's  not  the  smallest  orb  vrhich  thou  behold'st 
But  in  his  motion  like  an  angel  sings, 
Still  (juiring  to  the  young-eyed  cherubias, 


INTRODUCTION. 


The   voice   of    Antony,   as   it   lives    in    Cleopatra's,  memory   "was 
propertied  as  all  the  tuned  spheres." 

Shakespeare's  acquaintance  with  the  quarters  of  our  globe  and 
its  lands  and  seas  was  as  exact  and  as  inexact  as  that  of  his  average 
contemporaries,  and  was  at  least  sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  poetry. 
He  names  America  once,  in  connection  with  the  Indies — ''India" 
being,  indeed,  a  name  which  was  formerly  given  to  America — as  a 
land  of  wealth  and  of  precious  stones.  He  had  certainly  read  for 
"  The  Tempest "  some  of  the  literature  connected  with  the  wreck  of 
Sir  George  Somers  upon  the  "  still-vexed  Bermoothes  "  in  1609  ;  and 
there  are  indications  that  he  had  more  than  glanced  into  Hakluyt's 
Travels.  But  while  he  shows  his  intimacy  with  many  parts  of  his 
native  country,  an  acquaintance  whether  at  first  or  second  hand  we 
cannot  say,  with  Scotland,  and  a  curiously  exact  knowledge  of 
portions  of  Italy,  his  geography  is  often  poetical  rather  than  scientific. 
His  Africa  is  the  Africa  of  maps  which  made  its  untravelled  spaces 
interesting  with  pictures  of  marvellous  creatures — the  region  of 
deserts  and  a  torrid  sun  and  the  serpent;  his  Bohemia,  like  Greene's, 
has  its  sea-coast ;  his  forest  of  Arden,  its  palm-trees  and  its  lion ;  his 
Lapland  is  the  haunt  of  sorcerers  and  of  witchcraft. 

Though  Gesner  and  others  had  written  much,  Shakespeare's 
geological  vocabulary  is  not  in  any  special  degree  remarkable.  But 
of  gems  and  precious  stones  he  tells  us  something,  for  these  are 
closely  allied  to  the  interests  of  humanity  with  which  he  deals.  It 
is  her  mother's  diamond  that  Imogen  gives  Posthumus  at  his 
departure  from  Britain,  and  Shakespeare  may  have  thought  of  those 
virtues  of  which  we  read  in  the  later  Gemmarius  Fidelius  of  Nichols: 
"  It  asswages  the  fury  of  a  man's  enemies  *  *  *  dowes  away  the 
terrors  of  the  night,  and  frustrates  all  the  maligne  contageous  power 
of  poysons";  Italy,  for  which  Posthumus  was  bound,  had  an  evil 
reputation  in  Shakespeare's  day  for  its  skill  in  the  art  of  poisoning. 
The  carbuncle,  that  stone  which  blazes  in  the  chariot  of  the  sun,  and 
to  which  in  Hamlet  the  eyes  of  Pyrrhus  are  compared,  is,  according 
to  the  same  authority,  a  ruby  of  unusual  size,  and  *'for  its  innate 


INTRODUCTION. 


glory "  it  "  containeth  within  itself  the  resemblance  of  a  flame  of 
fire."  The  chrysolite,  as  the  reader  will  learn  from  the  ''  Cyclopaedia," 
was  sometimes  identified  with  the  topaz ;  the  Gemmarius  distinguishes 
the  one  from  the  other,  but  says  that  the  names  were  often  used 
interchangeably.  The  turquoise,  gift  of  his  dead  Leah  to  Shylock 
"when  a  bachelor,"  had  virtues  ascribed  to  it  which  "nothing  but 
excesse  of  faith  can  beHeve " ;  besides  those  virtues  which  the 
"Cyclopaedia"  notes,  it  has  this — that  it  takes  away  all  enmity 
between  man  and  wife ;  but  to  possess  its  peculiar  virtues,  it  must 
be,  as  with  Shylock's  stone,  presented,  not  purchased :  "  these 
virtues,"  saya  Nichols,  "are  said  not  to  be  in  this  gemm  except  the 
gemm  be  received  of  gift." 

The  liquid  drops  of  tears  which  you  have  shed 
Shall  come  again,  transformed  to  orient  pearl, 

says  Richard  III.,  addressing  Queen  Elizabeth.  And  the  Gemmarius, 
which  treats  of  the  pearl  as  an  object  that  comes  within  the  range 
of  the  lapidary's  art,  reminds  us  that,  according  to  Pliny,  this 
"  excellent  geniture  "  of  the  oyster  is  "  conceived  of  a  certain  maritime 
dew,"  to  which  piece  of  fictitious  natural  history  the  king's  words 
may  allude.  The  pearl,  which  Claudius  feigns  to  throw,  in  the 
fashion  of  Cleopatra,  into  the  drinking-cup,  is  named  "an  union"; 
"if  they  be  great,"  says  Nichols,  "they  are  called  Unions,  because 
they  are  then  found  single  in  a  shell.  If  they  be  small,  they  ar-e 
called  Margarites."  One  precious  stone,  not  dug  from  mines,  is 
spoken  of  by  the  banished  Duke  in  his  sunny  adversity  of  Arden 
forest — that  worn  in  his  head  by  the  toad.  This  is  the  "Lapis 
bufonius,"  and  sometimes,  as  we  read  in  Johnston's  History  of 
the  Wonderful  Things  in  Nature,  it  bears  in  it  the  image  of  the 
toad ;  but  you  may  often  find  a  toad  without  the  stone,  for  "  it  never 
grows  but  in  those  that  are  very  old."  It  draws  poison  out  of  the 
heart,  which  may  also  be  among  the  "  uses  of  adversity." 

The  botany  of  Shakespeare  is  in  itself  a  large  subject  on  which 
volumes,  such  as  Canon  EUacombe's  Plant-Lore  and  Mr,  Beisly's 


INTRODUCTION. 


Shakespeare^ s  Garden,  have  been  written.  Sometimes  we  come 
across  an  obsolete  theory  in  vegetable  physiology,  as  in  that  line  of 
Troilus  and  Cressida  which  ascribes  the  knots  in  trees  to  the 
"  conflux  of  meeting  sap."  Often  we  are  reminded  of  the  processes 
of  gardening-craft,  or  the  arrangement  of  "thick-pleached  alleys," 
where  hedges  formed  the  borders,  and  of  curious  "knots  "♦-knots,  in 
this  sense,  meaning  beds  of  quaint  pattern,  shaped  with  tiles,  and 
often  raised  above  the  paths.  We  learn  something  of  pruning  and 
grafting;  the  production  of  variety  of  colours  in  flowers  by  that 
artificial  impregnation,  which  Perdita  regards  as  a  wrong  done  to 
nature ;  and  the  old  custom  of  placing  side  by  side  certain  plants 
which  were  supposed  to  suck  different  juices  from  the  earth,  each 
thus  serving  the  other  by  leaving  it  the  appropriate  nourishment 
and  removing  what  is  adverse  to  its  growth. 

The  names  of  Shakespeare's  flowers  and  herbs  and  trees  are  very 
numerous,  and  the  identification  of  the  plant  is  sometimes  difficult. 
Thus  "mary-bud"  is  correctly  explained  in  the  "Cyclopaedia"  as  the 
flower  of  the  marigold  ;  but  is  the  garden  marigold  {calendula  officin- 
alis) meant,  or  Tennyson's  "  wild  marsh  marigold,"  quite  a  different 
plant,  or,  last,  the  corn  marigold,  a  species  of  chrysanthemum? 
Canon  EUacombe,  with  little  hesitation,  gives  his  vote  for  the  first 
of  these.  With  the  help  of  the  Herbals  of  Dodoens,  and  Gerard, 
and  Parkinson  such  questions  can  generally  be  answered.  It  is  often 
the  beauty  of  the  flower  which  impresses  Shakespeare's  imagination, 
as  in  those  immortal  Hnes  which  describe  the  daffodil ;  but  often  also 
there  is  a  reference,  expressed  or  implied,  to  the  "  virtues,"  to  which 
the  old  herbalists  devoted  so  much  attention.  Thus,  as  Mr.  Phin 
notes,  when  Margaret  in  Much  Ado  recommends  "carduus  bene- 
dictus  "  to  Beatrice,  it  is  evident  that  she  plays  upon  the  name  of 
Benedick,  and  has  in  her  mind  the  singular  virtue  of  the  blessed 
thistle,  recorded  in  The  Gardener^ s  Labyrinth  of  1608,  against 
"perilous  diseases  of  the  heart."  Sometimes  again  it  is  what  we 
may  call  a  botanical  myth  that  Shakespeare  turns  to  poetical  uses. 
Around  no  plant  had  gathered  more  terrible  associations — terrible, 


INTRODUCTION. 


yet  also  grotesque — than  around  the  mandrake.  It  was  vegetable, 
but  at  the  same  time  it  was  half  human ;  when  torn  from  the  earth, 
as  Suffolk  and  as  Juliet  remembered,  it  groaned  and  shrieked ;  it  had 
a  kinship  with  the  gallows  and  the  corpse  of  the  criminal;  when 
wisely  used  it  brought  the  blessing  of  sleep ;  but  for  one  who  dealt 
rashly  with  its  life,  the  mandrake  became  a  fierce  avenger,  the  envoy 
of  madness  or  of  death. 

The  lore  of  beasts,  birds,  fishes,  reptiles  to  be  found  in  Shake- 
speare is  extensive,  and  for  the  modern  reader  it  frequently  calls  for 
some  elucidation.  His  natural  history  of  animals  is  partly  founded 
on  personal  observation,  but  in  large  part  it  is  an  inheritance  from 
classical  and  mediaeval  writers.  Troilus  reproaches  Hector  with  a 
"vice  of  mercy," 

Which  better  fits  a  lion  than  a  man. 

And  from  Pliny  and  his  mediaeval  disciple,  Bartholomew,  we  learn 
what  this  vice  of  mercy  is :  "  Their  mercie  is  known  by  many  and  oft 
ensamples ;  for  they  spare  them  that  He  on  the  ground,"  pleading  for 
pity  by  this  act  of  prostration.  "You  are  lions  too,"  says  Prince 
Henry,  "you  ran  away  upon  instinct,  you  will  not  touch  the  true 
prince" — for  the  lion,  being  the  King  of  beasts,  will  not  attack  a 
royal  person.  Richard  addresses  Edward,  who  has  spoken  of  his 
valiant  father : 

Nay,  if  thou  be  that  princely  eagle's  bird, 

Show  thy  descent  by  gazing  at  the  sun. 

"  Bird "  here  means  the  young  one  or  nestling ;  and  we  read  in 
Bartholomew  :  "  There  is  also  one  manner  Eagle  that  is  full  sharp  of 
sight,  and  she  taketh  her  own  birds  in  her  claws,  and  maketh  them 
look  even  on  the  sun  *  *  *  and  if  any  eye  of  any  of  her  birds 
watereth  in  looking  on  the  sun,  she  slayeth  him."  "The  elephant 
hath  joints,"  says  Ulysses,  with  a  reference  to  the  stubborn  Achilles, 
"but  none  for  courtesy."  Shakespeare's  natural  history  had  advanced 
beyond  that  of  many  classical  authorities,  against  whom  Sir  Thomas 
Browne,   in  Vulgar   Errors   (Bk.    Ill,  Chap.  I)    argues   that  "  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


elephant  liath  joints " ;  the  Hortus  Sanitatis,  before  Shakespeare's 
day,  adhered  to  the  old  opinion,  and  though  the  jointless  legs  of  the 
young  elephant  could  bend,  this  power,  we  are  told,  was  lost  by  the 
animal  in  its  maturity.  "  What  sayst  thou  to  a  hare,  or  the  melancholy 
of  Moor-ditch  ?  "  asks  Prince  Henry  of  Falstaff.  And  in  Turbervile 
we  read  that  the  hare  "is  one  of  the  most  melancholicke  beasts  that 
is,  and  to  heale  her  own  infirmitie  she  goeth  commonly  to  sit  under 
the  wild  succory." 

But  in  addition  to  the  natural  history  which  is  in  part  truth,  in 
part  fable,  there  is  in  Shakespeare  and  his  contemporaries  a  natural 
history  which  is  wholly  fabulous.  The  most  illustrious  of  imaginary 
creatures  wAs  probably  the  phoenix  (see  "Cyclopaedia").  The  sole 
Arabian  bird  alights  for  a  moment  on  many  a  bough  in  the  forest  of 
Elizabethan  poetry.  At  the  close  of  Eobert  Chester's  strange  poem 
of  1601,  "Love's  Martyr,"  some  of  the  most  eminent  of  Shakespeare's 
fellows,  and  Shakespeare  himself  with  them,  unite  in  celebrating  ideal 
love  under  the  allegory  of  the  phoenix  and  the  turtle.  In  Sylvester's 
translation  of  Du  Bartas  (Fifth  day  of  the  First  Week)  her  legend  is 
told  in  detail,  and  we  see  the  brilliant  creature  as  she  was  seen  by 
Shakespeare's  fancy — her  sparkling  eyes,  her  crest  of  "  starry  sprigs,'* 
the  golden  down  about  her  neck,  her  scarlet  back  and  purple  breast, 
her  wings  and  train  of  "orient  azure  and  incarnadine."  She  is 
consumed  and  reborn  in  the  perfumed  flame.  But  the  salamander, 
which  is  a  pestilent  and  venomous  beast,  lives  in  and  feeds  upon  the 
fire;  "his  song,"  says  Bartholomew,  "is  crying";  and,  if  he  should 
please,  "he  quencheth  the  fire  that  he  toucheth  as  ice  does,  and 
water  frore." 

This  fabulous  natural  history  will  be  found  more  abundantly  in 
the  pages  of  Lyly  than  in  those  of  Shakespeare ;  but  Shakespeare  is 
pre-eminent  among  Elizabethan  writers  for  his 'intimate  knowledge 
of  beast  and  bird  as  they  are  seen  in  the  field-sports  of  England. 
His  vocabulary  here  is  extraordinarily  rich  and  in  its  application  it  is 
almost  infallibly  exact.  A  delightful  and  learned  guide  to  this 
province   of    Shakespearian   study   will    be    found    in    Mr.   Justice 


INTRODUCTION. 


Madden's  volume,   "The  Diary  of  Master  "William  Silence."     If  the 
sporting  terms  which  Mr.   Phin  has  explained,  each  in   its  proper 
place,  were   brought   together,  the   collection   would   form   a  little 
glossary  of  hawking,  hunting,  coursing,  fowling,  and  other  recreations 
of  rural  England.     The  falconer,  who  trains  the  long-winged  hawks, 
may  be  disposed  to  throw  a  slight  upon  such  a  "gentle  astringer"  as 
appears  in   a   stage-direction   of  Alfs    Well,   for    the   goshawk  or 
"estridge,"  the  bird  of  the  astringer,  is  of  inferior  flight.     It  is  the 
falcon  that  "towers"  in  her  pride  of  place.     And,   as  Mr.   Justice 
Madden  instructs  us,  you  may  take  your  hawk  from  the  nest  as  an 
"eyas"  (nestling)  or  you  may  capture  a  full-grown  hawk,  a  "haggard," 
and  by  training  reclaim  or  "man"  the  bird.     "Eyasses,"  writes  Tur- 
bervile  "  *     *     *     do  use  to  cry  very  much  in  their  feedings " ;  and 
Hamlet's   little   eyases,    the   boy   actors,    "cry   out   on   the    toj)   of 
question."     The  unreclaimed  haggard  is,  as  we  find  in  Othello^  the 
very  emblem  of  worthless  inconstancy ;  when  captured  she  must  be 
tamed  by   hunger  and   "watching."     "I'll   watch   him   tame,"   says 
Desdemona  of  her  husband,  promising  to  keep  him  sleepless  until 
he  yields  to  her  request.     The  bird,  when  brought  out  upon  the  fist, 
must  be  "  hooded  "  or  she  will  "  bate  "  (flutter  the  wings) ;  "  'tis  a 
hooded  valour,"  says  the  Constable  of  France,  when  depreciating  the 
Dauphin's  courage,    "and   when   it   appears  it  will  bate."    I  have 
followed  and  reduced  to  narrow  space  a  few  of  Mr,  Justice  Madden's 
notes,  and  similar  explanations  will  be  found  in  the  "Cyclopaedia." 
And  so  we  might  go  on  almost  without  end,  illustrating  the  remark- 
able familiarity  of  Shakespeare  with  the  wholesome  out-of-door  mirth 
of  England.     Every  point  of  a    horse  was  known  to  him;    and  all 
the  "  terms  of  manage."     Thus,  Mr.  Phin  rightly  explains  the  words 
of  Benedick,  "  Sir,  I  shall  meet  your  wit  in  the  career,"  as  referring 
to  the  tilt-yard,  and  the  word  "  career  "  is  itself  a  "  term  of  manage," 
meaning  not  an  advance  which  has  no  definite  end,  but  a  gallop 
which  has  an  abrupt  ending — the  "  stop  "  (as  explained  and  illustrated 
by  Madden)  "  by  which  the  horse  was  suddenly  and  firmly  thrown 
upon  his  haunches.     Wherever  Shakespeare  uses  the  word  the  stop 


xxviii  INTRODUCTION. 


is  present  to  his  mind.  Leontes  *  ♦  *  spoke  terms  of  manage 
when  he  marked  'stopping  the  career  of  laughter  with  a  sigh'  as  a 
*note  infaUible  of  breaking  honesty.'" 

I  have  illustrated  from  a  few  departments  the  interest  which  lies 
in  the  study  of  Shakespeare's  language  ;  and  the  illustration  could  be 
indefinitely  extended.  But  Mr.  Phin  in  the  *'  Cyclopsedia"  deals  with 
much  more  than  the  vocabulary  of  Shakespeare.  He  is  now  historical, 
now  topographical,  and  often,  where  questions  of  textual  correctness 
arise,  he  is  critical.  Into  the  hazardous  discussion  of  doubtful 
readings  I  shall  not  attempt  to  follow  him.  Here,  more  perhaps 
than  elsewhere,  there  is  room  for  differences  of  opinion.  In  some 
cases  the  difficulties  are  probably  insoluble ;  but  from  the  days  of 
Rowe,  and  Pope,  and  Theobald  a  real  progress  has  been  made.  The 
advance  of  knowledge  in  several  instances  where  doubts  existed  or 
questions  were  raised,  has  justified  the  original  readings.  And  on 
the  whole  it  may  safely  be  affirmed  that  a  conservative  text  is  the 
best  text.  But  no  one  who  has  studied  the  Quartos  or  the  First 
Folio  can  retain  a  superstitious  reverence  for  them  as  exact  records  of 
what  Shakespeare  wrote  ;  and  more  violence  is  done  to  the  original 
by  forcing  an  unnatural  meaning  upon  it  than  by  accepting  an  emend- 
ation which  accords  at  once  with  common  sense  and  with  the  genius 
of  our  language  as  it  was  written  in  the  age  of  Elizabeth. 


HOW  TO   READ    FOR   PLEASURE   AND    PROFIT. 


I^^^^^EVER,  since  the  dawn  of  civilization,  have  the  opportunities  offered  to 
NiL^lRfl  ^^^  people  at  large  for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  and  for  intellectual 
^^^^^  culture  been  as  great  and  as  accessible  as  they  are  at  the  present 
day.  The  enormous  output  of  books  from  the  presses  of  the  pub- 
lishers gives  the  widest  range  for  selection,  and  the  grades  of  these  works  are  so 
varied  that  the  most  highly-trained  mind  may  find  a  field  for  intellectual  exercise, 
while  at  the  same  time  the  simplest  and  least  learned  may  find  mental  food 
suited  to  its  capacity.  Added  to  this  we  have  the  recent  unprecedented  multipli- 
cation of  free  libraries  which  place  all  this  store  of  knowledge  within  the  reach 
of  the  poorest ;  and  when  we  examine  the  reports  of  these  libraries  we  find  that 
the  people  are  not  slow  to  take  advantage  of  the  facilities  offered  for  reading. 

But  while  this  condition  of  things  has  gladdened  the  hearts  of  all  true  philan- 
thropists and  workers  for  progress,  there  has  crept  into  the  minds  of  our  most 
earnest  thinkers  a  well-founded  suspicion  that,  like  almost  all  other  beneficent  in- 
stitutions, the  free  public  library  is  not  altogether  an  unmixed  good,  and  that  unless 
its  patrons  receive  proper  guidance  it  may  actually  become  a  source  of  dissipation 
and  enervation.  These  views  are  not  by  any  means  new,  and  some  years  ago 
they  found  utterance  in  a  small  volume  by  the  present  writer  under  the  title,  "A 
Book  About  Books."    From  it  we  shall  borrow  a  few  passages  in  a  modified  form. 

Most  of  the  everyday  reading  that  is  done  by  ordinarily  intelligent  people  is 
for  pleasure,  and  the  subjects  chosen  are  usually  fiction,  poetry,  travels  and  the 
more  vivid  and  exciting  parts  of  history.  Fiction,  however,  forms  the  great  bulk 
of  such  reading,  and  this  is  shown  not  only  by  the  reports  of  all  our  circulating 
and  free  public  libraries,  but  by  the  condition  of  the  books  on  their  shelves.  It 
will  be  found  that  while  the  novels  and  story-books  are  thumbed  to  pieces,  the 
more  substantial  works,  even  though  occasionally  drawn  out,  are  never  read  so 
thoroughly  and  frequently  as  to  be  subjected  to  much  tear  and  wear. 

So  strongly  has  this  fact  impressed  itself  upon  those  interested  in  promoting 
the  efficiency  of  our  public  libraries  as  educational  influences,  that  a  prominent 
benefactor  of  these  institutions  has  actually  proposed  to  exclude  from  their 
shelves  all  works  of  fiction  that  are  not  from  one  to  three  years  old  I  It  is 
evident,  however,  that  such  a  proposition,  if  carried  out,  could  effect  no  good, 
and  the  absurdity  of  the  suggestion  is  seen  at  once  when  we  reflect  that  under 
such  conditions  novels  like  Scott's  "Ivanhoe"  or  the  "Antiquary,"  if  just  pub- 
lished, would  be  excluded,  while  novels  of  the  "penny-dreadful  "  class  might  be 
admitted  if  they  were  three  years  old  !  Obviously,  a  much  better  plan  would  be 
to  limit  the  department  of  fiction  to  a  certain  percentage  of  the  amount  expended 
for  new  books  and  to  exercise  a  reasonable  degree  of  sujgervision  over  the 


THE   SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


character  of  the  books  selected,  irrespective  of  the  desires  expressed  by  the 
readers  of  that  class  of  literature.  Such  a  system,  if  supplemented  by  simple 
instructions  in  regard  to  the  best  methods  of  reading,  would  do  much  to  advance 
the  educational  efficiency  of  our  public  libraries. 

If  read  in  a  proper  manner,  works  of  fiction  (in  which  class  may  be  included 
not  only  novels,  but  poetry  and  the  drama)  may  be  a  very  efficient  means  of  culture 
both  as  regards  language  and  ideas,  but  as  ordinarily  read  by  those  who  haunt  our 
free  libraries  they  do  anything  but  good  ;  and  it  unfortunately  happens  that  some 
eminent  librarians  have  urged  the  formation  of  what  they  are  pleased  to  call  ' '  the 
reading  habit,"  no  matter  what  the  character  of  that  habit  maybe.  This  is  a 
great  mistake.  The  "reading  habit"  acquired  by  a  large  class  of  the  community 
is  almost  as  evil  in  its  influences  as  the  opium  habit,  or  the  whisky  habit.  This 
may  seem  a  strange  assertion,  but  it  is  true,  nevertheless,  and  the  writer  speaks 
on  this  point  not  only  from  general  deductions,  but  from  very  favorable  and 
extensive  personal  opportunities  for  observing  the  actual  effects  of  inordinate 
novel  reading  upon  ordinary  readers — especially  upon  females  and  young  people. 
My  experience  has  been  that  those  who  rapidly  read  novel  after  novel  never  do 
more  than  skim  over  the  plot  so  as  to  indulge  in  the  mental  excitement  which 
all  stories  of  a  romantic  turn  and  intense  action  are  sure  to  produce,  and  it 
matters  not  whether  the  novels  that  are  read  are  the  masterpieces  of  Scott, 
Dickens,  Thackeray,  Cooper  or  others  of  our  best  writers  or  the  latest  productions 
of  the  dime  novel  press,  the  effect  on  the  mind  is  the  same  and  is  only  evil,  and 
that  continually.  For  there  is  another  habit  which  is  far  more  valuable  than  the 
reading  habit  and  of  which  the  reading  habit,  as  too  often  acquired,  is  utterly 
destructive,  and  that  is  the  thinking  habit.  The  confirmed  novel  reader  does  not 
think ;  she  (for  such  readers  are  mostly  females  and  young  people)  dreams  and 
lives  in  a  land  of  seemingly  pleasant  delights,  but  of  good,  healthy  thinking  she 
knows  nothing. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  we  make  a  judicious  selection  of  any  of  our  standard 
authors  and  read  according  to  a  proper  system,  we  shall  gain  not  only  in 
knowledge,  but  in  that  which  is  far  better— culture  and  training.  Under 
Buch  a  method  we  shall  find  that  new  beauties  of  diction  and  of  thought 
■will  reveal  themselves  at  every  step  of  our  progress,  and  we  shall  gradually 
acquire  those  habits  of  thought  which  sympathy  with  a  writer  of  strength  and 
refinement  is  sure  to  induce.  Of  course,  the  reading  of  the  inferior  productions  of 
sensational  writers  never  can  effect  this.  We  may  so  read  Scott,  Cooper  and 
Dickens  as  to  obtain  from  them  all  the  evil  effects  of  the  dime  novel,  but  we  can 
never  obtain  from  the  dime  novel  the  culture  and  improvement  which  the 
writings  of  Dickens,  Scott  and  Cooper  are  capable  of  affording  if  properly  used. 

In  view  of  these  incontrovertible  truths,  this  question  forcibly  presents  itself : 
How  shall  we  read  so  as  to  avoid  the  evils  we  have  mentioned  and  attain  the 
greatest  benefit  as  well  as  the  truest  and  highest  pleasure  from  a  perusal  of  recent 


AND    NEW   GLOSSARY. 


authors  as  well  as  from  the  greatest  of  all  the  literary  productions  in  the  English 
language,  the  works  of  Shakespeare?  That  this  question  is  not  always  answered 
wisely  is  very  clearly  shown  by  the  reply  given  net  long  ago  by  the  editor 
of  a  prominent  journal  to  a  young  enquirer  who  had  not  had  large  oppor- 
tunities for  self-improvement,  but  who  had  been  attracted  to  the  writings  of 
Shakespeare  by  the  force  and  beauty  of  some  of  the  best  known  passages  and  by 
seeing  some  of  the  plays  acted  on  the  stage.  Therefore,  that  he  should  have 
asked,  "What  is  the  best  way  to  read  Shakespeare?"  was  the  most  natural  thing 
in  the  world.  The  reply  was  that  '*  the  best  way  to  read  Shakespeare  is  to  read 
him"!  and  it  is  probable  that  this  is  the  answer  which  the  beginner  will  get  in 
nine  cases  out  of  ten  when  he  applies  to  some  one  who  has  a  pseudo-reputation  as 
a  "Shakespearean." 

In  this  bald  shape  such  an  answer  is  either  a  truism  or  a  very  gross  mistake. 
It  is  certainly  true  that  we  cannot  read  the  works  of  any  author  without  reading 
them,  but  if  we  take  up  the  works  of  Shakespeare  and  read  straight  through 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  volume,  we  can  never  obtain  that  instruction 
and  pleasure  which  we  might  derive  from  a  wiser  and  more  systematic  course. 

Shakespeare's  writings  cannot  be  regarded  as  one  homogeneous  piece,  every 
part  of  which  is  united  to  the  rest  by  a  single  aim.  His  works  consist  of  thirty- 
seven  plays  and  several  pieces  of  poetry,  and  of  these  there  are  but  few  which 
have  an  intimate  connection  with  any  of  the  others.  It  is  his  plays,  however, 
which  have  made  his  name  a  household  word.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  any 
person,  able  to  read  English,  who  has  not  heard  of  Hamlet,  Caesar,  Lear,  Falstaff 
or  Shylock  ;  but  not  one  in  a  thousand  has  ever  heard  of  "  The  Passionate 
Pilgrim,"  or  "The  Phoenix  and  the  Turtle." 

All  the  most  important  plays  have  in  themselves  a  completeness  and  distinctness 
which  render  it  possible  to  study  them  without  reference  to  anything  else;  and 
while  a  true  lorer  of  Shakespeare  will  not  rest  content  until  he  has  made  the 
entire  volume  his  own,  those  whose  opportunities  as  regards  time,  etc.,  are 
limited,  will  do  well  to  master  thoroughly  one-half  or  a  third  of  the  three 
dozen  plays  rather  than  form  a  mere  general  acquaintance  with  the  whole. 

I  have  seen  it  stated  somewhere  that  if  you  wish  to  test  any  person's  familiarity 
with  the  writings  of  Shakespeare,  ask  him  if  he  has  read  Cymbeline,  and  I  presume 
that  the  conclusion  must  be  that  those  who  have  not  read  this  play  are  to  be  set 
down  as  knowing  little  or  nothing  of  the  great  dramatist.  Now,  although  Cymbeline 
is  a  play  which  no  lover  of  Shakespeare  can  afford  to  neglect,  it  is  quite  possible  that 
one  might  not  only  be  an  ardent  admirer  of  Shakespeare's  works,  but  have  made 
very  important  advances  in  Shakespearean  study,  and  yet  might  not  have  read 
that  play.  Given  two  young  people  of  equal  talents  and  equal,  but  comparatively 
limited,  opportunities  as  regards  leisure  and  means  of  study;  if  one  should  read 
all  Shakespeare's  works  and  the  other  should  devote  the  same  amount  of  time 
and  study  to  ten  or  a  dozen  of  the  most  important  plays,  the  latter  would  ua- 


THE   SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


doubtedly  become  a  more  tborougli  Shakespearean  than  the  other  ;  and  what  is 
more  ;  The  second  would  probably  have  attained  a  higher  degree  of  mental 
culture,  a  greater  amount  of  knowledge  and,  I  will  venture  to  say,  more  real 
pleasure  than  the  other. 

In  reading  any  one  of  Shakespeare's  plays  there  are  several  distinct  points  which 
demand  our  attention.  Thus  we  have  :  1.  The  plot  or  story ;  2.  The  various 
individual  characters  and  their  development ;  3.  The  peculiarities  of  language  and 
expression  and  the  special  meanings  borne  by  words  used  in  their  old  senses ; 
4.  The  various  allusions  to  old  time  customs,  mythology,  history,  etc.  Other 
points,  such  as  the  style  of  the  different  plays,  indicating  the  period  at  which 
they  were  written,  will  also  present  themselves,  but  it  is  hardly  to  be  expected 
that  beginners  will  have  the  critical  insight  which  will  enable  them  to  derive 
much  profit  from  this  at  the  start,  that  is,  if  they  are  not  under  the  personal 
guidance  of  some  teacher  of  experience. 

The  first  thing  which  the  reader  should  try  to  attain  is  a  clear  idea  of  the 
general  run  of  the  play  and  of  the  incidents  which  mark  each  stage  of  its  progress. 
It  is  a  notable  feature  of  all  Shakespeare's  plays  that  they  may  be  read  with 
profit  even  if  numerous  passages  should  remain  obscure  ;  and  this  is  true  not 
only  in  regard  to  isolated  words  and  expressions,  but  as  to  passages  of  consider- 
able length.  Dr.  Johnson,  in  his  famous  "Preface,"  calls  special  attention  to  this 
point  in  the  following  words  : 

••  Notes  are  often  necessary,  but  they  are  necessary  evils.  Let  him,  that  is  yet 
unacquainted  with  the  powers  of  Shakespeare,  and  who  desires  to  feel  the  highest 
pleasure  that  the  drama  can  give,  read  every  play,  from  the  first  scene  to  the  last, 
with  utter  negligence  of  all  his  commentators.  When  his  fancy  is  once  on  the 
wing,  let  it  not  stoop  at  correction  or  explanation.  When  his  attention  is  strongly 
engaged,  let  it  disdain,  alike  to  turn  aside  to  the  name  of  Theobald  and  Pope. 
Let  him  read  on  through  brightness  and  obscurity,  through  integrity  and 
corruption  ;  let  him  preserve  his  comprehension  of  the  dialogue  and  his  interest 
in  the  fable;  and  when  the  pleasures  of  novelty  have  ceased,  let  him  attempt 
exactness,  and  read  the  commentators." 

At  this  point  the  reader  will  no  doubt  ask:  "Which  of  Shakespeare's  plays 
ought  we  to  select  for  the  first  half-dozen?"  This  is  a  puzzling  question  and  one 
to  which  probably  no  two  authorities  would  give  the  same  answer.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  name  ten  plays  and  not  omit  others  equally  deserving  of  attention; 
nevertheless,  if  we  are  to  read  at  all,  we  must  begin  somewhere.  Perhaps  as  good 
a  play  as  any  to  commence  with  would  be  The  Merchant  of  Venice.  From  this 
the  beginner  may  pass  to  tragedy  as  shown  in  Hamlet,  Othello,  Lear  or  Macbeth,  or 
to  lively,  mirth-provoking  comedy  as  found  in  Much  Ado  About  Nothing,  the  two 
parts  of  Henry  the  Fourth,  etc.  There  is  no  doubt  that  great  advantage  may  be 
derived  from  following  the  development  of  Shakespeare's  artistic  faculty  as  shown 
in  the  characteristics  of  the  different  plays,  and  for  this  no  better  guide  can  be 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY. 


found  than  Professor  Dowden's  little  "Primer."  But  it  seems  to  me  that  in  order 
to  appreciate  Dowden,  or  any  other  writer  on  Shakespeare,  we  must  first  read  a 
little  of  Shakespeare  himself.  If  we  would  study  a  plant  we  must  first  become 
familiar  with  the  general  appearance  of  the  plant  itself  ;  after  that,  let  us  follow 
the  instructions  of  the  botanists. 

No  difficulty  should  be  found  in  the  effort  to  grasp  the  main  incidents  of  the 
play,  and  almost  all  the  finer  passages  may  be  easily  understood,  but  the  reader 
will  find  scattered  through  Shakespeare's  writings  a  few  words  which  are  now 
entirely  obsolete,  and  for  an  explanation  of  these,  reference  must,  of  course,  be 
made  to  a  special  glossary  or  to  one  of  the  large  dictionaries.  But  such  words 
rarely  cause  any  trouble,  and  need  never  mislead  the  reader.  It  is  otherwise, 
however,  with  many  words  employed  by  Shakespeare  and  which  are  still  in  use, 
but  which  now  bear  a  meaning  very  different  from  that  which  they  had  in  the 
time  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  This  is  apt  to  give  the  reader  a  wrong  impression  in 
regard  to  the  meaning  of  certain  passages  and  to  so  far  mislead  him  as  to  make 
him  think  that  he  understands  every  word,  while  the  truth  is  that  the  sense,  as 
it  appears  to  him,  is  very  different  from  that  originally  intended. 

One  of  the  best  helps  to  an  understanding  of  Shakespeare  is  to  witness  the 
representation  of  his  plays  by  really  good  actors.  It  was  said  of  one  famous 
actor  that  to  witness  his  representation  of  Macbeth  was  to  read  Shakespeare  by 
flashes  of  lightning;  and  those  who  have  seen  Booth  in  Hamlet  and  Othello;  Forrest 
in  King  Lear ;  Charlotte  Cushman  as  Lady  Macbeth,  or  Irving  in  The  Merchant  of 
Venice,  must  fully  realise  the  appropriateness  of  the  expression. 

It  has  been  well  said  that  a  thorough  study  of  Shakespeare  is  sufficient  to 
impart  a  liberal  education.  This  is  no  doubt  true,  but  to  attain  such  an  end  the 
study  must  be  something  more  than  the  ordinary  slip-shod  reading  with  which 
so  many  are  content.  We  use  the  word  "slip-shod"  advisedly,  because  if  any 
one  who  has  made  a  careful  study  of  some  such  play  as  The  Tempest,  The  Merchant 
of  Venice,  Hamlet,  or  Othello,  should  discuss  its  chief  features  [with  the  average 
reader  who  is  fond  of  quoting  the  finer  or,  rather,  the  more  expressive  sentences 
of  Shakespeare,  he  will  soon  find  how  vague  and  inaccurate  are  the  ideas  which 
many  people  have  in  regard  to  the  details  of  most  of  the  plays.  Indeed,  we  find  that 
many  who  claim  to  be  careful  students,  and  even  some  who  aspire  to  be  teachers 
and  critics,  have  not  read  the  works  of  the  great  master  of  dramatic  literature 
with  a  closeness  sufficient  to  give  them  a  clear  and  accurate  knowledge  of  many 
very  important  points.  That  this  is  not  too  strongly  stated  is  easily  shown  by  a 
reference  to  our  current  periodical  literature.  It  is  not  long  since  one  who  has 
written  much  about  Shakespearean  matters,  and  has  published  several  books 
professing  to  deal  with  Shakespearean  interpretation,  actually  told  us,  through  a 
prominent  literary  journal,  that  Hamlet  murdered  his  mother  and  then  com- 
mitted suicide!  ! 
Another  instance  may  be  seen  in  a  modern  and  somewhat  pretentious  edition 


THE   SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


of  Shakespeare's  works,  in  which  we  are  told,  in  the  introduction  to  one  of  the 
volumes,  which,  by  the  way,  happens  to  have  two  editors,  that  Shakespeare 
represents  Macbeth  as  curing  a  •' crew  of  wretched  souls"  by  touching  for  the 
king's  evil.  A  reference  to  Mcb.  IV,  3,  140,  will  show  that  Shakespeare  does 
nothing  of  the  kind. 

I  have  now  before  me  a  recent  commentary  on  Shakespeare,  written  for  the 
use  of  young  students  and  readers,  in  which  we  are  gravely  told  that  Desdemona 
keeps  the  office  opposite  to  Saint  Peter,  whereas,  as  any  intelligent  boy  or  girl 
may  see,  it  is  Emilia  to  whom  that  function  is  assigned. 

These  mistakes  are  evidently  not  mere  slips  of  the  pen,  but  are  due  entirely  to 
imperfect  methods  of  reading.  Neither  do  they  involve  any  of  those  obscure  or 
doubtful  points  which  have  puzzled  learned  and  astute  commentators ;  they 
relate  to  plain  and  obvious  details  of  the  play  which  certainly  ought  to  be  clear 
to  the  average  schoolboy. 

This  careful  and  attentive  mode  of  reading  is  particularly  necessary  in  the  case 
of  certain  points  which  are  not  obvious  to  those  who  merely  skim  over  the  text, 
but  which  develop  themselves  under  careful  study  and  persistent  thought,  and 
then  are  seen  to  be  not  really  either  doubtful  or  very  subtle.  Take,  for  example, 
the  death  scene  in  Othello,  Act  V,  Sc.  2.  Many  who  have  seen  this  play  on  the 
stage,  or  who  have  read  it  in  the  usual  manner,  get  the  idea  that  Desdemona's 
life  was  ended  by  smothering;  and  in  a  recent  issue  of  one  of  the  literary  journals 
an  amateur  critic  throws  a  good  deal  of  ridicule  on  Shakespeare,  claiming  that 
his  method  of  treating  the  subject  borders  on  the  absurd  and  really  involves 
impossibilities.  "How,"  he  exclaims,  "could  Desdemona  be  fatally  smothered, 
then  come  to  life  again,  carry  on  an  intelligent  conversation  and  immediately 
afterwards,  apparently  without  further  cause,  die  ?" 

And,  as  presented  by  many  actors,  these  obj  ections  seem  to  hold  good.  But 
on  careful  examination  the  reader  will  see  that  smothering  may  not  have  been 
the  ultimate  and  effective  cause  of  her  death;  and  on  turning  to  the  words  So,  so^ 
in  this  Cyclopaedia  it  will  be  found  that  Shakespeare  has  not  described  an  un- 
natural, not  to  say  an  impossible  scene. 

The  same  rules  which  apply  to  the  study  of  Shakespeare's  works  apply  to  the 
reading  of  all  literature.  It  is  not  from  a  first  or  even  second  perusal  that  the 
reader  gains  the  full  benefit  which  any  really  good  work  of  fiction  is  capable  of 
affording,  and  if  the  book  is  of  such  a  character  that  it  will  not  bear  going  over 
more  than  once,  that  very  fact  is  strong  evidence  of  its  worthlessness. 

In  pursuing  such  a  method  of  reading  it  will  be  found  that  where  really  good 
books  are  selected,  great  advantage  will  be  derived  from  the  cpmpanionship  of 
two  or  more  persons  in  the  work.  Hence  the  advantage  of  those  little  clubs 
or  societies  whose  members  read  and  discuss  a  favorite  author  together.  It  may 
be  well,  therefore,  to  devote  a  page  or  two  to  a  consideration  of  the  formation 
and  conduct  of  such  associations 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY. 


SHAKESPEARE    CLUBS    AND    SOCIETIES. 


"  Get  one  or  two  likely  friends  to  join  you  in  your  Shakspere  work,  if  you  can, 
and  fight  out  all  your  and  their  difficulties  in  common ;  worry  every  line  ;  eschew  the 
vice  of  wholesale  emendation.  Get  up  a  party  of  ten  or  twelve  men  and  four  or  six 
women  to  read  the  plays  in  succession,  at  one  another's  houses,  or  elsewhere,  once  a 
fortnight,  and  discuss  each  for  half  an  hour  after  reading.  Do  all  you  can  to  further 
the  study  of  Shakspere,  chronologically  and  as  a  whole."  FurnivalVs  Introduction 
to  "  The  Leopold  Shakspere. " 


^^^S2^   PLEASURE  that  is  shared  with  another  is  doubled,  and  in  nothing  is 

'i^^lin^     this  more  true  than  in  intellectual   enjoyments.     Hence  it  follows 

^S^l^      that  the  satisfaction  obtainable  from  the  study  of  any  favorite  author 

may  be  greatly  enhanced  by  the  co-operation  of  a  small  number  who 

unite  as  a  little  club  or  society  for  the  purpose  of  reading  and  discussion. 

But  it  is  not  the  pleasure  only  that  is  increased.  When  several  minds  are  thus 
brought  together  to  work  on  a  common  object,  the  stimulus  of  association  enables 
them  to  attain  results  which  none  of  them  could  reach  singly.  This  is  well  seen 
in  the  effect  of  competition  and  encouragement  on  young  people  who,  instead  of 
studying  alone,  join  a  class  and  work  in  concert.  The  solitary  reader  or  student 
may  no  doubt  derive  a  great  deal  of  the  highest  pleasure  and  instruction  from 
quiet  communion  with  one  of  the  greatest  minds  of  all  the  ages,  but  it  never- 
theless remains  true  that  just  as  it  is  easy  to  make  a  hot  fire  with  half  a  dozen 
sticks,  any  one  of  which  would  soon  become  cold  if  separated  from  the  rest,  so 
the  association  of  a  few  earnest  minds  not  only  adds  to  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
pursuit,  but  if  each  one  brings  his  or  her  contribution  of  new  ideas,  however 
small  that  contribution  may  be  in  itself,  the  aggregate  will  prove  a  surprise  to 
those  who  have  had  little  or  no  experience  in  such  matters.  Of  course,  there 
may  be  many  who  will  join  such  a  club  merely  for  the  name  of  the  thing  or  for 
the  sociability  which  it  offers  ;  they  would  like  to  have  the  reputation  of  being 
literary,  and  especially  of  being  supposed  to  be  admirers  and  students  of  Shake- 
speare without  doing  the  hard  work,  which  alone  can  entitle  them  to  that 
distinction.  Let  them  come.  It  will  be  impossible  to  bring  a  dozen  people 
together  and  get  them  to  read  a  play  or  even  part  of  a  play  by  Shakespeare  without 
imparting  new  ideas  to  most  of  them,  and  thus  improving  the  minds  of  all. 

On  Foeming  a  Club.— It  is  not  difficult  to  form  a  Shakespeare  club ;  the 
difficulty  is  to  sustain  it.  There  are  very  few  places  of  from  3,000  to  5,000  in- 
habitants in  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  dozen  persons  specially  interested 
in  those  subjects  which  come  within  the  legitimate  scope  of  such  an  association. 
The  problem  is  to  bring  them  together  so  as  to  form  an  organization  'having  a 
local  habitation  and  a  name.  To  effect  this  it  is  necessary  that  two  or  three 
individuals  should  take  the  initiative  and,  by  appeals  either  to  personal  friends 
or  to  the  public  in  general,  gather  in  those  who  are  interested. 


THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


The  organization  of  a  club  sliould  be  as  simple  as  possible  ;  the  offices  should 
not  be  unnecessarily  numerous ;  the  rules  should  be  few  and  the  expenses  should 
be  cut  down  to  the  lowest  point  compatible  with  efficiency.  A  President, 
Secretary  and  Treasurer  are,  of  course,  indispensable ;  and  there  must  be  Kules 
and  By-laws  regulating  the  conditions  of  membership,  the  dates  for  regular 
meetings  and  the  order  of  business  ;  but  beyond  these,  the  less  the  action  of  the 
club  is  hampered  the  better.  Where  a  regular  Society  (which  may  include  several 
clubs)  is  established,  a  more  elaborate  organization  may  be  necessary,  but 
even  in  that  case  it  will  be  found  that  simplicity  is  an  important  element  of 
success. 

The  Size  of  the  Club. — Clubs  for  the  reading  and  study  of  Shakespeare  are 
most  enjoyable  and  consequently  most  efficient  when  small— say,  not  over  a 
dozen  or  twenty  members,  which  would  mean  an  average  attendance  of  ten  to 
fifteen  persons.  In  such  clubs  every  member  knows  all  the  others,  and  it  is 
possible  to  have  such  pleasant  social  relations  as  are  not  easily  maintained  in 
very  large  associations.  In  cities  of  some  size  several  such  clubs  may  be  organized 
and  sustained  ;  I  know  of  one  place  of  not  over  25,000  inhabitants  in  which  there 
are  three  flourishing  clubs. 

While  there  is  certain  work  which  can  be  done  better  in  small  clubs  than  in 
large  societies,  the  latter  are  the  most  efficient  where  the  reading  and  after- 
discussion  of  carefully  prepared  papers  form  the  chief  features  of  the  exercises. 
The  advantages  which  belong  to  both  might  be  easily  realized  by  occasionally 
holding  union  meetings  when  some  special  subject  of  general  interest  is  to  be 
brought  forward.  Or,  perhaps  it  might  be  a  yet  better  plan  to  have  the  clubs, 
while  still  retaining  their  individuality,  unite  so  as  to  form  a  Shakespeare  Society, 
which  need  not  meet  as  often  as  the  clubs,  and  at  which  meetings  papers  by 
members  might  be  read,  lectures  and  readings  by  noted  Shakespeareans  delivered 
and  such  other  work  accomplished  as  might  be  more  suitable  for  a  public  meeting 
than  for  a  small  social  gathering. 

Club  Work. — There  are  many  ways  in  which  a  club  may  occupy  its  evenings  ; 
merely  reading  a  play,  each  member  taking  a  part,  furnishes  a  delightful  enter- 
tainment. Those  who  take  part  in  such  exercises  should  carefully  study  their 
"casts"  so  that  the  speeches  may  be  rendered  intelligently  and  with  proper 
emphasis.  This  leads  not  only  to  a  more  perfect  understanding  of  the  plays, 
but  it  gives  efficient  training  in  that  most  delightful  of  all  accomplishments— the 
art  of  reading  aloud  with  ease  and  grace.  It  will  frequently  be  found  that  the 
sense  that  may  be  derived  from  a  passage  of  Shakespeare  depends  largely  upon 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  read  and  the  gestures  employed.  In  some  passages  the 
entire  meaning  is  changed  by  a  difference  in  emphasis  or  gesture.  See  under 
the  word  take  in  this  "Cyclopaedia."  This  forms  a  pleasant  and  instructive 
subject  for  discussion  after  the  reading  exercises  have  closed. 

Thk  Selection  or  an  Edition  fob  Ebadinq. — Where  plays  are  thus  read  by 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY. 


members  of  a  club,  it  is  obviously  essential  that  all  the  members  should  use  the 
same  edition,  particularly  in  those  cases  where  the  text  has  been  expurgated  or 
abridged,  and  as  a  general  rule  the  edition  used  under  such  circumstances  should 
be  expurgated— that  is,  all  the  indelicate  words  and  passages  should  be  omitted. 
To  the  earnest  student,  reading  alone  or  with  two  or  three  companions  of  the 
same  sex,  an  expurgated  edition  is  an  abomination,  but  for  the  family  or  a  club 
where  young  persons  of  both  sexes  are  present,  it  is  a  necessity.  All  the  so-called 
school  editions  are,  of  course,  expurgated.  On  a  subsequent  page  the  reader  will 
find  hints  for  the  selection  of  a  copy  of  Shakespeare's  works  for  private  reading 
and  study,  but  for  the  use  of  clubs,  somewhat  different  rules  must  guide  us. 
The  following  points  deserve  attention  : 

1.  The  type  should  be  clear  and  of  good  size  so  that  it  may  be  easily  read  even 
when  not  held  close  to  the  eye. 

2.  The  volume  should  be  light  and  easily  held  in  one  hand.  Consequently, 
those  editions  in  which  each  play  is  contained  in  a  separate  volume  are  to  be 
preferred. 

3.  The  books  should  be  cheap,  so  that  the  owner  may  feel  no  regret  at  being 
obliged  to  mark,  in  pencil  or  ink,  what  are  known  as  "cuts."  It  would  be  a  pity 
to  subject  a  finely-illustrated  and  annotated  copy  to  such  an  indignity. 

Among  the  cheap  editions,  of  which  separate  plays  are  sold  for  a  small  sum, 
we  may  note  the  following  : 

Rolfe's  edition,  now  published  by  the  American  Book  Company.  This  is 
elaborately  annotated,  and  the  type  is  large  and  clear.  Single  plays  are  sold  at 
36  cents  in  paper,  and  56  cents  in  cloth. 

The  Hudson  School  Shakespeare,  published  by  Ginn  and  Company,  of  Boston, 
is  also  an  admirable  edition.  Single  plays,  35  cents  in  paper,  and  50  cents  in 
cloth. 

Houghton,  Mifflin  and  Company,  of  Boston,  issue  very  neat  editions  of  the 
principal  plays,  carefully  edited,  expurgated  and  annotated,  at  15  cents  in  paper 
and  25  cents  in  linen. 

A  very  excellent  edition,  at  the  small  price  of  10  cents  per  play,  in  paper,  is 
published  by  Cassell  and  Company  in  their  "National  Library  Series,"  edited 
by  Professor  Henry  Morley.     It  has  no  notes  and  is  unexpurgated. 

The  "Clarendon  Press  Series,"  published  for  the  University  of  Oxford  by 
Henry  Frowde  (with  a  New  York  branch),  is  elaborately  annotated,  but  unex- 
purgated. There  are  seventeen  plays  mostly  edited  by  W.  Aldis  Wright,  and  the 
prices  range  from  30  cents  to  40  cents. 

The  "Eugby"  editions  are  also  excellent.  They  are  copiously  annotated,  but 
unexpurgated.    They  are  published  by  the  Eivingtons,  of  London. 

Samuel  French,  of  New  York,  publishes  nearly  all  the  plays  in  15  cent  paper- 
covered  editions.  I  have  not  had  an  opportunity  to  examine  them,  but  I  believe 
they  are  designed  chiefly  for  amateur  theatricals. 


10  THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


Music. — It  generally  happens  that  such  clubs  include  members  who  have 
musical  talents  and  acquirements,  and  they  will  find  the  old-time  music  of  Shake- 
speare a  new  source  of  delight  for  themselves  and  for  their  fellow  members. 

Several  books  have  been  published  on  this  subject,  two  of  which  may  be 
mentioned  :  *' Handbook  of  Shakespeare  Music,"  by  A.  Eoffe  (London,  1878),  and 
"Shakespeare  and  Music,"  by  E.  W.  Naylor  (London  and  New  York,  1896). 

Society  Work. —While  the  readiruj  of  Shakespeare  is  peculiarly  appropriate  to 
clubs,  the  larger  Societies  will  find  their  proper  field  in  the  reading  and  sub- 
sequent discussion  of  papers  on  special  points,  such  as  the  study  of  the  language, 
folk-lore,  historical  characters,  mythology,  and  other  subjects  upon  which  the 
plays  touch.  All  these  afford  material  for  interesting  discussions ;  they  lead 
easily  and  pleasantly  to  a  study  of  the  poet's  works,  and  a  thorough  study  of 
Shakespeare  is  equivalent  to  a  liberal  education. 

Social  Features. — Where  the  meetings  are  held  in  private  houses  it  has  been 
found  that  it  adds  much  to  the  interest  and  sociability  of  the  gathering  to  have 
some  simple  refreshments  at  the  close  of  each  session.  Care  must  be  taken, 
however,  not  allow  this  part  of  the  exercises  to  dominate  the  intellectual  features 
Off  the  occasion ;  and  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  any  attempt  at  display  or 
any  indulgence  in  expensive  entertainments,  while  to  some  it  may  increase  the 
pleasures  of  a  single  evening,  will  inevitably  work  ultimate  injury  to  the  club. 
The  meetings  will  be  sure  to  degenerate  into  Society  Receptions,  which  will  take 
the  place  of  Literary  Gatherings. 

Those  who  are  interested  in  the  formation  and  conduct  of  Shakespeare  Societies 
and  Clubs  will  find  many  practical  and  sensible  directions  in  Professor  Rolfe's 
Introduction  to  Fleming's  "  How  to  Study  Shakespeare."  Published  by  Double- 
day  and  McClure  Company,  New  York. 


THE    TEXT    OF    SHAKESPEARE'S    PLAYS. 


C^S^^N  reading  books  and  articles  on  Shakespeare  we  often  meet  such  expres- 
^llKs  sions  as  "the  accepted  text,"  "  the  standard  text"  ;  and  sometimes  we 
f^^M^i  even  find  the  statement:  "As  Shakespeare  wrote  it."  Then,  on  the 
other  hand,  we  find  innumerable  "new  readings,"  "emendations,'' 
"corrections,"  etc.,  which  claim  to  be  "restorations"  of  what  is  said  to  be  "the 
true  and  correct  text."  All  this  is  rather  puzzling  to  the  unlearned,  and  it  seems 
to  be  confusing  even  to  some  whose  scholarly  attainments  have  acquired  for 
them  notable  college  degrees,  evidence  of  this  last  being  easily  found  in  the 
correspondence  columns  of  our  literary  journals.  As  a  clear  understanding  of 
this  matter  will  help  the  reader  to  form  a  proper  estimate  of  the  real  value  of 
many  of  the  comments  and  suggestions  which  are   found   in  the  annotated 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY.  H 


editions,  glossaries,  etc.,  a  few  words  on  the  subject  will  not  be  out  of  place. 
Those  who  desire  to  study  the  subject  thoroughly  will  find  the  material  facts  very 
fully  given  in  Lee's  "Life  of  William  Shakespeare,"  and  in  the  Introduction  to 
Craik's  "English  of  Shakespeare,"  and  the  Preface  to  "The  Cambridge  Shake- 
speare." 

None  of  Shakespeare's  dramas  was  ever  published  with  his  authority  or  under 
his  supervision.  The  reason  for  this  is  not  far  to  seek:  Shakespeare  wrpte  for 
the  theatres,  and  to  them  he  sold  the  entire  right  to  his  plays.  The  companies 
that  owned  these  theatres  held  the  opinion  that  it  would  be  against  their  interests 
to  have  these  manuscripts  printed  and  published,  and,  consequently,  the  only 
editions  that  were  placed  on  the  market  were  those  that  were  issued  by  piratical 
publishers.  Of  the  plays  which  now  form  parts  of  Shakespeare's  acknowledged 
works,  seventeen  were  published  in  this  way,  these  editions  being  known  as 
"  The  Quartos." 

Shakespeare  was  connected  with  two  theatres — the  Blackfriars  and  the  Globe — 
but  his  relations  with  the  latter  were  more  intimate  than  those  with  the  former. 
On  June  29th,  1613,  the  Globe  Theatre  was  totally  destroyed  by  fire,  and  all  the 
dresses,  prompt-books,  etc.,  were  consumed.  It  may  have  been  that  the  original 
manuscripts  of  many  of  the  plays  were  destroyed  at  that  time.  Shakespeare  died 
three  years  later — on  April  23,  1616— without  having  collected  or  edited  his  own 
works,  and,  with  the  exception  of  Venits  and  Adonis  and  Lucrece,  there  is  not  a 
single  line  of  all  his  writings  that  was  published  with  his  authority  or  under  his 
supervision. 

In  1623,  seven  years  after  his  death,  two  of  his  fellow  actors,  Heminge  and 
Condell,  brought  out  an  edition  of  the  plays,  now  known  as  the  First  Folio. 
They  claimed,  and  so  stated  on  the  title-page,  that  in  the  production  of  this 
volume  they  used  "the  true  originall  copies,"  but  we  have  the  most  positive 
evidence  that  many  of  the  plays  were  reprinted  from  the  Quartos  which  they 
had  so  bitterly  denounced  as  "  diuerse  stolne  and  surreptitious  copies,  maimed 
and  deformed  by  the  fraudes  and  stealthes  of  incurious  impostors  that  exposed 
[published]  them."  Upon  this  point  Lee  says:  "But  it  is  doubtful  if  any  play 
were  printed  exactly  as  it  came  from  his  pen.  The  First  Folio  text  is  often 
markedly  inferior  to  that  of  the  sixteen  pre-existent  Quartos,  which,  although 
surreptitiously  and  imperfectly  printed,  followed  play-house  copies  of  far  earlier 
date." 

The  First  Folio  contained  thirty-six  plays,  Pericles  having  been  omitted. 
Pericles  had,  however,  been  printed  in  Quarto  in  1609  and  1611.  The  Second 
Folio  (1632)  was  almost  a  reprint  of  the  First ;  in  the  Third  (1664)  Pericles  and 
six  spurious  plays  were  added  to  the  text  of  the  First  Folio.  The  Fourth  (1685)  is 
merely  a  reprint  of  the  Third  with  the  spelling  somewhat  modernised. 

A  consideration  of  these  facts  leads  to  the  unavoidable  conclusion  that  we 
have  no  authoritative  Shakespearean  text ;  that  there  is  not  a  line  in  any  edition 


13  THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 

of  Shakespeare's  plaj-s  upon  which  we  can  lay  our  finger  and  say  :    "This  is  as 
Shakespeare  wrote  it." 

In  the  case  of  modern  writers  we  have  the  knowledge  that  they  corrected  the 
proofs  of  their  works;  and  it  is  known  also  that  both  Ben  Jonson  and  Spenser 
saw  their  writings  through  the  press  and  were  careful  to  secure  the  utmost 
possible  accuracy.  It  waa  not  so  with  Shakespeare  ;  of  none  of  his  plays  have 
we  any  copy  that  was  ever  authorised  or  revised  by  him.  Of  course,  the  prob- 
ability that  very  much  that  we  now  regard  as  his  writings  has  come  down  to  us 
just  as  he  produced  it,  is  so  great  that  we  are  compelled  to  accept  it  as  his,  but 
there  is  always  room  for  doubt.  Writing  on  this  point,  Dr.  Johnson  says  :  "His 
works  were  transcribed  for  the  players  by  those  who  may  be  supposed  to  have 
seldom  understood  them ;  they  were  transmitted  by  copiers  equally  unskilful, 
who  still  multiplied  errors  ;  they  were,  perhaps,  sometimes  mutilated  by  the 
actors,  for  the  sake  of  shortening  the  speeches,  and  were  at  last  printed  without 
correction  of  the  press." 

The  text  which  is  now  generally  accepted  is  that  of  the  First  Folio,  with 
additions  and  corrections  obtained  by  carefully  collating  this  volume  with  the 
Quartos,  of  which  editions  the  Cambridge  editors  say  :  "  In  other  cases  the  Quarto 
is  more  correctly  printed,  or  from  a  better  MS.  than  the  Folio  text,  and  therefore 
of  higher  authority.  For  example,  in  Midsummer  JS'ight's  Dream,  in  Love's  Labour's 
Lost,  and  in  Richard  the  Second,  the  reading  of  the  Quarto  is  almost  always 
preferable  to  that  of  the  Folio,  and  in  Hamlet  we  have  computed  that  the  Folio, 
when  it  differs  from  the  Quartos,  differs  for  the  worse  in  forty-seven  places, 
while  it  differs  for  the  better  in  twenty  at  most." 

In  addition  to  changes  in  the  text  of  the  Folio  made  by  collating  it  with  the 
Quartos  we  have  what  are  known  as  "  conjectural"  emendations  in  which  letters, 
words  and  sentences  are  so  altered  as  to  make  sense  where  previously  this  was 
impossible.  All  are  now  agreed  that  this  should  be  strictly  confined  to  the 
correction  of  errors  introduced  by  printers  and  copyists;  and  certainly  none  but 
blind  worshippers  of  the  old  text  will  deny  that  the  printers  who  set  the  type 
for  the  Quartos  and  Folios  were  quite  as  apt  to  make  mistakes  as  their  more 
modern  brethren.  Consequently,  where  the  change  of  one  or  two  letters  enables 
us  to  convert  a  passage  which  we  cannot  understand  in  its  present  condition, 
into  one  that  is  clear,  sensible  and  forcible,  we  have  a  right  to  make  or,  at  least, 
to  suggest  such  an  emendment.  "We  know  positively  that  there  are  passages  in 
which  the  change  of  one  or  more  letters  has  converted  nonsense  into  sense  ;  see 
hisson,  roiher,  etc.;  and  we  also  know  that  there  are  lines  in  which  certain  words 
(uUorxals,  as  Dr.  Ingleby  calls  them)  are  acknowledged  by  all  to  be  hopelessly 
corrupt.  Therefore,  it  is  not  presuming  too  far  to  suppose  that  there  may  be 
other  passages  from  which  a  better  sense  than  any  that  has  yet  been  extracted 
may  be  obtained  by  a  typographical  correction.     See  dare,  flax,  larmen,  etc. 

The  typographical  errors  which  mar  even  the  most  carefully  printed  books  are 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY.  13 


a  matter  of  common  observation  to  all  careful  readers.  In  most  cases  these 
errors  do  little  harm,  since  they  are  obvious  and  easily  corrected,  but  in  some 
instances  they  affect  the  sense  very  materially,  and  they  show  a  wonderful  vitality 
through  successive  editions.  For  example,  even  those  editions  of  the  Waverly 
novels  which  claim  to  be  edited  with  great  care  exhibit  gross  errors,  evidently 
due  originally  to  the  blunders  of  the  printer.  Thus  in  "Woodstock,"  in  Vol.  II, 
Chap.  XV,  p.  308,  of  the  edition  of  1829,  we  find  the  types  making  Scott  speak  of 
turning  up  a  ''swathe"  (i.e.,  grass  left  in  a  long  row  after  the  scythe)  with  a 
plough!  !  The  original  word  was  no  doubt  "  sward"  or  sod;  swathe  makes  utter 
nonsense  of  the  passage,  while  sward  is  forcible  and  to  the  point;  and  yet  the 
editor  of  a  fine  edition  recently  published  in  Edinburgh  continues  this  blunder 
and  the  publishers  defend  it! 

So,  too,  in  "Waverly,"  Vol.  I,  p.  117  (same  edition),  Scott  enumerates  the 
delicacies  which  loaded  the  breakfast-table  of  the  Baron  of  Bradwardine,  and  the 
printer  has  put  "rein-deer  hams  "  in  the  list.  The  rein-deer  had  been  extinct  in 
Scotland  for  over  six  hundred  years,  as  Scott  very  well  knew;  beyond  all 
question,  what  he  wrote  was  red-deer,  but  the  error  keeps  on  its  way  in  the  best 
or,  at  least,  the  most  expensive  editions.* 

If  such  gross  and  important  errors  are  to  be  found  in  a  work  published  within 
a  few  years  and  the  proofs  of  which  were  carefully  revised  by  the  author,  what 
may  we  not  expect  in  books  published  under  the  conditions  which  gave  birth 
to  the  First  Folio?  Upon  this  point  Prof.  Craik,  one  of  the  ablest  and  most 
independent  of  Shakespearean  critics,  expresses  himself  as  follows  :  "  As  a  typo- 
graphical production  it  is  better  executed  than  the  common  run  of  the  English 
popular  printing  of  that  date.  It  is  rather  superior,  for  instance,  in  point  of 
appearance,  and  very  decidedly  in  correctness,  to  the  Second  Folio,  produced 
nine  years  later.  Nevertheless,  it  is  obviously,  to  the  most  cursory  inspection, 
very  far  from  what  would  now  be  called  even  a  tolerably  well-printed  book. 
There  is  probably  not  a  page  in  it  which  is  not  disfigured  by  many  minute  in- 
accuracies and  irregularities,  such  as  never  appear  in  modern  printing.  The 
punctuation  is,  throughout,  rude  and  negligent,  even  when  it  is  not  palpably 
blundering.  The  most  elementary  proprieties  of  the  metrical  arrangement  are 
violated  in  innumerable  passages.  In  some  places  the  verse  is  printed  as  plain 
prose  ;  elsewhere,  prose  is  ignorantly  and  ludicrously  exhibited  in  the  guise  of 
verse.  Indisputable  and  undisputed  errors  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  so  gross 
that  it  is  impossible  they  could  have  been  passed  over,  at  any  rate  in  such 
numbers,  if  the  proof-sheets  had  undergone  any  systematic  revision  by  a  qualified 
person,  however  rapid.  They  were  probably  read  in  the  printing  office,  with 
more  or  less  attention,  when  there  was  time,  and  often,  when  there  was  any 

*  Scott's  poems  have  fared  even  worse  at  the  printer's  hands,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  edition 
issued  under  the  care  of  Prof,  Rolfe,  who  has  corrected  them  with  great  knowledge  and 
good  judgment, 


14  THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 

hurry  or  pressure,  sent  to  press  with  little  or  no  examination.  Everything 
betokens  that  editor  or  editing  of  the  volume,  in  any  proper  or  distinctive  sense, 
there  could  have  been  none.  The  only  editor  was  manifestly  the  head  workman 
in  the  printing-ofi&ce. 

"On  closer  inspection  we  detect  other  indications.  In  one  instance,  at  least,  we 
have  actually  the  names  of  the  actors  by  whom  the  play  was  performed  prefixed 
to  their  portions  of  the  dialogue  instead  of  those  of  the  dramatis  personce.  Mr. 
Knight,  in  noticing  this  circumstance,  observes  that  it  shows  very  clearly  the  text 
of  the  Play  in  which  it  occurs  (Much  Ado  About  Nothing)  to  have  been  taken  from 
the  playhouse  copy,  or  what  is  called  the  prompter's  book.  ['Library  Shake- 
speare,' II,  366.]  But  the  fact  is  that  the  scene  in  question  is  given  in  the  same 
way  in  the  previous  Quarto  edition  of  the  Play,  published  in  1600 ;  so  that  here 
the  printers  of  the  Folio  had  evidently  no  manuscript  of  any  kind  in  their  hands, 
any  more  than  they  had  any  one  over  them  to  prevent  them  from  blindly  following 
their  printed  copy  into  the  most  transparent  absurdities.  The  Quarto,  to  the 
guidance  of  which  they  were  left,  had  evidently  been  set  up  from  the  prompter's 
book,  and  the  proof-sheets  could  not  have  been  read  either  by  the  author  or  by 
any  other  competent  person."     "The  English  of  Shakespeare  "  (1859),  p.  14. 

And  again,  on  p.  27,  he  says  :  "  No  modern  editor  has  reprinted  the  Plays  of 
Shakespeare  exactly  as  they  stand  in  any  of  the  old  Folios  or  Quartos.  Neither 
the  spelling,  nor  the  punctuation,  nor  the  words  of  any  ancient  copy  have  been 
retained  unaltered,  even  with  the  correction  of  obvious  errors  of  the  Press.  It 
has  been  universally  admitted  by  the  course  that  has  been  followed  that  a  genuine 
text  is  not  to  be  obtained  without  more  or  less  of  conjectural  emendation:  the 
only  difference  has  been  as  to  the  extent  to  which  it  should  be  carried." 

Since  Prof.  Craik  wrote  the  above,  Dr.  Furness  has  brought  out  several  plays 
in  which  the  First  Folio  is  followed  with  great  accuracy,  even  to  broken  letters, 
crooked  lines  and  bad  work  of  that  kind.  But  all  such  reprinting  has  been  rendered 
unnecessary  by  the  photographic  reproductions  of  the  volume.  In  these  we  have 
that  liability  to  error  which  attends  all  hand  printing,  entirely  eliminated,  and 
such  copies  are  so  cheap  that  they  are  within  the  reach  of  every  student.  Another 
reproduction  of  this  kind,  one  which  promises  to  be  the  finest  ever  issued,  is  now 
in  course  of  preparation  by  the  Oxford  Press,  under  the  able  supervision  of  the 
well-known  Shakespearean,  Sidney  Lee.  I  look  forward  with  eager  interest  to 
the  recepti6n  of  my  copy  of  this  magnificent,  though  low-priced,  piece  of  work. 
It  is  greatly  to  be  wished  that  the  good  work  will  not  stop  here,  but  that  the 
publishers  will  go  on  and  give  us  similar  reproductions  of  the  other  Folios. 

The  Sources  and  Causes  of  Errors  in  the  Text. 

The  sources  and  causes  of  typographical  mistakes  in  the  writings  of  Shake- 
speare and  other  authors  form  a  most  interesting  subject  of  study,  not  only  on 
general  grounds,  but  because  in  many  cases  they  afford  a  clue  to  the  correction 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY.  15 


of  errors  and  to  the  true  reading.  It  is  more  than  likely  that  the  chief  sources  of 
error  in  the  production  of  the  old  copies  of  the  plays,  as  indeed  of  all  printed 
matter,  were  the  following  : 

1.  It  is  probable  that  most  of  the  Quartos  were  set  up  from  copy  taken  down 
by  shorthand  reporters  from  the  recitations  of  actors  either  in  the  theatre  or 
in  coffee-houses.  Under  such  circumstances  the  reporter  would  be  very  likely,  in 
some  cases,  to  put  down  words  having  a  similar  sound,  but  a  meaning  very 
different  from  the  true  one.     That  errors  have  thus  crept  in  is  almost  certain. 

2.  Mr.  Theodore  De  Vinne,  who  is  high  authority  oji  all  that  relates  to  typo- 
graphy, tells  us  that  in  the  old  continental  printing  offices  the  printers  set  up  the 
matter  from  dictation  and  not  from  written  copy  placed  before  them,  and  Dr. 
Furness  thinks  that  this  accounts  for  many  errors  hitherto  attributed  to  the 
reporters;  but,  while  this  may  be  true  in  a  few  cases,  it  is  doubtful  if  it  obtained 
to  any  great  extent,  for  although  the  system  of  setting  type  from  the  voice  of  a 
reader  is  known  to  have  obtained  on  the  continent,  we  have  no  evidence  that  it 
was  followed  to  any  great  extent  in  England  and,  indeed,  it  has  been  claimed 
that  much  of  the  type-setting  done  on  books  in  London  was  done  in  the  homes 
of  the  workmen  themselves,  just  as  weaving  was  carried  on  chiefly  in  the  homes 
of  the  operatives  and  not  in  large  factories  as  at  present.  The  same  was  true  of 
many  trades,  such  as  nail-making.  In  any  case,  the  setting  up  of  the  matter 
from  dictation  would  only  be  an  additional  source  of  error;  the  original  influence, 
as  affecting  the  copy  used  by  the  reader,  must  have  remained  in  full  force. 

3.  One  of  the  most  fruitful  sources  of  error  in  printed  matter,  including  books, 
is  the  illegibility  of  the  MS.  or  •*  copy."  When  the  compositor*  is  unable  to  read 
the  MS.  without  difficulty  or  doubt,  conjectural  emendation  begins  in  its  most 
dangerous  form. 

4.  Closely  akin  to  original  illegibility  is  the  wearing  of  the  copy,  by  which 
certain  words  and  sentences  become  unreadable.  That  this  has  happened  to 
several  places  in  the  original  copy  of  the  plays  is  altogether  more  than  probable, 
being  caused  by  ordinary  use  in  the  theatres.  In  such  cases  the  blank  might  be 
filled  up  by  some  actor  who  remembered  the  lines — accurately,  perhaps,  in  some 
cases,  inaccurately  in  others. 

5.  A  very  common  error  in  printing  offices  is  what  is  known  as  a  "doublet." 
The  compositor  loses  his  place  and  sets  up  a  few  words,  more  or  less,  twice.  If 
he  should  make  any  change  in  the  wording  of  the  second  set,  this  error  would  be 
apt  to  pass  unobserved  in  an  office  where  a  strict  system  of  copy-holding  and 
proof-reading  was  not  maintained.  We  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  Eliza- 
bethan printers  were  quite  loose  in  this  respect. 

6.  The  converse  of  the  preceding  is  still  more  apt  to  occur.  When  the  same 
set  of  three  or  four  words  occur  within  a  short  distance  of  each  other,  after  the 
compositor  has  set  up  the  first  set  and  a  few  of  the  words  that  follow,  he  is  very 

f  The  workman  who  sets  up  the  type  is,  in  technical  language,  called  a  "compositor." 


16  THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


apt,  in  again  looking  at  his  copy,  to  resume  his  work  after  the  second  set  of 
words,  and  he  may  thus  be  led  to  omit  words  and  even  lines.  Such  omissions 
are  technically  termed  "outs,"  and  are  of  constant  occurrence  in  modern  printing 
offices.  The  system  now  in  use,  however,  is  such  that  "outs"  rarely  escape  the 
proof-reader,  but  under  the  old  practice  they  frequently  passed  unnoticed.  It 
is  believed  that  there  are  several  such  "outs"  in  the  Shakespearean  text  and  that 
they  have  caused  much  perplexity  to  the  commentators. 

7.  Errors  in  which  single  letters  play  a  part  are  sometimes  caused  by  the 
compositor  picking  up  the  wrong  letter,  but  more  frequently  by  letters  getting 
into  the  wrong  box  or  compartment.  As  many  of  our  readers  know,  type  is 
arranged  in  trays  or  "  cases  "  as  they  are  called.  These  cases  are  divided  into  com- 
partments or  "boxes,"  one  for  each  letter,  and  the  boxes  are  so  arranged  that 
those  letters  which  are  most  frequently  required  are  placed  within  easy  reach.  The 
printer  soon  learns  the  location  of  each  box,  and  the  placing  of  his  hand  on  the 
required  letter  becomes  a  second  nature  with  him,  so  that  the  chance  of  picking 
up  the  wrong  one  is  very  small  indeed.  But  in  "  distributing  "  the  type,  that  is, 
placing  it  back  in  the  boxes  after  it  has  been  used,  mistakes  are  somewhat  more 
likely  to  occur,  and  when  a  letter  gets  into  the  wrong  box  it,  of  course,  causes  an 
error  when  the  compositor  picks  it  up  the  next  time.  He  may  detect  this  error 
at  once  and  correct  it,  but  sometimes  it  passes  unnoticed  until  it  appears  in  the 
proof,  and  if  the  proof-reading  be  careless  it  gets  into  the  printed  book. 

8.  Another  way  in  which  a  letter  may  get  into  the  wrong  box  and  thus  cause 
a  mistake  is  this  :  When  the  boxes  are  very  full  the  compositor  frequently  gives 
the  case  a  light  shake  to  cause  the  type  to  settle  down,  and  in  doing  this  it  some- 
times happens  that  letters  slide  from  one  box  into  another.  One  more  way  is, 
that  as  the  cases  are  placed  on  the  stands  in  a  slanting  position  so  as  to  be  more 
easily  reached  by  the  compositor,  letters  sometimes  slide  from  one  box  to  another 
and  thus  cause  errors. 

In  the  year  1819  Mr.  Z.  Jackson  published  a  stout  volume  in  which  he  attempted 
to  use  these  facts  in  the  correction  of  the  Shakespearean  text.  He  was  a  practical 
printer  who  had  spent  eleven  years  in  a  French  prison  at  the  time  of  the  revolu- 
tion, and  during  all  that  time  he  was  constantly  under  the  shadow  of  the  guillo- 
tine. In  all  these  dreary  years  his  greatest  solace  was  the  study  of  Shakespeare, 
and  when  he  returned  to  England  he  published  a  small  pamphlet  containing 
several  proposed  emendations.  This  was  so  well  received  that  he  published  a 
large  volume,  but,  unfortunately,  Mr.  Jackson  did  not  confine  himself  to  mere 
typographical  corrections ;  he  gave  a  loose  rein  to  his  imagination,  and  most  of 
the  seven  hundred  notes  in  his  "Genius  of  Shakespeare  Justified  "  are  the  wildest 
kind  of  conjectures.  Nevertheless,  some  of  his  suggestions,  based  on  his  typo- 
graphical experience,  deserve  serious  attention,  as  any  one  who  has  had  much  to 
to  do  with  printing  offices  must  realize. 

0.    New  errors,  which  are  apt  to  escape  the  author,  except  under  the  best 


AND    NEW   GLOSSARY.  17 


regulations,  are  frequently  introduced  during  the  correction  of  old  mistakes. 
Words  and  even  sentences  become  disarranged,  and  in  bringing  tbem  together 
again  the  printer  fails  to  get  the  proper  connection. 

10.  A  singular  source  of  error  consists  in  the  insertion  of  that  which  was 
intended  to  be  merely  a  direction  to  the  printer.  This  has  given  rise  to  some 
very  funny  "cross-readings."  Parallel  instances  are  to  be  found  in  the  First 
Folio  where  actor's  names  and  perhaps  stage  directions  have  been  introduced  as 
part  of  the  original  matter. 

11.  Curious  errors  may  arise  from  the  fact  that  the  confidence  and  zeal  of 
the  printer  sometimes  outrun  his  knowledge.  Thus  Burton,  in  his  "Book- 
Hunter,"  speaking  of  an  author  who  prided  himself  upon  his  accuracy, 
says:  "It  happened  to  him  to  have  to  state  how  Theodore  Beza,  or  some 
contemporary  of  his,  went  to  sea  in  a  Candian  vessel.  This  statement,  at 
the  last  moment,  when  the  sheet  was  going  through  the  press,  caught  the 
eye  of  an  intelligent  and  judicious  corrector,  more  conversant  with  shipping- 
lists  than  with  the  literature  of  the  sixteenth  century,  who  saw  clearly  what 
had  been  meant,  and  took  upon  himself,  like  a  man  who  hated  all  pottering 
nonsense,  to  make  the  necessary  correction  without  consulting  the  author.  The 
consequence  was  that  the  people  read,  with  some  surprise,  under  the  authority 
of  the  paragon  of  accuracy,  that  Theodore  Beza  had  gone  to  sea  in  a  Canadian 
vessel." 

An  error  which  may  have  occurred  in  the  same  way,  and  which  is  equally 
ridiculous,  is  to  be  found  in  the  essays  of  a  noted  Shakespearean  critic.  All  who 
have  given  close  attention  to  Shakespearean  comments  know  that  Steevens, 
although  he  was  one  of  the  keenest  and  ablest  of  Shakespearean  editors,  was 
unquestionably  a  most  unscrupulous  falsifier.  No  quotation  given  by  him  can 
be  accepted  without  verification  (see  prince  of  cats  in  this  glossary'),  and  no  state- 
ment made  by  him  is  entitled  to  belief  without  full  corroborative  evidence.  He 
was  a  forger  of  the  meanest  kind  and,  as  I  have  elsewhere  stated,  I  am  inclined 
to  believe  that  the  forgeries  for  which  poor  Collier  suffered  were  really  the 
handiwork  of  Steevens.  Now,  when  he  wished  to  publish  some  atrociously  vile 
note,  something  which  he  did  not  dare  to  issue  over  his  own  name,  he  used  the 
names  of  Eichard  Amner  or  John  Collins,  two  quiet,  inoffensive  and  highly 
respectable  clergymen.  As  Amner's  name  was  most  frequently  abused  in  this 
way,  these  notes  came  to  be  known  among  Shakespearean  students  as  the 
"Amnerian"  notes,  but  in  the  essays  to  which  I  have  alluded  they  are  referred 
to  as  Steevens's  American  notes  ! 

In  applying  these  facts  to  the  correction  of  the  accepted  text  of  any  author, 
Shakespeare  included,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  we  have  no  right  to  intro- 
duce mere  improvements  however  much  they  may,  to  our  thinking,  better  the 
present  reading.  It  is  only  when  the  sense  is  absolutely  obscured  that  it  is 
permissible  to  suggest  a  correction  or  emendation. 


18  THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA. 


ON  THE  CHOICE  OF  A  COPY  OF  SHAKESPEARE»S  WORKS. 


j^^^^^HE  very  large  number  of  editions  of  Shakespeare's  works  that  have 
m^^n  ^^^^  issued  within  a  few  years  is  apt  to  confuse  any  one  seeking  for 
[^^^t^j  a  good  serviceable  copy,  so  that  a  very  common  question  addressed 
sometimes  to  booksellers  and  sometimes  to  those  who  are  supposed  to 
be  familiar  with  the  poet's  writings  is  :  Which  is  the  best  edition  of  Shakespeare's 
works? 

To  give  a  direct  answer  to  this  question  as  it  stands  would  be  not  only 
invidious,  but  difficult,  since  that  which  would  prove  the  best  edition  for 
one  person  might  not  be  at  all  suitable  for  some  one  else.  It  is  necessary,  there- 
fore, first  of  all,  to  give  some  consideration  to  the  different  needs  and  purposes 
of  the  prospective  purchasers. 

Those  who  desire  a  handsome  copy  of  Shakespeare's  writings,  one  which  may 
take  its  place  on  the  center  table  beside  the  family  Bible,  will  find  no  difficulty 
in  gratifying  their  desires.  Nearly  every  publishing  house  that  deals  in  what  are 
known  as  "subscription  books"  can  supply  a  copy  printed  in  fine  large  type, 
abundantly  illustrated  with  attractive  engravings  and  bound  in  handsome  style, 
with  plenty  of  gold  distributed  over  the  surface.  Such  editions,  however,  are 
not  those  generally  sought  by  students  and  real  lovers  of  Shakespeare. 

It  is  not  likely  that  the  man  with  abundant  means  who  wishes  to  fit  up  in  his 
library  a  nook  specially  devoted  to  Shakespeare,  will  come  to  us  for  advice,  but 
if  he  should  do  so,  the  best  hint  we  can  give  him  is  to  study  the  subject  carefully 
and  to  "go  slow."  He  will,  of  course,  desire  to  have  a  few  of  the  rare  and  costly 
editions  and  several  of  those  that  are  elaborately  annotated.  If  his  taste  should 
run  to  graphic  illustrations,  he  will  find  ample  scope  for  the  exercise  of  good 
judgment  and  the  use  of  abundant  means.  A  few  thousand  dollars  may  be  easily 
expended  upon  choice  copies,  though  a  very  much  smaller  amount,  judiciously 
laid  out,  will  suffice  to  provide  a  Shakespearean  collection  in  which  the  owner 
may  justly  feel  not  only  satisfaction,  but  pride.  It  is  not  often,  however,  that  a 
beginner  sets  out  with  "malice  aforethought"  to  form  a  library  of  this  kind. 
The  owners  of  such  collections  are  generally  led  on  gradually  by  reading  and 
correspondence  to  the  accumulation  of  their  treasures.  In  other  words,  they 
develop  from  mere  casual  readers  into  collectors  and  students. 

One  of  the  first  subjects  that  must  occupy  the  attention  of  those  who  wish  to 
make  a  really  valuable  collection  of  this  kind  is  the  bibliography  of  this  depart- 
ment of  literature,  and  this  is  now  so  extensive  that  it  would  fill  an  entire  volume 


AND    NE'W   GLOSSARY.     .  19 


much  larger  than  the  present.  Those  who  have  a  taste  for  collecting  and  desire 
to  turn  it  in  the  direction  of  Shakespeareana  may  obtain  substantial  aid  from 
Bohn's  edition  of  Lowndes'  "Bibliographer's  Manual,"  Part  YIII,  which  is  very 
complete  up  to  the  date  of  its  publication  (1864);  the  catalogue  of  the  "Shake- 
speare Memorial  Library,"  Birmingham  ;  and  the  catalogues  of  the  Shakespearean 
collections  in  the  British  Museum  and  the  Boston  Public  Library.  The  article 
on  Shakespeare  in  the  last  edition  of  the  Encylopsedia  Britannica  also  contains 
much  valuable  bibliographical  information,  as  do  the  several  volumes  of  "The 
New  Variorum,"  by  Dr.  Furness.  Catalogues  of  second-hand  books  will  also  give 
valuable  aid  ;  and  it  is  only  by  careful  study  and  close  attention  to  the  different 
books  and  editions  that  the  collector  can  avoid  filling  his  shelves  with  trash. 
The  number  of  editions  of  Shakespeare  which  show  notably  distinctive  features 
is  usually  said  to  be  over  two  hundred,  though  I  think  this  is  an  over-estimate. 
But  of  the  mere  reprints,  which  differ  from  each  other  in  size,  form,  illustrations, 
quality,  etc.,  there  are  many  times  that  number. 

Of  the  editions  which  are  provided  with  ample  explanatory  notes,  that  by  Dr. 
Furness  easily  stands  first.  It  must  form  the  foundation  of  all  future  collections, 
and  of  all  the  public  libraries  now  being  established  throughout  the  country,  not 
one,  of  any  pretensions  at  all,  can  afford  to  be  without  it.  Of  other  editions  we 
have  space  for  merely  the  names  of  the  editors,  which  we  arrange  alphabetically: 
Charles  and  Mary  Cowden  Clarke,  Collier,  Craig,  Deighton,  Delius,  Dowden, 
Dyce,  Halliwell,  Hudson,  Innes,  Knight,  Moberly,  Eolfe,  Singer,  Staimton, 
Verplanck,  White,  "Whitelaw,  Wright.  We  should,  however,  make  special  mention 
of  "  The  Henry  Irving  Shakespeare,"  This  beautiful  edition  was  undertaken  by 
the  lamented  F.  A.  Marshall  in  co-operation  with  Sir  Henry  Irving,  but  Marshall's 
health  failed  at  an  early  period  of  its  progress,  and  the  assistance  of  Messrs. 
Adams,  Beeching,  Evans,  Symons  and  Verity  was  called  in.  They  did  good  work 
on  several  of  the  plays.  This  edition  may  very  well  be  called  the  plaj^er's  edition, 
for  while  the  full  text  is  given  in  every  case,  those  parts  which  may  be  most 
properly  omitted  in  acting  or  reading  are  clearly  marked.  This  and  some  other 
special  features  give  it  particular  value  as  a  work  of  reference  for  clubs  and 
schools. 

All  these  editions,  with  the  exception  of  those  of  Rolfe  and  Hudson,  are 
unexpurgated.  The  editions  of  these  two  commentators  omit  all  those  passages 
which  cannot  be  read  in  schools  and  families,  as  explained  in  our  preface. 

Most  of  these  editions,  however,  are  somewhat  expensive,  and  it  is  for  a  copy 
of  more  moderate  price  (under  $2.00)  that  readers  of  this  work  will  probably 
enquire.  Such  copies  are  generall}'^  in  one  or  two  volumes,  without  notes  or 
engravings,  but  with  a  small  glossary  appended.  Of  these,  the  "Globe"  is  a 
good  example,  though  the  type  is  so  small  that  Dr.  Furnivall  says  :  "Do  not  ruin 
your  eyes  reading  the  'Globe.'"  Moreover,  "'tis  true  'tis  pity;  and  pity  'tis 
'tis  true  "  that  this  famous  edition  does  not  seem  to  improve  by  time,  the  latest 


20  TH]?    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 

issue  being,  to  my  eyes,  not  quite  as  legible  as  one  I  purchased  several  years  ago. 
The  "Oxford,"  edited  by  Craig,  is  also  an  admirable  edition,  but  the  type  is  not 
much  better  than  that  of  the  "Globe."  The  result  of  this  is  that  many  prefer 
some  of  the  American  reprints  of  the  "  Globe  "  since  the  type  is  a  little  larger. 

Clubs  and  reading  circles  who  desire  copies  of  single  plays  will  find  a  note  on 
that  subject  under  the  heading  "  Shakespeare  Societies  and  Clubs." 

New  editions  of  Shakespeare's  works  are  issued  from  the  press  at  short  in- 
tervals, so  that  the  choice  of  to-day  may  be  superseded  by  the  edition  of  to-morrow. 
Therefore,  instead  of  describing  individual  issues  I  will  suggest  a  few  points 
which  should  guide  the  purchaser  in  making  a  selection. 

1.  See  that  the  reading  matter  is  as  near  the  generally  accepted  text  as 
possible.  At  present  this  is  acknowledged  to  be  that  of  the  "Cambridge,"  the 
"Globe,"  or  the  "Oxford." 

2.  See  that  the  type  is  clear  and  not  too  small.  Small  type,  however,  if  well 
printed,  is  less  trying  to  the  eyes  than  type  that  is  one  or  two  sizes  larger,  but 
badly  printed  on  poor  paper. 

3.  Avoid  a  paper  with  a  highly-glazed  surface.  Dealers  will  sometimes  tell 
you  that  such  paper  looks  better  and  is  more  expensive,  and  they  will  talk  about 
its  being  "aesthetic"  and  "high-toned,"  and  such  rubbish.  The  fact  is,  that  a 
really  good  paper  with  a  dull  surface  costs  more  than  a  common  grade  of  paper, 
even  though  the  latter  be  highly  calendered.  Paper  with  a  shiny  surface  is  very 
trying  to  the  eyes  and,  except  where  the  printing  is  of  the  very  highest  class,  it 
does  not  take  as  clear  an  impression  as  that  which  is  dull.  If  you  value  your  eyes, 
avoid  shiny  paper. 

4.  Keject  any  copy  in  which  the  lines  are  not  numbered.  Forty  years  ago 
the  numbering  of  the  lines  was  a  thing  unknown,  aDd  the  compilers  of  diction- 
aries and  other  works  of  reference  thought  that  they  did  well  enough  when  they 
referred  their  quotations  to  "Shakespeare."  (See  the  Imperial  Dictionary  of  an 
edition  as  late  as  1883.)  To  search  for  a  quotation  with  such  a  reference  for  a 
guide  is  worse  than  hunting  for  a  needle  in  a  "bottle  of  bay."  To-day  the  best 
dictionaries,  such  as  the  "New  English  Dictionary  "  and  the  "Century,"  give  not 
only  the  Play,  but  the  Act,  the  Scene  and  the  number  of  the  line  in  the  Scene. 
A  reference  to  the  Act  and  Scene  is  not  close  enough,  for  some  of  the  Scenes 
contain  a  thousand  lines,  but  with  the  line-number  given  the  time  required  to 
find  a  word  or  a  sentence  is  the  work  of  but  a  few  moments.  The  "  Globe"  has 
been  accepted  as  the  standard  for  line-numbers,  and  all  references  in  general 
literature  are  made  to  it.  It  is  obvious  that  where  a  passage  is  inverse,  there 
can  be  no  difficulty  about  the  numbering  of  the  lines,  but  where  the  speech 
is  in  prose  the  length  of  the  lines  and,  consequently,  their  numbers  will  be 
governed  by  the  type  and  the  size  of  the  page  or  column.  Hence,  we  find  that 
the  numbers  of  the  "Cambridge"  and  the  "Oxford"  do  not  always  agree  with 
those  of   the  "Globe."      "The  Henry  Irving"   seems  to  follow  line  for  line. 


AND    NEW   GLOSSARY.  21 

Where  an  edition  is  expurgated,  as  is  the  case  with  that  of  Dr.  Rolfe,  the  dis- 
crepancy frequently  becomes  very  great  and,  as  a  consequence,  it  is  sometimes 
quite  a  task  to  look  up  a  passage  in  that  excellent  edition.  The  same  is  true 
of  the  "New  Variorum"  of  Dr.  Furness.  His  line-numbers  sometimes  vary 
widely  from  those  of  the  "Globe." 

These  serious  anno3'ances  might  be  easily  avoided  by  adopting  a  standard, 
such  as  the  "Globe,"  and  giving  all  lines  positive  and  unvarying  numbers, 
leaving  a  gap  where  passages  are  omitted  and  adding  starred  numbers  (or  their 
equivalents)  where  the  text  is  redundant.  Any  bright  school-  boy  or  girl  could 
devise  a  practicable  way  of  doing  this;  but  under  any  circumstances,  a  new  edition 
without  line-numbers  will  hereafter  be  almost  unmarketable  unless  its  literary 
merits  are  very  extraordinary. 


A     SHORT     LIST     OF     HELPFUL     BOOKS, 


UT  of  the  immense  number  of  books  which  have  been  published  in 
regard  to  the  works  of  Shakespeare  I  have  selected  a  short  list  of 
those  which  I  think  will  prove  most  helpful  to  the  ordinary  reader 
and  student.  There  is,  of  course,  great  room  for  difference  of  opinion 
in  regard  to  the  value  of  particular  books  of  this  class,  and  some  one  else  would 
probably  suggest  a  very  different  catalogue.  I  give  my  views  for  what  they 
are  worth.  I  have  not  mentioned  the  works  of  Gervinus,  Brandes,  Schlegel, 
Ulrici  and  others,  which  stand  facing  me  as  I  write,  because  it  is  only  the 
advanced  student  who  can  profit  by  them.  A  few  of  those  which  I  regard  as 
most  valuable  for  the  beginner  I  have  marked  with  an  asterisk  (*)  and  to  some 
I  have  added  the  price. 

Biography  and  Personal  Relations, 

Halliwkll,  James  O.     Outlines  of  the  Life  of  Shakespeare.     2  Vols. 

In  these   volumes  is  accumulated  all  the   information  that   we  have  about 
Shakespeare.     Somewhat  expensive  and  not  always  to  be  had. 

Lkb,  Sidney.     A  Life  of  William  Shakespeare.     1898.     Macmillan. 

This  is  now  the  standard  life  of  the  poet.     It  contains  the  most  recent  inform- 
ation and  presents  the  matter  in  a  clear  and  orderly  form. 

Mabie,  Hamilton  W.    William  Shakespeare  :    Poet,  Dramatist  and  Man.     Mac- 
millan. 
A  popular  and  pleasantly- written  life  which   gives  all  the  known  facts  and 
places  before  the  reader  the  conditions  under  which  Shakespeare  must  have  been 
brought  up  and  which  undoubtedly  exerted  a  powerful  influence  on  his  develop- 


22  THE   SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA. 

ment.    Beautifully  Illustrated.     An  edition  at  a  moderate  price  ($3.50)  has  been 
brought  out  recently. 

Wise,  John  R.     Shakespeare  :  His  Birthplace  and  Its  Neighbourhood.    London. 
$1.00. 

Grammars    and    Lexicons, 

*  Abbott,  E.  A.     A  Shakespearian  Grammar.     An  Attempt  to  Illustrate  some  of 

the  Differences  between  Elizabethan  and  Modern  English.   Macmillan.   $1.50. 
This  is  one  of  the  two  or  three  books  which  every  careful  student  must  add 
to  his  copy  of  Shakespeare's  works. 

*  Cbaik,  George  L.     The  English  of  Shakespeare  Illustrated  in  a  Philological 

Commentary  on  His  Julius  Caesar.     Second  Edition. 
Full  of  valuable  information.     An  excellent   edition  of  this  work  has  been 
published  in  this  country  under  the  editorship  of  Dr.  Eolfe. 

Schmidt,  Alexandeb  Shakespeare-Lexicon.  A  Complete  Dictionary  of  all  the  ^ 
English  Words,  Phrases  and  Constructions  in  the  Works  of  the  Poet.  2  Vols^/^ 
Royal  8vo.  $10.00  to  $15.00. 
This  work  has  received  the  highest  possible  praise  from  such  Shakespeareans 
as  Skeat,  Dowden,  Rolfe,  Furness  and  others  of  that  class,  men  "whose  judge- 
ments in  such  matters  cry  in  the  top  of  mine"  immeasurably.  Richard  Grant 
White  is  the  only  writer  that  I  can  call  to  mind  who  dissents  from  this  almost 
universal  chorus  of  praise,  and  he  has  spoiled  his  criticism  by  "running  amuck;" 
and  yet,  with  all  this  array  of  commendation,  I  cannot  recommend  this  work  to 
the  ordinary  reader  or  even  student  of  Shakespeare.  That  Dr.  Schmidt  is  a 
profound  grammarian  and  a  classical  scholar  of  the  highest  attainments  is  true 
beyond  any  question,  but  when  it  comes  to  the  explaining  of  the  idiomatic 
expressions  of  the  English  language,  his  ignorance  is  equalled  only  by  the 
insolence  and  arrogance  which  he  exhibits  towards  commentators  of  English 
blood ;  and  yet,  strange  to  say,  he  has  exerted  a  surprising  influence  over  recent 
interpreters  of  Shakespeare,  many  of  whom  not  only  adopt  his  errors,  but 
credit  to  "Schmidt"  many  of  those  sound  definitions  and  explanations  which 
really  belong  to  Johnson,  Nares,  Steevens,  Malone  and  others. 

Nabes,  Robebt,  F.R.S.    A  Glossary.    New  Edition   by  James  O.  Halliwell  and 

Thomas  Wright.     2  Vols. 
Dyce,  Alexandeb.     A  Glossary  to  the  Works  of  William  Shakespeare. 

This  forms  Vol.  X  of  the  latest  edition  of  Dyce's  Shakespeare.  It  has  been 
sold  separately,  but  is  almost  useless  to  those  who  do  not  own  the  entire  set,  as 
the  references  are  to  page  and  volume  of  Dyce's  edition  and  not  to  the  Act  and 
Scene  of  the  plays.  Dyce  never  numbered  his  lines,  and  his  latest  publishers 
have  not  seen  fit  to  remedy  a  defect  which  detracts  greatly  from  the  value  of 
his  edition. 

Babtlett,  John.  A  New  and  Complete  Concordance.  1900  pages.  Macmillan. 
$7.50. 
This  Concordance  has  taken  the  place  of  that  of  Mrs.  Mary  Cowden  Clarke 
because  it  gives  not  only  the  Act  and  Scene,  but  the  number  of  the  required  line. 
See  our  note  on  this  point  under  the  heading  "On  the  Choice  of  a  Copy  of 
Shakespeare's  Works."    It  includes  the  poems  as  well  as  the  plays. 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY.  23 


Other    Aids    to    Study. 

*  DowDEN,  Edwabd,  LL.D.   Shakspere.    In  the  "Literature  Primers."    Published 
in  this  country  by  The  American  Book  Company.     35  cents. 
If  the  reader  of  Shakespeare  should  be  able  to  add  but  one  book  to  his  copy 
of  the  poet's  works,  this  must  be  the  volume.     The  beginner  will  get  more  solid 
information  from  this  little  book  than  from  many  a  volume  ten  times  its  size. 

.    Introduction  to  Shakespeare.     Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 

This  is  the  Introduction  to  "  The  Henry  Irving  Shakespeare,"  printed 
separately  and  somewhat  expanded. 

.     Shakespeare  :   His  Mind  and  Art. 

"  Attempts  to  trace  the  growth  of  Shakespeare's  genius  and  character  through 
his  works,  studied  chronologically." 

Fleming,  William  H.     How  to  Study  Shakespeare.     2    Vols,     Doubleday  and 
McClure  Co.     f  1.50. 

The  idea  which  led  to  the  production  of  this  work  was  an  ex(3ellent  one 
and  it  has  been  well  carried  out.  It  gives  explanations  of  the  difficult  passages 
in  several  of  the  plays  and  a  series  of  examination  questions  which  call  the 
attention  of  the  student  to  those  points  which  require  careful  consideration.  It 
is  a  pity  that  such  a  valuable  work  should  be  marred  by  a  defect  which  might 
have  been  easily  avoided.  If  Mr.  Fleming  had  placed  the  Act  and  Scene  at  the 
top  of  his  pages  and  appended  line-numbers  to  the  words  calling  for  definitions, 
much  time  would  have  been  saved  to  his  readers,  and  in  these  days  even  general 
readers,  not  to  speak  of  students,  cannot  afiEord  to  waste  time. 

Prefixed  to  the  first  volume  is  a  very  thorough,  practical  and  sensible  article 
by  Prof.  Rolfe  on  the  organization  and  conduct  of  Shakespeare  clubs. 

*  Lamb,  Charles  and  Mary.     Tales  from  Shakespeare. 

There  are  several  editions  of  this  charming  little  book  in  market,  some  at  a 
very  low  price.     It  gives  the  story  of  several  of  the  plays,  told  as  nearly  as 
possible  in  Shakespeare's  own  words,  but  in  the  form  of  a  story  and  not  of  a 
drama.     Admirable  for  young  beginners. 
Ellis,  A.  J.     Early  English  Pronunciation,  with  Special  Reference   to  Chaucer 

and  Shakespeare. 
LouNSBURT,   Thomas   R.,   LL.D.    Shakespeare  as  a  Dramatic  Artist.     With  an 
Account  of  His  Reputation  at  Various  Periods.  1902.  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 
FuBNiVALL,  F.  J.     Introduction  to  "The  Leopold  Shakespeare." 

This  has  not  been  published  separately,  but  as  there  is  a  cheap  edition  of 
*' The  Leopold"  (Gassell  and  Co.,  $1.50)  it  is  within  the  reach  of  most  students. 
In  addition   to   a  critical  discussion  of  each  play  it  contains  a  chronology  of 
Shakespeare's  works. 
Hudson,  Henry  N.     Life,  Art  and  Characters  of  Shakespeare.     2  Vols. 

*  Jameson,    Anna.     Characteristics    of    Women.     Essays   upon    the   Women    of 

Shakespeare's  plays.     Houghton,  Mifflin  and  Co.    $1.25. 
Coleridge,  S.  T.     Lectures  on  Shakespeare.    Bohn.    $1.00. 

Very  much  misquoted  by  the  Baconians. 
Dyeb,   T.   F.   Thistleton.     Folk  Lore  of  Shakespeare.     London  :  Griffith   and 

Farran.    New  York  :  E.  P.  Dutton  and  Co. 


THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


THE    BACON-SHAKESPEARE    CONTROVERSY. 


V\^j^3rT  is  now  nearly  lialf  a  century  since  the  reading  public  was  startled  by 
1^iIk\  *^®  astonishing  proposition  that  the  author  of  the  writings  commonly 
j^l^j  known  as  the  works  of  Shakespeare  was,  in  reality,  not  Shakespeare, 
but  Francis  Bacon,  Lord  Verulam.  Like  many  other  astounding 
theories,  it  attracted  considerable  attention,  so  much  so  that  by  1884,  when  Mr. 
Wyman  published  his  bibliography  of  the  subject,  he  had  collected  255  titles,  of 
which  over  forty  were  separate  publications  in  book  and  pamphlet  form,  the  rest 
being  articles  in  reviews,  magazines  and  newspapers.  Since  that  time  the 
number  of  books  and  pamphlets  issued  has  been  much  more  than  doubled,  and 
the  number  of  notable  articles  in  the  journals  has  correspondingly  increased.  A 
journal  advocating  the  new  theory  was  started  in  Chicago  and  one  also,  I  believe, 
in  Boston,  but  I  do  not  find  either  one  in  the  latest  list  of  periodicals,  so  that  I 
presume  they  have  been  discontinued.  There  is,  however,  a  journal  published 
in  London,  called  Baconiana,  which  has  a  very  considerable  circulation. 

It  would  be  out  of  place  to  enter  into  an  extended  discussion  of  the  subject  in 
these  pages,  but  as  the  question  has  attracted  so  much  attention,  and  since  even 
now  the  young  people  to  whom  this  volume  is  specially  addressed  make  frequent 
enquiries  in  regard  to  the  matter,  it  will  not  do  to  ignore  it  entirely.  Therefore, 
although  I  firmly  believe  that  William  Shakespeare,  of  Stratford-on-Avon,  was  the 
author  of  all  the  important  writings  generally  attributed  to  him,  I  will  endeavor 
to  present  the  subject  in  a  calm  and  dispassionate  manner,  for  it  is  greatly  to  be 
regretted  that  in  some  recent  discussions  abuse  has  taken  the  place  of  argument, 
not  to  say  of  dignified  protest.  A  notable  instance  of  this  was  exhibited  by  a 
writer  in  The  New  York  Times  Saturday  Review  about  a  year  ago.  It  would  seem 
that  the  best  argument  that  this  writer  could  find  against  the  Baconian  hypothesis 
was  to  call  its  advocates  "mattoids."*  I  have  been  told  that  the  author  of  the 
article  is  a  professional  alienist ;  if  this  be  so,  the  best  advice  that  could  be 
given  to  him  is  that  contained  in  Luke  iv,  23. 

While  the  authorship  of  various  portions  of  the  accepted  works  of  Shakespeare 
has  long  been  the  subject  of  dispute,  and  while  several  whole  plays  have  been 
attributed  to  him,  in  the  production  of  which  it  is  very  certain  that  he  had  no 
hand,  it  was  not  until  the  year  1848  that  it  was  boldly  claimed  that  he  was  not  the 
author  of  any  of  the  works  ordinarily  credited  to  him,  and  the  question  was 

♦This  terra  originated  with  Lombroso  and  signifies   a   monomaniac   characterised  by 
stupidity.    This  definition  certainly  does  not  apply  to  many  staunch  and  earnest  Baconians. 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY.  25 


raised  :  Who  were  the  able  literary  men  who  wrote  the  dramas  of  which  he  is  the 
reputed  author  ? 

This  question  was  put  forward  in  that  year  by  Col.  Joseph  Hart,  but  Miss  Delia 
Bacon  was  the  first  to  advance  the  hypothesis  that  a  coterie  of  wits,  including 
Bacon,  Raleigh,  Spenser  and  others  were  the  real  authors,  and  that  the  plays 
infolded  a  system  of  Philosophy  and  Political  Economy  which  they  did  not  dare 
to  publish  over  their  own  names,  and  so  were  glad  to  get  the  otherwise  incon- 
spicuous actor,  Wi.Uiam  Shakespeare,  to  father  them.  Miss  Bacon's  theory  was 
never  fully  published  by  herself.  The  first  suggestion  was  made  in  an  article 
published  in  Putnam's  Magazine  for  January,  1856,  but  this  article  was  to  have 
been  the  first  of  four,  and  the  others  were  never  put  in  type,  the  manuscripts 
having  been  lost  by  an  unfortunate  accident.  This  first  article  was  exceedingly 
brilliant  in  its  language  and  imagery,  but  utterly  pointless,  except  in  the 
matter  of  abuse  of  poor  Shakespeare,  against  whom  she  uses  language  which  no 
sane  woman  would  have  employed.  Prior  to  the  publication  of  the  article  she 
had  gone  to  England  with  the  intention  of  having  Shakespeare's  tomb  opened, 
as  she  felt  sure  that  there  she  would  find  absolute  proof  to  substantiate  her 
theory^.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  although  she  made  very  earnest  efforts  to 
accomplish  her  purpose,  she  was  not  allowed  to  disturb  that  grave  which  has 
been  a  Mecca  to  so  many  pilgrims.  While  in  England,  however,  she  completed 
one-half  of  her  book  and  had  it  published  under  the  title  "The  Philosophy  of  the 
Plays  of  Shakespeare  Unfolded."  In  bringing  out  her  book  she  was  aided  by 
Emerson,  Hawthorne  and  Carlyle,  every  one  of  whom  showed  her  the  utmost 
kindness  and  consideration,  although  none  of  them  had  any  faith  in  her  pro- 
position. 

The  book  was  a  complete  failure,  and  no  wonder.  Although,  like  her  first 
article,  it  contained  brilliant  sentences  and  some  fine  ideas,  beautifully  expressed, 
yet,  as  a  whole,  it  had  no  distinct  objective  point.  It  did  not  even  embody  the  main 
points  of  her  theory  ;  this  she  reserved  for  her  second  volume,  which  never  came 
out.  In  a  later  work  *  of  his,  Hawthorne,  who  wrote  a  preface  to  Miss  Bacon's 
volume,  says  :  "  I  believe  that  it  has  been  the  fate  of  this  remarkable  book  never 
to  have  had  more  than  a  single  reader.  I,  myself,  am  acquainted  with  it  only  in 
insulated  chapters  and  scattered  pages  and  paragraphs." 

I  have  gone  over  the  book  with  some  care  and  find  it  brilliant,  but  incoherent. 
The  author  seems  to  have  been  oppressed  with  the  idea  that  she  was  in  posses- 
sion of  a  secret  too  sacred  and  too  important  to  be  lightly  divulged  to  the  people 
at  large  ;  there  is  a  continual  promise  of  a  revelation  which,  however,  is  never 
revealed.  In  fact,  her  brilliancy  is  due  in  a  large  measure  to  the  looseness  of  her 
methods  of  thinking  and  her  wonderful  powers  of  expression,  which  are  entirely 
untrammeled  by  sound  logic  and  a  broad  generalization  of  facts. 

*  "  Our  OW  Home,"  chapter  on  BecoUections  of  a  Gifted  Woman, 


26  THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPAEDIA 

The  ethereal,  though  somewhat  nebulous,  hypotheses  propounded  by  Miss 
Bacon  soon  assumed  the  more  concrete,  though  cruder,  form  in  which  they  are 
now  generally  presented,  the  authorship  of  the  plays  being  attributed  wholly  to 
Lord  Bacon,  and  the  esoteric  language  and  delicate  mysteries  becoming,  in  the 
hands  of  the  Donnelly's,  the  Owens  and  the  Gallups,  a  mere  cryptographic  puzzle 
embodied  in  the  material  form  of  types,  ink  and  paper,  in  which  it  is  asserted 
that  Bacon's  claims  are  set  forth.  The  language  in  which  these  claims  are 
embodied  certainly  never  had  its  origin  during  the  reign  of  Elizabeth. 

Those  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  look  over  the  books 'of  these  writers  with 
any  degree  of  attention  will  find  that  the  authors  are  quite  unfamiliar  with 
Elizabethan  language  and  literature  ;  Mr.  Donnelly  certainly  did  not  understand 
some  of  the  plainest  passages  in  Shakespeare's  works.  Through  a  supposed 
interpretation  of  their  alleged  cipher.  Dr.  Owen  and  Mrs.  Gallup  claim  that  Bacon 
asserts  that  he  and  Essex  were  the  children  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  she  having  been 
married  to  Leicester  while  they  were  both  imprisoned  in  the  Tower.  Mrs.  Gallup 
also  asserts  that  Bacon  claims  the  authorship  of  ' '  The  Anatomy  of  Melancholy  " 
and  of  most  of  the  writings  of  Marlow,  Greene,  Peele  and  others.  But  Mrs.  Gallup 
made  a  fatal  mistake  when  she  claimed  that  Bacon  had  translated  Homer  and 
embodied  the  Iliad  in  cipher  in  "  The  Anatomy  of  Melancholy."  What  possible 
object  Bacon  could  have  had  in  concealing  a  translation  of  Homer,  it  must,  of 
course,  puzzle  the  ordinary  mind  to  imagine,  and  yet,  notwithstanding  this  very 
obvious  objection,  Mrs.  Gallup  found  strenuous  support  in  quarters  from  which 
a  convertite  was  hardly  to  have  been  expected.  But  Mr,  Marston  in  The  Nine- 
teenth Century  gives  this  claim  the  coup  de  grace  by  showing  that  the  Baconian 
translation,  as  deciphered  by  Mrs.  Gallup,  is  simply  a  transformation  of  Pope's 
famous  metrical  translation.  In  other  words,  it  is  Pope's  poetry  turned  into  very 
mediocre  prose. 

But  I  think  it  is  generally  true  that  the  most  earnest  and  intelligent  Baconians 
have  very  little  confidence  in  these  ciphers.  Indeed,  some  of  them  allege  that 
Mr.  Donnelly's  "Great  Cryptogram  "  did  much  more  harm  than  good  to  the  cause, 
and  they  rely  upon  arguments  of  an  entirely  different  class.  "We  have  not  space 
here  to  present  these  arguments  at  length ;  those  who  desire  to  inform  themselves 
upon  the  subject  will  find  the  Baconian  side  of  the  question  very  fully  and  ably 
set  forth  in  "  The  Authorship  of  Shakespeare,"  by  Nathaniel  Holmes,  and  "Bacon 
vs.  Shakgpere,"  by  Edwin  Reed.  On  the  other  side  we  have  "Notes  on  the 
Bacon-Shakespeare  Question,"  by  Charles  Allen,  and  a  very  pleasant  little 
book,  "What  We  Eeally  Know  About  Shakespeare,"  by  Mrs.  Caroline  Healey 
Dall. 

After  a  pretty  careful  study  of  the  subject,  I  find  that  the  chief  arguments  of 
the  Baconians  are  based  upon  (1)  the  alleged  illiteracy  of  Shakespeare,  showing 
that  he  was  utterly  incompetent  to  produce  the  works  which  go  under  his  name; 
(2)  Shakespeare's  alleged  dissolute  and  so-called  profane  life  ;  and  (3)  the  fact 


AND    NEW    glossary:  27 


that  there  are  so  many  parallelisms  and  correspondences  between  the  plays  and 
the  known  writings  of  Bacon  that  the  cumulative  evidence  that  they  were  both 
written  by  the  same  hand  amounts  almost  to  positive  proof. 

Any  one  who  has  carefully  studied  the  subject  with  an  unprejudiced  mind  must 
conclude  that  the  charge  of  illiteracy  is  an  entire  assumption  and  one  that  is 
opposed  to  the  little  that  we  do  know  of  Shakespeare's  attainments.  In  other 
words,  this  argument  of  the  Baconians  is  a  complete  begging  of  the  question. 
They  first  ask  us,  on  a  mere  assumption,  to  admit  that  Shakespeare  was  illiterate, 
and  then  they  argue  from  this  that  he  could  not  have  written  the  plays  !  But  we 
have  the  most  positive  evidence  that  he  was  not  illiterate.  That  he  had  some  Latin 
and  some  Greek  we  have  the  testimony  of  Ben  Jonson ;  if  he  had  any  Greek  at 
all,  he  must  have  been  able  to  read  Latin  freely,  for  in  his  time  all  Greek  text- 
books were  in  Latin,  and,  in  addition  to  this,  Aubrey  tells  us  that  Shakespeare 
understood  Latin  fairly  well.  To  a  man  of  Shakespeare's  abilities  it  would  have 
been  a  trifling  undertaking  to  have  acquired  a  knowledge  of  such  other  languages 
as  he  required,  and  we  have  not  a  particle  of  evidence  to  show  that  he  did  not 
do  so.  Indeed,  we  have  some  very  positive  evidence  that  his  knowledge  of  French 
was  acquired  by  book  study  and  not  from  skilled  teachers.  His  pronunciation 
of  the  language  shows  this.  See  the  words  bras  and  pense  in  this  Glossary. 
Bacon,  who  spoke  French  fluently,  never  would  have  written  the  passages  in 
which  these  words  occur. 

In  this  connection  much  stress  is  laid  upon  the  fact  that  he  spells  his  name 
two  or  three  different  ways.  To  put  forward  such  an  argument  as  that  argues 
profound  ignorance  of  Elizabethan  writing  and  printing  on  the  part  of  those  who 
advance  it.  Their  idol.  Bacon,  once  spelled  his  name  Bakon  in  a  letter  of 
attorney ;  Sir  Walter  Ealeigh  spelled  his  name  five  different  ways,  and  I  have 
now  before  me  an  old  law  book  consisting  of  a  series  of  reports,  issued  con- 
secutively, in  which  the  printer,  who  ought  to  have  been  able  to  spell  if  any  one 
could,  spells  his  own  name  differently  in  each  separate  issue  ! 

In  the  face  of  these  facts,  the  attempt  to  differentiate  between  Bacon  and 
Shakespeare  by  assuming  that  "Shakespeare"  was  the  nom  de  plume  of  Bacon, 
while  "Shakspere"  was  the  real  name  of  the  man  of  Stratford-on-Avon — the 
actor — is,  to  say  the  least,  certainly  illogical.  In  the  language  of  Dr.  Furnivall, 
"the  tomfoolery  of  it  is  infinite." 

As  for  the  parallelisms  and  correspondences  which  are  found  in  Bacon's  works 
and  in  the  plays,  no  person  of  any  breadth  of  reading  would  give  the  slightest 
weight  to  them.  The  majority  of  the  correspondences  brought  forward  by  Mrs. 
Potts  are  merely  well-known  phrases,  expressions  and  quotations,  many  of  them 
from  the  Bible  ;  and  the  richest  part  of  the  joke  is  that  a  very  large  proportion  of 
the  so-called  parallelisms  are  not  parallelisms  at  all  ;  a  few  words  may  be  the 
same  in  each,  but  the  ideas  are  radically  different.  In  the  few  cases  in  which 
there  is  an  identity  of  idea,  Dr.  Abbott,  who  wrote  a  preface  to  Mrs.  Potts'  edition 


THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


of  the  "Promiis,"  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  Bacon  borrowed  from  Shakespeare, 
and  not  Shakespeare  from  Bacon.  This  part  of  Dr.  Abbott's  testimony  in  the 
case  is  omitted  by  Mr.  Heed  in  his  quotation  on  page  54  of  his  "Bacon  vs. 
Shakspere  "  (1897). 

But  against  the  very  illogical  assumptions  of  the  Baconians  we  have  the  direct 
testimony,  as  to  authorship,  of  numerous  contemporaries  of  Shakespeare — 
Jonson,  Meres,  Digges,  Hey  wood,  etc.,  and  in  the  years  immediately  succeeding 
his  death  the  number  of  laudatory  notices  which  appeared,  and  all  of  which 
attributed  the  plays  to  Shakespeare,  of  Stratford-on-Avon,  is  very  large.  As 
Jonson  was  the  friend  both  of  Bacon  and  of  Shakespeare,  he  must  have  known 
the  truth  of  the  matter.  The  Baconians  say,  however,  that  he  was  in  the  plot 
to  deceive  the  public  and  that  the  others  were  simply  "fooled."  To  ask  us  to 
believe  that  all  the  prominent  literary  men  of  the  early  years  of  the  seventeenth 
century  were  either  knaves  or  fools  is  to  ask  for  a  degree  of  credulity  compared 
with  which  a  belief  that  Francis,  the  underskinker  of  the  Boar's-Head  Tavern, 
Eastcheap,  wrote  the  plays,  would  be  a  rational  form  of  faith. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  of  all  the  prominent  literary  men  who  were 
connected  with  Miss  Bacon  and  Mrs.  Potts,  not  one  accepted  the  Baconian 
hypothesis.  Carlyle,  Emerson,  Hawthorne,  Abbott  and  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  all 
rejected  it  as  being  utterly  untenable,  though  they  all  urged  that  the  Baconian  view 
be  given  a  fair  hearing.  Spedding,  the  biographer  of  Bacon  and  one  of  his  most 
earnest  defenders,  says  :  "I  doubt  whether  there  are  five  lines  together  in  Bacon 
which  could  be  mistaken  for  Shakespeare  or  five  lines  in  Shakespeare  which 
could  be  mistaken  for  Bacon  by  one  who  was  familiar  with  the  several  styles 
and  practised  in  such  observation.  *  *  *  if  there  were  any  reason  for 
supposing  that  the  real  author  was  somebody  else,  I  think  I  am  in  a  condition 
to  say  that,  whoever  it  was,  it  was  not  Francis  Bacon." 

And  Holmes,*  while  he  went  so  far  as  to  say,  in  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Potts,  that 
if  the  Shakespeareans  would  not  listen  to  reasonable  arguments  he  would 
have  a  starling  taught  to  say  nothing  but  "Verulam"  and  hang  it  up  where 
they  would  be  compelled  to  listen  to  it,  did  not  accept  the  Baconian  doctrine. 
In  the  last  book  that  he  wrote,  "  Our  Hundred  Days  in  Europe "  (1887),  he 
characterises  Miss  Bacon's  ideas  as  "insane,"  and  in  that  book,  written  three 
or  four  years  after  he  had  written  his  pleasant  and  much  misquoted  letter  to  Mrs. 
Potts,  he  writes  of  his  visit  to  Stratford-on-Avon:  "It  is  quite  impossible  to 
think  of  any  human  being  growing  up  in  this  place  which  claims  Shakespeare 
as  its  child,  about  the  streets  of  which  he  ran  as  a  boy,  on  the  waters  of  which 
he  must  have  floated,  without  having  his  image  ever  present."  That  does  not 
sound  as  if  Holmes  had  been  a  Baconian. 

*  Some  confusion  has  been  caused  by  tlie  fact  that  both  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  the 
Shakespearean,  and  Nathaniel  Holmes,  th^  ^acQuian,  were  Professors  in  Harvard  University. 


AND    NEW   GLOSSARY.  29 


HINTS  TO   READERS  AND   EXPLANATIONS  OF  THE   CON- 
TRACTIONS  USED  IN  THE  FOLLOWING  PAGES. 


a 


O  doubt  to  some  persons  many  of  the  following  "  hints  and 
explanations"  will  appear  trivial  and  unnecessary.  It  must 
be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  the  book  is  not  addressed 
to  experienced  students  and  readers,  but  to  those  who  have  merely 
a  common  school  education  and  whose  facilities  for  reference  and 
enquiry  are  quite  limited. 

CONTRACTIONS  USED  FOR  THE  TITLES  OF  THE  PLATS  AND  POEMS. 

In  adopting  these  contractions  I  have  endeavored  to  select  those 
which  are  as  suggestive  as  possible,  so  that  any  person  who  has  ever 
looked  over  the  works  of  Shakespeare  carefully,  need  not  be  at  any 
loss  in  regard  to  the  meaning  of  the  letters  used  to  designate  each 
play.  For  example:  The  usual  contraction  for  AWs  Well  that  £Jnds 
Well  is  A.  Ws  This  is  not  quite  as  suggestive  as  AlVs.  Particular 
care  has  been  taken  to  avoid  all  risk  of  leading  the  reader  into  error; 
it  would  be  impossible  to  apply  Wiv.,  Tw,,  Hml.  or  Cces.  to  any 
play  except  the  one  intended.  This  cannot  be  said  of  the  contractions 
used  in  many  works  of  reference — the  new  Glossary  of  the  famous 
"Globe"  edition,  for  example:  T,  A,  suggests  Timon  of  Athens 
quite  as  much  as  it  does  Titus  Andronicus.  The  reader  must  think 
a  little  before  he  can  decide,  and  this  thinking  might  be  applied 
to  a  better  purpose.  The  contractions  are  nearly  the  same  as  those 
used  by  Dr.  Schmidt,  in  his  "  Shakespeare  Lexicon,"  and  they 
economize  space  more  thoroughly  than  any  set  that  I  have  seen. 

It  is  a  great  pity  that  in  these  days  of  universal  scientific  standards 
and  interchangeable  mechanical  parts  some  uniform  system  cannot 
be  adopted.     If  you  own  a  Waltham  or  an  Elgin  watch,  or  a  Smith  & 


80 


THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA 


Wesson  revolver,  and  any  part  should  break,  you  can  send  from  "  the 
furthest  steppes  of  India  "  to  the  factory  and  have  a  duplicate  of 
the  broken  part  mailed  to  you,  and  it  will  be  sure  to  fit. 

Let  us  have,  then,  a  set  of  standard  contractions  authorized  by 
competent  authority,  and  let  it  be  universally  adopted. 


Ado — Much  Ado  about  Nothing. 

All's— All's  Well  that  Ends  Well. 

Ant, — Antony  and  Cleopatra. 

Arg. — Argument. 

As — As  You  Like  It. 

Caes. — Julius  Caesar. 

Chor. — Chorus. 

Compl. — A  Lover's  Complaint. 

Cor. — Coriolanus. 

Cym.— Cymbeline. 

Epi. — Epilogue. 

Err. — Comedy  of  Errors. 

Gent. — The  Two  Gentlemen  of  Verona. 

IHIV.— Henry  IV,  First  Part. 

2HIV.— Henry  IV,  Second  Part. 

HV.— Henry  V. 

IHVL— Henry  VI,  First  Part. 

2HVI.— Henry  VI,  Second  Part. 

3HVI.— Henry  VI,  Third  Part. 

HVni.— Henry  VIII. 

Hml.— Hamlet. 

Ind. — Induction . 

John — King  John. 

Kins. — Two  Noble  Kinsmen. 

LLL. — Love's  Labour's  Lost. 


Lr.-King  Lear. 

Lucr. — The  Kape  of  Lucrece. 

Mcb.— Macbeth. 

Meas. — Measure  for  Measure. 

Merch. — The  Merchant  of  Venice. 

Mids. — A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream. 

0th. -Othello. 

Per. — Pericles. 

Phoen.— The  Phoenix  and  the  Turtle. 

Pilgr. — The  Passionate  Pilgrim. 

Prol. — Prologue. 

EIL— Richard  II. 

RIIL— Richard  III. 

Rom. — Romeo  and  Juliet. 

Shr.— The  Taming  of  the  Shrew. 

Sonn. — Sonnets. 

Tim. — Timon  of  Athens. 

Tit. — Titus  Andronicus. 

Tp.— The  Tempest. 

Troil. — Troilus  and  Cressida. 

Tw.— Twelfth  Night. 

Ven, — Venus  and  Adonis. 

Wint.— The  Winter's  Tale. 

Wiv. — The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor. 


EXPLANATION  OF  THE  REFERENCES  TO  VARIOUS  PASSAGES. 


To  those  w^ho  first  take  up  a  book  like  the  present,  such  letters  and 
figures  as  Mcb,  II,  2,  37,  have  a  cabalistic  appearance,  not  very  in- 
telligible to  the  untrained  eye.  But  a  little  thought  and,  if  neces- 
sary, a  reference  to  the  preceding  key  will  show  that  Mcb.  stands  for 
Macbeth ;  the  Roman  numerals,  II,  give  the  number  of  the  Act ;  the 


AND    NEW    GLOSSARY. 


ai 


next  figure  denotes  the  number  of  the  Scene,  and  the  figures  37  are 
the  number  of  the  required  line  in  that  Scene.  When  traced  up,  we 
find  the  passage:  Sleep  that  knits  up  the  ravelVd  sleave  of  care. 
All  modem  editions  of  any  value  have  the  lines  numbered,  and  to 
those  who  use  such  an  edition,  the  finding  of  any  passage  or  of  any 
word  in  Shakespeare  is  a  matter  of  but  a  few  moments.  This  subject 
we  have  discussed  at  greater  length  on  a  preceding  page  under  the 
heading,  "  On  the  Choice  of  a  Copy  of  Shakespeare's  "Works." 

In  the  following  pages  all  quotations  from  Shakespeare  are  printed 
in  Italics,  and  not  placed  within  quotation  marks.  This  enables  the 
reader  to  trace  them  with  great  ease. 

EXPLANATION  OF  OTHER  CONTRACTIONS. 


adj. — adjective 

adv. — adverb. 

ante — before  ;  that  is  :  In  a  preceding 
article  in  this  volume. 

bk. — book. 

cap. — chapter  (Latin,  caput). 

Cent.  Diet. — "The  Century  Dictionary." 

(f. — confer  (Latin);  compare. 

circa— (Latin) ;  about ;  near  that  time. 

Coll.  MS.— An  MS.  correction  found  in 
the  copy  of  the  Second  Folio  be- 
longing to  J.  P.  Collier,  and  some- 
times called  "The  Perkins  Folio." 
It  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
Duke  of  Devonshire.  It  is  almost 
universally  charged  that  these  cor- 
rections and  emendations  were 
forgeries  perpetrated  by  Mr.  Col- 
lier. Having  examined  the  evi- 
dence with  some  care  I  am  con- 
vinced that  Mr.  Collier  has  been 
unjustly  dealt  with  in  this  matter. 

ooms. — commentators. 

Cot.  — ' '  A  Dictionarie  of  the  French  and 
English  Tongves."  Compiled  by 
Eandle  Cotgrave.     London,  1611. 


diet. — dictionary. 

dr.p. — dramatis  persona  or  personae 
(Latin);  a  character  or  characters 
in  the  play. 

ed. — editor  or  edition. 

eds. — editors  or  editions. 

e.g. — for  example  (Latin,  exempli  gratia). 

et  seq. — and  following;  usually  refer- 
ring to  lines. 

Fl,— The  First  Folio.  The  first  collect- 
ed edition  of  Shakespeare's  plays, 
published  in  1623. 

F2.— The  Second  Folio  ;  1632. 

F3.-The  Third  Folio  ;  1664. 

F4.-  The  Fourth  Folio  ;  1685. 

FF.— All  the  Folios. 

g.  a. — generally  accepted.  In  the  ear- 
lier articles  the  expressions  '  'stand- 
ard text"  and  "accepted  text"  will 
be  found.  This  does  not  mean  that 
we  have  any  really  authoritative 
text  of  the  works  of  Shakespeare  ; 
it  is  intended  simply  as  a  reference 
to  the  text  as  generally  received.  For 
a  further  discussion  of  this  ques- 
tion see  a  preceding  page  under  the 


THE    SHAKESPEARE    CYCLOPEDIA. 


heading,  "The  Text  of  Shake- 
speare." 

id. — idem  (Latin) ;  the  same. 

i.e. — id  est  (Latin) ;  that  is. 

m.  eds. — modern  editors. 

N.E.D.— "The  New  English  Diction- 
ary."   Edited  by  Dr.  Murray. 

Q. — Quarto  edition. 

Qq  —The  Quartos. 

q.  V. — qiLod  vide  (Latin),  which  see ;  that 
is  :  Look  for  it  under  the  word  in 
question. 

Sc. — Scene. 

Schm.  —Schmidt's  "  Shakespeare-Lexi- 
con." 

Sh.  Gram. — "A  Shakespearian  Gram- 
mar." ByE.  A.  Abbott,  D.D.  New 
Edition.     1886. 

s.  V. — sub  verho  (Latin),  under  the  word, 


that  is:  It  will  be  found  under  that 
word  or  heading. 

Scot. — Scotch  or  Scottish. 

Sh. — Shakespeare  or  Shakespeare's. 

sic — so  ;  that  is  :  It  is  so  in  the  original. 

3rdVar.— The  Third  Variorum.  The 
Plays  and  Poems  of  "William  Shake- 
speare, edited  by  Malone,  and  pub- 
lished after  his  death  under  the  edi- 
torial supervision  of  James  Bos  well, 
the  son    of  Johnson's  biographer. 

=  The  algebraic  sign  signifying  equal 
to;  here  used  to  indicate  having 
the  same  meaning. 

[  ]  Brackets  are  used  in  quotations 
to  indicate  that  words  and  sen- 
tences thus  enclosed  are  not  found 
in  the  original  from  which  the  quo- 
tation was  taken. 


USEFUL  HINTS  FOR  THOSE  WHO  CONSULT  THIS  OTOLOP£DIA  AND 

GLOSSARY. 

In  the  case  of  obsolete  or  unusual  words  no  directions  are  needed  ;  they  will 
be  found  in  their  proper  places,  either  in  the  body  of  the  work  or,  in  a  few 
instances,  in  the  Appendix.  And  the  same  is  true  in  regard  to  proper  names, 
such  as  Hecuba,  Heme's  Oak,  Niobe,  Nereides,  Nymphs,  etc.  Some  passages, 
however,  are  obscure  as  a  whole,  while  the  individual  words  seem  plain  enough  ; 
such  passages  will  generally  be  found  explained  under  some  prominent  word 
which  they  contain.  Instances  of  this  will  be  found  under  priest,  print,  rake, 
relative,  etc. 

In  order  to  make  such  reference  aa  easy  as  possible,  we  have  added  an  Appendix 
in  which  a  very  large  number  of  cross  references  are  given,  as  well  as  a  few 
words  which  were  omitted  by  accident.  This  Appendix  really  serves  as  a  very 
efficient  index. 

Except  in  a  few  special  cases,  I  have  not  given  at  length  the  passages  to  which 
reference  is  made.  To  have  done  so  would  have  greatly  and  needlessly  increased 
the  size  of  the  volume,  for  it  is  a  fact  well  known  to  students  that  a  short  quota- 
tion, such  as  is  ordinarily  given  in  Concordances  and  Glossaries,  gives  no  adequate 
idea  of  the  general  scope  of  the  word  or  expression  under  consideration.  The 
course  which  is  always  most  safe  and  satisfactory  is  to  read  the  passage  in  con- 
nection with  the  full  context  and  to  look  up  and  carefully  read  any  of  the  other 
passages  to  which  reference  may  be  made. 


r^ 


THE 

Shakespeare  Cyclopaedia 


AND 


New  Glossary* 


1.  The  indefinite  article, 
formed  from  the  Anglo- 
jfrrn|f7a  Saxon,  an,  the  n  being 
^^1^»1  dropped  except  before  vow- 
el sounds  (see  an).  In  Sh.  writings  it 
is  frequently  repeated  where  modern 
usage  omits  it,  as  in  Rom.  II,  5,  56  :  an 
honest  gentleman  and  a  courteous  and 
a  kind.  Also  often  omitted  where 
modern  usage  would  insert  it :  What 
fool  is  she  that  knoivs,  Gent.  I,  2, 
53 ;  Did  see  man  die !  Cym.  IV,  4, 
85  ;  Cassius,  what  night  is  this  !  Cses. 
I,  3,  44.  In  Sh.  as  frequently  in  the 
older  writers,  the  article  is  sometimes 
transposed,  as  in  Troil.  V,  6,  20,  much 
more  a  fresher  man  ;  and  in  LLL.  1, 1, 
65,  too  hard  a  keeping  oath.  See  also 
John,  IV,  2,  27  ;  Err.  Ill,  2,  186. 

2.  Frequently  with  the  sense  of  one 
(equivalent  to  the  sam,e):  He  and  his 
physicians  are  of  a  mind,  All's.  I,  3, 
244.  Rose  at  an  instant,  As.  I,  3,  76. 

3.  A  contraction  of  have  :  God-a-mercy, 
Hml.  IV,  5,  199. 

4.  A  corruption  or  dialect  form  of  he : 
a  rubs  himself,  Ado.  Ill,  2,  50. 

5.  A  mere  expletive,  void  of  sense : 
Merrily  hent  the  stile-a,  Wint.  IV,  3, 
133.  For  a  thorough  discussion  of  the 
use  of  the  article  in  Sh.  see  Abbott's 
*'  Shakespearian  Grammar. " 


Aaron,  dr.p.  The  name  of  the  Moor  be- 
loved by  Tamora.    Tit. 

abandon.  In  addition  to  the  usual  mean- 
ing, to  leave,  to  desert  (As.  V,  1,  52), 
this  word  in  Sh.  time  signified  to  ban- 
ish, to  drive  away.     Shr.  Ind.  2,  118. 

abate,  vb.  1.  To  overthrow,  to  humble, 
to  depress.    Cor.  Ill,  3,  132. 

2.  To  shorten.   Mids.  Ill,  2, 432. 

3.  To  blunt.  RIII.  V,  5,  35. 

4.  To  except ;     to  leave    out.      Abate 
.  throw  at  novum,  LLL.  V,  2,  547. 

5.  To  reduce,    to    depreciate.     Cym.  I, 
4  73 

6.'  To  lessen.    Hml.  IV,  7,  116. 

abatement.  1.  Diminution.  Lr.  I,  4,  64. 
2.  Lower  estimation.     Tw.  I,  1,  13. 

Abbot  of  Westminster,  dr.p.    RIL 

Abcee-book,  )  An  A-B-C  book.  A  prim- 

Absey-book.  i     er.    John,  I,  1,  196. 

Abergavenny,  George  NeviUe,  Lord,  dr.p. 
HVIII. 

abhominable.  The  old  mode  of  spelling 
abominable.  LLL.  V,  I,  26.  It  is  so 
spelled  in  the  Promptorium  Parvul- 
orum.  It  appears  to  have  been  going  out 
of  use  in  the  time  of  Shakespeare  (Dyce), 
and  Shakespeare  seems  to  ridicule  the 
old  fashions  used  by  Nathaniel. 

abhor.  1.  To  protest  against  or  reject  sol- 
emnly; an  old  term  of  canon  law,  equiv- 
alent to  detestor.    HVIII.  II,  4,  81. 


ABH 


34 


ABT 


2.  To  loathe;  to  detest.    The   common 
meaning.    HVIII.  II,  4,  236. 

Abhorson,  dr. p.  The  name  of  the  execu- 
tioner in  Meas. 

abide.  1.  To  answer  for.     Caes.  Ill,  2, 
118.     See  aby. 
2.  To  wait  for.    Mids.  Ill,  2,  422. 

abjects.  Servile  or  degraded  persons. 
RIII.  I,  1,  106.  The  word  is  also  found 
in  this  sense  in  Psalm  xxxv,  15. 

able,  vb.  To  warrant  or  answer  for. 
Lr.  IV,  6,  172. 

abode,  vb.  To  foretell;  to  foreshadow. 
3HVI.  V,  6,  45 ;  HVIII.  I,  1,  93. 

abodement.    Omen.    3  HVI.    IV,  7,  13. 

abortive.  Monstrous  ;  unnatural.  2HVI. 
IV,  1,  60. 

Abraliam.  1.  The  name  to  which  the  patri- 
arch's first  name  (Abram)  was  changed 
by  divine  command. 

2.  The  passage  in  Rom.  II,  1,  13,  now 
generally  printed :  "  Young  Adam  Cu- 
pid," reads :  "  Abraham  Cupid  "  in  the 
Fl,  and  also  in  the  quartos.  "  Adam  " 
was  a  conjecture  of  Upton's,  founded 
on  the  name  of  the  famous  archer, 
Adam  Bell  (see  Adam).  Knight  conject- 
ures that  Cupid  was  called  Abraham 
because  he  is  such  a  cheat — Abraham- 
man  being  slang  for  a  cheating  beggar.* 
To  this  it  has  been  objected  that  Abra- 
ham is  not  used  elsewhere  in  ShakeS' 
peare  in  this  sense — an  objection  of  no 
force  whatever,  as  there  are  many 
words  used  only  once  by  Shakespeare. 
The  term  is  old  slang,  of  which  a  dic- 
tionary was  published  as  early  as  1610, 
and  it  occurs  in  Awdeley's  "  Fraternitye 
of  Vagabondes  "  (1565),  so  that  the  word 
was  no  doubt  familiar  to  Shakespeare. 
Schmidt  rejects  "Adam  Cupid,"  which 
he  notes  as  being  used  "by  modern 
editors  quite  preposterously,"  and  then 
tells  us  that  "  Young  Abraham  Cupid  " 
is  used  "  in  derision  of  the  eternal  boy- 
hood of  Cupid,  though,  in  fact,  he 
was  as  old  as  Father  Abraham."  This 
explanation,  besides  being  very  far- 
fetched as  well  as  un-Shakespearean, 
is  obviously  far  less  forcible  than  if 
applied  to  ' '  Adam    Cupid, ' '  since,  even 


on  Schmidt's  line  of  thought,  Adam  was 
older  than  Abraham,  and  Cupid's  age 
no  doubt  reached  back  to  that  of  the 
father  of  mankind. 

3.  The    Christian    name    of     Slender. 
Wiv.  I,  1,  57  and  239. 

4.  dr.p.    Servant  to  Montague.    Rom. 
Abram.  1.  At  first  the  name  of  Abraham, 

the  patriarch.     Used  in  Merch.  I,  3,  73 
and  162,  to  conform  to  the  metre. 
2.  A  form  of  the  word  auburn.    In  Cor. 

II,  3,  23,  the  First  Folio  reads:  Our 
heads  are  some  browne,  som,e  blacke, 
some  Abram,  some  bald,  etc.  In  the 
Fourth  Folio  Abram  was  changed  to  au- 
burn. This  led  subsequent  editors  to 
suppose  that  Abraham,  in  Rom.  II,  1, 
13,  is  a  misprint  for  Abram,  and  so  the 
word  was  changed  by  Theobald  to  au- 
born.     See  auburn. 

abridgement.    1.    That  which  cuts  short, 
as  in  Hml.  II,  2,  439,  where  he  refers  to 
the  players  who  cut  short  his  speech. 
2.  A  pastime,  or  that  which  makes  the 
time  seem  short.    Mids.  V,  1,  39. 

abroach.    Literally  to  set  a-running,  as 
the  liquor  runs  from  a  cask  when  it  is  "^ 
broached.    2HIV.  IV,  2,  14;   Rom.  I, 
1,  111. 

abrook.  vb.  To  bear ;  to  abide ;  to  brook. 
2HVI,  II,  4. 

abruption.  A  stopping  short;  breaking 
off.    Troil.  Ill,  2,  70. 

absey-book.    See  abcee-book. 

absolute.  1.  Authoritative;  positive.  Hml. 
V,  1,  148. 

2.  Complete.    0th.  II,  1,  193. 

3.  Perfect.  Kins.  II,  1. 

Absyrtus.  Medea's  brother,  whom  she 
cut  to  pieces  when  she  fled  from  Col- 
chos  with  Jason.    See  Medea. 

abuse,  n.  Deception.  Meas.  V,  1,  205; 
Hml.  IV,  7,  51. 

abuse,  vb.  To  deceive.  Tp.  V,  1,  112 ; 
Hml.  II,  2,  632  ;  Lr.  IV,  1,  24  ;  do  IV,  7, 
77.  Abuse  young  lays  (Kins.  V,  1)  =  the 
colloquial  expression,  "murder  the 
[love]  songs."  Skeat. 

aby.  To  answer  for  ;  to  atone  for ;  to 
expiate  ;  to  pay  the  penalty  for.  Mids. 

III,  2, 175.    See  abide. 


ABT 


85 


ACB 


abysm.  An  abyss  ;  unfathomable  depth. 
Tp.  I,  2,  50  ;  Ant.  Ill,  13,  147. 

accept,  n.  Pass  our  accept  and  peremp- 
tory answer.  HV.  V,  2,  82.  The  mean- 
ing generally  given  to  the  word  accept 
here  is  acceptance,  i.e.,  "  pass  [or  trans- 
mit] our  acceptance  of  what  we  approve 
and  our  peremptory  answer  to  the 
rest"  {Toilet).  Malone  and  the  Collier 
MS.  reads  "or"  for  "our,"  making 
the  sense :  "  reject  or  accept,"  and  send 
a  peremptory  answer. 

accite.  1.  To  cite  ;  to  summon.  2HIV.  V, 
2,  141 ;  Tit.  I,  1,  27. 
2.  To  incite  to ;  to  instigate.  2HIV.  II, 

2,  64.  Schmidt  and  some  others  think 
that  accites  in  this  passage  in  the  First 
Folio  is  a  misprint  for  excites,  which  is 
the  word  given  in  the  Third  Folio. 

accomodate.  In  Shakespeare^s  time  it 
was  fashionable  to  introduce  this  word, 
properly  or  improperly,  on  all  occa- 
sions. Ben  Jonson  calls  it  *'one  of  the 
perfumed  terms  of  the  time. "  The  in- 
definite use  of  it  is  well  ridiculed  by 
Bardolph's  vain  attempt  to  define  it. 
2HIV.  Ill,  2,  80. 

accomplish.  To  make  complete ;  to  fur- 
nish what  is  lacking.  Merch.  Ill,  4,  61  ; 
RII.  II,  1, 177 ;  HV.  IV,  Prol.  12. 

accuse,  n.  Accusation.  2HVI.  Ill,  1, 160. 

acerb.  Harsh  to  the  taste  ;  bitter.  0th.  1, 

3,  355. 

Acheron.  One  of  the  rivers  of  hell ;  Sh. 
seems  to  regard  it  as  a  lake.  Mids.  Ill, 
2,  357  ;  Tit.  IV,  3,  44.  Various  dark 
lakes  and  rivers  which  flowed  into 
caves  were  thought  to  be  openings  to 
hell,  and  this  is  supposed  to  be  the 
meaning  in  Mcb.  Ill,  5,  15. 

achieve.  1.  To  conquer.  HV.  IV,  3,  91. 
2.  To  obtain  possession  of.    Merch.  Ill, 
2,  210 ;  0th.  II,  1,  61. 

Achilles,  dr.p.  Troil.  Also  in  the  by- 
play, LLL.V,  2,  635. 

The  hero  of  Homer's  Illiad.  Alluded 
to  2HVI.  V,  1,  100.  AchUles  wounded 
Telephus,  King  of  Mysia,  and  the  Del- 
phic Oracle,  on  being  consulted,  an- 
swered: "The  wounder  shall  heal." 
Telephus  thought  "  the  wounder  "  must 


be  Achilles,  but  AchiUes  failed  to  effect 
a  cure.  Then  Ulysses  suggested  that 
the  spear  was  the  wounder.  On  apply- 
ing some  of  the  rust  of  the  weapon  to 
the  wound,  it  was  quickly  healed. 

Achilles  was  the  son  of  Peleus,  king 
of  the  Myrmidones  in  Phthiotis,  in 
Thessaly,  and  of  the  Nereid  Thetis.  He 
was  taught  eloquence  and  the  art  of 
war  by  Phoenix,  and  Chiron  the  cen- 
taur taught  him  the  art  of  healing.  He 
was  the  great  bulwark  of  the  Greeks 
against  the  Trojans,  and  previous  to 
his  quarrel  with  Agamemnon  he  rav- 
aged the  country  around  Troy,  des- 
troyed twelve  towns  on  the  coast  and 
eleven  in  the  interior.  When  Agamem- 
non was  obliged  to  restore  Chryseis  to 
her  father,  he  forced  Achilles  to  give 
up  Briseis  in  her  stead,  and  this  caused 
a  mortal  quarrel  between  the  heroes. 
Achilles  refused  to  take  further  part  in 
the  war  and  "sulked "  in  his  tent.  No 
entreaties  or  promises  could  move  him 
until  his  friend  Patroclus  was  killed, 
when  he  took  the  field  to  avenge  him. 
He  slew  Hector  and  many  other  Tro- 
jans, but  was  himself  killed  before  Troy 
was  taken. 

Achitophel.  The  counsellor  of  Absalom, 
cursed  by  David  (2  Samuel,  xv,  35). 
2HIV.  I, '2,  41. 

acknow.  To  acknowledge  ;  to  confess.  Be 
not  acknown  on'^=do  not  confess  that 
you  know  anything  about  it.  0th.  Ill, 
3,  319.  In  the  life  of  Ariosto,  appended 
to  Harrington's  translation  of  the  Or- 
lando Furioso  (1591)  we  read,  "some 
say  he  was  married  to  her  privihe,  but 
durst  not  be  acknowne  of  it. " 

acquit.    To  be  rid  of.    Wiv.  I,  3,  27. 

acquittance,  n.  1.  Acquittal ;  vindica- 
tion. Hml.  V,  7,  1. 

2.  Receipt ;  discharge.  LLL.  II,  1,  161 ; 
Wiv.  1, 1,  10. 

acquittance,  vb.  To  acquit;  to  clear. 
RIII.  Ill,  7,  233. 

across.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  several 
passages,  evidently  refers  to  the  prac- 
tice of  the  tilt-yard,  where  it  was  con- 
sidered disgraceful  to  break  the  spear 


ACT 


ABO 


across  the  body  of  the  adversary  in- 
stead of  by  a  push  in  a  direct  line.  Ado. 
V,  1,  139  ;  As.  Ill,  4,  44  ;  All's.  II,  1, 70. 

act.  1.  Agency  ;  operation.  Hml.  I,  2, 205. 
2.  Doing  ;  being  active.  All's.  1, 2,  30. 

Actson.  A  famous  hunter  who  incurred 
the  wrath  of  Diana,  and  was  by  her 
turned  into  a  stag,  so  that  he  was  torn 
to  pieces  by  his  own  hounds.  The  horns 
which  grew  from  his  head  are  the  sym- 
bols of  cuckoldom.  Wiv.  II,  1,  122  ;  do, 
III,  2,  44 ;  Tit.  II,  3,  63. 

action-taking.  Going  to  law;  "a  fellow, 
who,  if  you  beat  him,  would  bring  an 
action  for  the  assault  instead  of  resent- 
ing it  like  a  man  of  courage."  Mason. 
Lr.  II,  2,  18. 

acture.  Performance ;  action.  Compl.  185. 

acutely.  WittUy.  All's.  I,  1,  221. 

Adam.  1.  dr. p.  The  old  gardener  in  As. 
Also  Shr.  IV,  1,  139. 

2.  Picture  of  old  Adam,  new-apparelled. 
Err.  IV,  3, 13.  This  means  the  sergeant, 
an  evident  play  upon  the  word  buff, 
which  in  slang  means  naked,  as  Adam 
was  ;  the  sergeant  wore  a  suit  of  buff. 
We  still  speak  of  being  "stripped  to 
the  buff." 

3.  Let  him  be  clapped  on  the  shoulder 
and  called  Ada,m.  Ado.  I,  1,  261.  The 
allusion  is  to  Adam  Bell,  the  famous 
archer.  Adam  Bell,  Clym  of  the  Clough 
(t.  e.  Clem  or  Clement  of  the  Cleugh  [Sco.  ] 
or  Cliff),  and  William  of  Cloudesly  were 
three  noted  outlaws,  whose  skill  in  arch- 
ery made  them  as  famous  in  the  North 
of  England  as  Robin  Hood  and  his 
fellows  were  in  the  Midland  counties. 
Their  abode  was  in  the  forest  of  Engle- 
wood  (firewood  or  wood  for  burning  in 
the  ingle),  not  far  from  Carlisle.  They 
were  generally  believed  to  have  lived 
before  Robin  Hood,  and  were  outlawed 
for  the  usual  ci-ime — killing  deer.  Two 
of  them  were  bachelors ;  the  third  (Will- 
iam of  Cloudesley),  had  a  wife  and 
family,  and  becoming  homesick,  he  ven- 
tured into  Carlisle  to  see  them,  was 
taken  prisoner  and  at  once  condemned 
to  death,  a  brand  new  gallows  being  set 
up  for  his  execution.    A  little  swine- 


herd carried  the  news  to  his  two  com- 
rades, and  the  story  of  his  rescue  forms 
the  subject  of  a  stirring  ballad  which 
may  be  found  in  Percy's  "Reliquesof 
Ancient  English  Poetry." 
4.  The  name  Adam  was  substituted  (er- 
roneously, we  think,)  for  Abraham  in 
Rom.  II,  1,  13.    See  Abraham. 

adamant.  1.  The  lodestone  or  magnet. 
Mids.  II,  1,  195  ;  Troil.  Ill,  2,  186. 
2.  Hesiod  and  some  later  writers  speak 
of  adamant  as  a  very  hard,  impenetra- 
ble metal  used  for  making  armour. 
This,  no  doubt,  led  to  the  use  of  the 
word  as  descriptive  of  an  imaginary 
material  of  great  hardness  and  strength. 
Used  in  this  sense  in  IHVI.  I,  4,  52. 
The  modern  word  diamond  is  a  mere 
corruption  of  adamant. — Skeat. 

addiction.  Inclination.    0th.  II,  2,  6. 

addition.   1.   Title ;  mark  of  distinction. 
AU's.  II,  3,  134 ;  Hml.  I,  4,  20 ;  II,  1, 
47. 
2.  Exaggeration.     Hml.  IV,  4,  17. 

address.  To  set  about  doing ;  to  prepare ; 
to  make  ready.  Troil.  IV,  4, 148 ;  Wiv. 
Ill,  5,  135. 

addressed.    Prepared.    LLL.  II,  1,  83. 

admiration.  Wonder ;  astonishment. 
Hml.  I,  2,  192. 

admire.  To  wonder.  The  word  has  now 
lost  much  of  this  meaning.  Tp.  V,  1, 
154 ;  Tw.  Ill,  4,  165. 

admittance.  Of  high  fashion ;  admitted 
into  the  best  company.  Wiv.  Ill,  3, 
61 ;  do.  II,  2,  235. 

Adonis.  A  beautiful  youth  beloved  by 
Venus.  He  was  killed  by  a  wild  boar 
while  hunting,  and  Venus  sprinkled  his 
blood  with  nectar,  which  caused  a  red 
anemone  to  spring  up  on  the  place 
where  he  fell.  Every  year  festivals 
were  held  in  his  honor,  at  which  women 
carried  about  earthen  pots  with  some 
lettuce  or  fennel  growing  in  them.  These 
pots  were  called  "Adonis  Gardens," 
and  as  they  were  thrown  away  the  day 
after  the  festival  the  name  became  a  pro- 
verbial expression  for  things  which  grow 
fast  and  soon  decay.  Sh.  however  in 
IHVI.  1,  6,  6,  seizes  upon  the  idea  of 


ADO 


37 


AFE 


rapid  growth  and  ignores  that  of  rapid 

decay. 
adoptious.  Given  by  adoption ;  not  real. 

All's.  I,  1,  190. 
adornings.    See  bends. 
adsum.  A  Latin  word  signifying  '*  I  am 

here."    2HVI.  I,  4,  26. 
advance.  1.  To  promote ;  to  increase  the 

value  of.     Tim.  I,  2,  176. 

2.  To  present ;  to  show.    LLL.  V,  2,  123. 

3.  To  push  forward.     LLL.  IV,  3,  367. 
advantage.    1.    Favorable  opportunity. 

3HVI.  Ill,  2,  192 ;  Tp.  Ill,  3,  13. 
2.   Interest  upon  money.     Merch.  I,  3, 
71 ;  IHIV.  II,  4,  599. 

advantageable.  Advantageous ;  profit- 
able.    HV.  V,  2,  88. 

advertise.    To  inform.    2HVI.  IV,  9,  23. 

advertisement.  1.  Intelligence  ;  informa- 
tion.    IHIV.  Ill,  2,  172. 
2.  Admonition  ;  advice.     AU's.  8,  240 ; 
IHIV.  IV,  1,  36. 

advice.  Consideration  ;  discretion.  Gent. 
II,  4,  207  ;  2HVI.  II,  2,  68. 

advise.  1 .  To  consider ;  to  reflect.    Tw. 

IV,  2,  102 ;  HV.  Ill,  6,  168. 

2.  To  inform  ;  to  instruct.     Gent.  Ill,  1, 
122  ;  2HIV.  I,  1,  172. 
advised.  Considerate ;  deliberate.  2HVI. 

V,  2,  47. 

advocation.  Pleading.     0th.  Ill,  4,  123. 

/Ecides.  This  term  means  a  descendant  of 
-(Eacus,  "ides  "  being  a  patronymic  suf- 
fix.    See  Ajax.     Shr.  Ill,  1,  52. 

eedile.  An  officer  in  ancient  Rome  who 
had  charge  of  the  public  buildings  and 
streets.  At  first  the  office  was  of  great 
honor  and  importance,  but  later  the  aed- 
iles  became  little  better  than  police-of- 
ficers, such  as  Sh.  represents  them.  For 
this  Schm.  takes  him  to  task. 

iCmilia,  dr. p.  An  abbess  at  Ephesus ; 
Wife  to  ^geon.     Err. 

iCneas,  dr.p.  One  of  the  Trojan  com- 
manders.    Troil. 

^neas  was  the  son  of  Anchises  and 
Aphrodite,  and  was  born  on  Mount  Ida. 
On  his  father's  side  he  was  related  to 
the  royal  house  of  Troy.  At  first  he 
took  no  part  in  the  Trojan  war,  but 
when  AchiUes  attacked  him  and  drove 


away  his  flocks,  he  led  his  Dardanians 
against  the  Greeks,  and  he  and  Hector 
were  the  great  bulwarks  of  the  Tro- 
jans. On  the  fall  of  the  city  he  bore  his 
aged  father  on  his  shoulders  through  the 
flames.  His  wife,  Creusa,  the  daughter 
of  Priam  and  Hecuba,  was  lost  in  the 
hurry  of  flight.  Hence  the  allusion, 
Tp.  II,  1,  79,  to  "widower  ^neas." 
His  landing  at  Carthage  and  his  meet- 
ing with  Dido  are  irreconcilable  with 
chronology.  The  Romans  long  held 
that  he  was  their  ancestor,  Ascanius 
being  the  progenitor  of  Numitor,  grand- 
father of  Romulus  and  Remus. 

iCoIus.  The  god  of  the  winds.  2HVI. 
Ill,  2,  92. 

aery.    See  aiery. 

.<£sculapius.  The  son  of  Apollo,  was  the 
god  of  medicine.  He  worked  so  many 
wonderful  cures  that  Jove,  fearing  he 
would  render  men  immortal,  killed  him 
with  thunderbolts,  ^sculapius  was 
worshipped  all  over  Greece,  his  temples 
being  always  built  in  healthful  places 
and  near  wells  supposed  to  have  heal- 
ing powers.  These  temples  were  not 
only  places  of  worship,  but  were  fre- 
quented by  great  numbers  of  sick  peo- 
ple, so  that  they  were  really  hospitals 
or  sanitariums.    Per.  Ill,  2,  111. 

Dr.  Caius  is  called  ^sculapius  in  jest. 
Wiv.  II,  3,  29. 

i4Bsop.  The  author  of  the  fables  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  a  hunchback.  3HVI. 
V,  5,  25. 

afeard.    Afraid.    Wiv.  Ill,  4,  28. 

affects,  n.   Inclinations ;  desires.    LLL. 

I,  1,  152 ;  0th.  I,  3,  264. 

affect,  vb.  1.  To  be  in  love  with.     Gent. 

III,  1,  82 ;  Wiv.  II,  1,  115 ;  Kins.  II,  4. 

2.  To  like.    Troil.  IV,  5,  178  ;  0th.  Ill, 
3,  229. 

3.  To  aim  at.     2HVI.  IV,  7,  104 ;  Tit. 

II,  1, 105. 

affectioned.  Full  of  affectation.    Tw.  II, 

3,  162. 
affections.  Things  desired  or  liked.    Cor. 

I,  1,  181 ;  Kins.  I,  3. 
affeered.  Confirmed  ;  sanctioned.    Mcb. 

IV,  3,  34.     "It  is  a  law  term,  applied 


AFF 


88 


AIE 


to  the  fixing  of  a  fine  in  cases  where  it 
is  not  fixed  by  statute.  "—i?oi/e. 

affiance.  Confidence.  HV.  II,  2,  127; 
Cym.  I,  6,  163. 

affined.  Bound  by  a  tie.  0th.  I,  1,  39. 

affray.  To  frighten.    Rom.  Ill,  5,  33. 

affront,  n.  Gave  the  ajfronf=  presented 
the  face  or  front ;  encountered.  Cym. 
V,  3,  87. 

affront,  vb.  To  face  ;  to  encounter.  Wint. 
V,  1,  75 ;  Troil.  Ill,  2,  174  ;  Hml.  Ill, 
1,31. 

affy.  1.  To  confide  in  ;  Tit.  I,  1,  47. 
2.  To  betroth.    Shr.  IV,  4,  49. 

afront.  In  front.  IHIV.  II,  4,  222. 

after.    At  the  rate  of.    Meas.  II,  1,  253. 

against.  Opposite.  Caes.  I,  3,  20. 

Agamemnon,  dr.p.  The  leader  of  the 
Greeks  before  Troy.    Troil. 

Agamemnon  was  the  son  of  Pleis- 
thenes  and  grandson  of  Atreus,  King 
of  Mycenae,  in  whose  house  Agamem- 
non and  his  brother  Menelaus  were  ed- 
ucated after  the  death  of  their  father  ; 
but  being  driven  from  home  they  wan- 
dered to  Sparta,  where  Agamemnon 
married  Clytemnestra,  by  whom,  with 
other  children,  he  had  a  daughter,  the 
famous  Iphigenia.  When  the  wife  of 
Menelaus  was  carried  off  by  Paris,  the 
brothei-s  appealed  to  all  the  Greek 
chiefs  for  aid  against  Troy.  Agamem- 
non was  chosen  chief  of  the  expedition, 
and  furnished  one  hundred  ships,  be- 
sides sixty  that  he  lent  to  the  Arcadi- 
ans. After  the  fall  of  Troy,  he  received 
Cassandra,  the  daughter  of  Priam,  as 
his  prize,  and  after  various  disasters 
reached  Argolis,  in  the  dominion  of 
JEgisthus,  who  had  seduced  Clytemnes- 
tra during  the  absence  of  her  husband, 
^gisthus  invited  Agamemnon  and  his 
companions  to  a  feast,  and  during  the 
progress  of  the  repast,  treacherously 
murdered  his  guests.  Clytemnestra  on 
the  same  occasion  murdered  Cassandra, 
her  motive  being  partly  jealousy  and 
partly  her  adulterous  life  with  JEgis- 
thus. 

JEschylus  makes  Clytemnestra  alone 
murder  Agamenmon.    She  threw  a  net 


over  him  while  he  was  in  the  bath,  and 

slew  him  with  three  strokes. 
agate.    A  stone  which  consists  of  quartz 

or  flint ;  little  figures  were  often  cut  in 

it  and  the  stone  was  then  set  in  a  ring. 

Hence  in  Sh.  it  is  the  symbol  of  small- 

ness.    Ado.  Ill,  1,  65 ;  2HIV.  I,  2,  19 ; 

Rom.  I,  4,  55. 
agazed.  Looking  in  amazement.     IHVI. 

1,  1,  126. 

age,  golden.  The  ancients  believed  that 
there  were  four  ages  :— 1,  the  golden ; 

2,  the  silver;  3,  the  brazen;  4,  the  iron. 
The  golden  age  was  during  the  reign  of 
Saturn,  when  the  earth  brought  forth 
fruits  and  grain  without  the  labor  of 
man,  and  war,  robbery  and  crime  were 
unknown.  The  silver  age  began  after 
Jupiter  had  supplanted  his  father.  In 
the  brazen  age,  men  began  to  rob  and 
make  war.  The  iron  age  is  that  in 
which  we  now  live.     Tp.  II,  1,  168. 

Agenor.  The  father  of  Europa.  See  ^it- 
ropa. 

aglet.  The  tag  at  end  of  a  point  or  lace ; 
they  were  frequently  cut  or  moulded 
into  the  form  of  grotesque  images ; 
hence  aglet-baby  =an  aglet  in  the  form 
of  a  small  human  image.    Shr.  I,  2,  79. 

agnize.  To  acknowledge ;  to  confess. 
0th.  I,  3,  232. 

agood.  Heartily  ;  freely ;  plentifully. 
Gent.  IV,  4,  170. 

Aguecheek,  Sir  Andrew,  dr.p.    Tw. 

a-hold.  A  sea-term,  meamng:  Lay  the 
ship  as  near  to  the  wind  as  possible,  in 
order  to  keep  clear  of  the  land  and  get 
her  out  to  sea.    Tp.  I,  1,  52. 

aidance.  Assistance.  Ven.  330 ;  2HVI. 
Ill,  2,  165. 

aidant.    Helpful.    Lr.  IV,  4,  17. 

aiery.  The  brood  of  a  bird  of  prey.  RIH. 
I,  3,  264  ;  Hml.  II,  2,  S64. 

Moberly  explains  the  latter  thus: 
"What  brings  down  the  professional 
actors  is  the  competition  of  a  nest  of 
young  hawks  (the  boys  of  the  Chapel 
Royal,  etc.)  who  carry  on  the  whole 
dialogue  without  modulation  at  the  top 
of  their  voices,  get  absurdly  applauded 
for  it,  and  make  such  a  noise  on  the 


AIO 


39 


ALL 


common  stage,  that  the  true  dramat- 
ists, whose  wit  is  as  strong  and  keen 
as  a  rapier,  are  afraid  to  encounter 
these  chits,  who  fight,  as  it  were,  with  a 
goose-quill! " 

The  word  also  signifies  the  nest,  but 
does  not  seem  to  be  so  used  by  Sh. 

aigre.  Sour.  Hml.  I,  5,  69,  Found  at 
present  in  the  compound  vinegar  (vhi 
aigre    sour  wine).     See  eager. 

aim.  1.  To  guess.  2HVI.  II,  4,  58  ;  Rom. 
I,  1,  211. 

2.  To  cry  aim=to  applaud ;  to  encour- 
age. A  cry  or  shout  originally  used  in 
archery  to  encourage  the  archer.  It 
afterwards  became  of  general  applica- 
tion.    John,  II,  1,  196. 

aio  te.     See  oracle. 

Ajax,  dr. p.  A  Greek  hero  who  acted  a 
prominent  part  in  the  siege  of  Troy. 
Troil. 

Ajax  was  the  son  of  Telamon,  and 
grandson  of  ^acus,  and  famed  for  his 
great  strength  and  physical  beauty. 
His  shield  was  made  of  seven  folds  of 
bull's  hide.  Infuriated  at  the  decision 
which  awarded  the  arms  of  the  dead 
Achilles  to  Ulysses,  he  became  mad  and 
attacked  the  sheep  of  the  Greeks,  think- 
ing that  they  were  his  enemies.  When 
he  regained  his  senses  he  was  so  much 
ashamed  of  himself  that  he  committed 
suicide.  These  points  in  his  history  are 
referred  to  many  times  in  Sh.  LLL.  IV. 
3,  7 ;  2HVI.  V,  1,  26 ;  Tit.  I,  1,  379. 
Two  rather  coarse  puns  on  his  name 
will  be  found  in  LLL.  V,  2,  581,  and 
Troil.  II,  1,  70. 

Alarbus,  dr.p.  The  eldest  son  of  Tam- 
ora.     Tit. 

Albany,  Duke  of,  dr.p.     Lr, 

The  name  "Albania"  was  given  to 
all  the  territory  north  of  the  Humber. 
HoUingshed  tells  us  it  was  named  after 
Albanacte,  youngest  son  of  Bronte. 

Alcibiades,  dr.p.  Tim. 

Alcibiades  was  the  son  of  Clinias  and 
Dinomache,  born  B.C.  450.  He  was 
noted  for  the  beauty  of  his  person, 
great  abilities  and  large  wealth.  He 
was  the  pupil  and  friend  of  Socrates. 


Being  accused  of  profanation  in  Athens, 
he  fled  to  Sparta  and  became  the  open 
enemy  of  his  country.  He  was  recalled, 
however,  and  commanded  the  Athen- 
ians in  the  victory  over  the  Pelopone- 
sians  and  Persians.  But  the  defeat  at 
Notium  led  to  his  deposition,  and  after 
the  fall  of  Athens  he  went  into  volun- 
tary exile.  He  was  treacherously  mur- 
dered by  assassins,  hired  either  by  the 
Spartans  or  by  the  brothers  of  a  lady 
whom  he  had  seduced. 

Alcides.  The  original  name  of  Hercules, 
the  change  being  made  by  the  Delphic 
Oracle.  "Alcides"  is  a  patronymic 
formed  from  Alcaeus,  the  father  of  Am- 
phytro,  the  reputed  father  of  Hercules. 
Shr.  I,  2,  260.  The  "twelve "  there  al- 
luded to,  are  the  twelve  labours  of  Her- 
cules.    See  Hercules. 

alder-liefest.  Dearest  of  all.  2HVI.  I, 
1,28. 

ale.  Sometimes  used  for  ale-house,  as  in 
Gent.  II,  5,  61.  Minor  church  festivals 
were  sometimes  called  "ales." 

Alecto.  One  of  the  three  Furies.  2HIV. 
V,  5,  39.     See  Furies. 

Alexander,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Cressida. 
Troil. 

Alexander  the  Great.  According  to  Plut- 
arch the  head  of  Alexander  had  a  twist 
towards  the  left,  and  his  skin  had  "a 
marvellous  good  savour."  This  ex- 
plains the  jokes  in  LLL.  V,  2,  565-68. 

Alexas,  dr.p.  Attendant  on  Cleopatra. 
Ant. 

Aliena.  The  name  assumed  by  Celia  when 
she  left  home.     As, 

allay,  n.  That  which  abates  or  lessens. 
Wint,  IV,  2,  9, 

allayment.  1.  Abatement.    Troil.  IV,  4, 
8. 
2.  Antidote  ;  modifier.     Cjon.  I,  5  22. 

Alice,  dr.p.  Attendant  on  Princess  Kath- 
arine.    HV. 

all-hallond  eve.  The  eve  of  All  Saints' 
day,    Meas,  II,  1,  130, 

all-hallowmas.  November  1st.  Wiv.  I, 
1,  211. 

all-hallown.  All-hallown  summer  =  a 
summer  which  lasts  late  into  the  fall. 


ALL 


40 


AXA 


Falstaff  was  getting  old  in  years,  but  his 
niirth  and  geniality  were  still  those  of 
the  summer  of  life.  Steevens,  on  the 
other- hand,  says  "Sh.'s  allusion  is  de- 
signed to  ridicule  an  old  man  with 
youthful  passions."    IHIV.  I,  2,  178. 

all  hid.  The  game  of  hide-and-seek.  LLL. 
IV,  3,  78. 

all  loves.    See  loves. 

alligant.  A  bluitder  of  Mrs.  Quickly  or 
the  printer.  Wiv.  II,  2,  69.  Dyce  says 
the  correct  word  is  "elegant ;"  Schmidt 
says  that  "elegant"  is  not  a  Shakes- 
pearean word,  and  that  probably  the 
correct  word  is  ' '  eloquent. ' '  The  word 
elegant  is  found  in  Cotgrave,  so  that  it 
was  in  use  in  Sh.'s  time,  and  Sh.  uses 
the  word  elegancy.     LLL.  IV,  2,  126. 

allic  holly.  Said  to  be  a  blunder  of  Mrs. 
Quickly 's  (Wiv.  I,  3, 162),  but  found  also 
in  Gent.  IV,  2,  27,  where,  in  the  Fl  it  is 
spelled  allycholly.  Probably  a  corrup- 
tion of  melancholy.  In  the  Fl  the  word 
melancholy  of  the  modern  text  is  spelled 
mallicholie. 

allow.  1.  Approve  or  praise.  2HIV.  IV, 
2,  54. 

2.  To  license ;  to  be  privileged.  Tw.  I, 
5,  101  ;  LLL.  V,  2,  478. 

3.  To  appoint.     LLL.  I,  2,  136. 

4.  Allow  the  wind= do  not  stand  between 
me  and  the  wind  if  your  odour  is  so 
strong.     All's.  V,  2,  10. 

allowance.  1.  Approbation;  authoriza- 
tion. HVIII.  Ill,  2,  322 ;  Lr.  I,  4,  228 ; 
Oth.  I,  1,  128. 

2.  Confirmation.     Kins.  V,  4. 

3.  Idiomatic : — of  very  expert  and  ap- 
proved allowance=aX\owed  to  be  expert 
and  approved  (tested).     Oth.  II,  1,  49. 

4.  Regards  of  safety  and  allowance- 
terms  securing  the  safety  of  the  country 
and  regulating  the  passage  of  the  troops 
through  it  (Clarendon).     Hml.  II,  2,  79. 

allowing.    Conniving.     Wint.  1, 2,  185. 

allusion.  Of  this  word  Schmidt  says  : 
"  Perhaps  used  by  Holof  ernes  in  its  old 
Latin  meaning  of  jesting  [playing],  but 
it  may  have  the  modem  sense  of  refer- 
ence.'' LLL.  IV,  2,  42.  Either  defini- 
tion makes  good  sense  in  this  passage. 


Almain.  A  German.     Oth.  II,  3,  86. 

alms-drink.  Warburton  defined  this  as 
"a  phrase  amongst  good  fellows  to  sig- 
nify that  liquor  of  another's  share  which 
his  companion  drinks  to  ease  him." 
Others  say  that  it  means  the  leavings 
of  drink,  or  such  as  might  be  given 
away  in  alms — in  other  words  "  heel- 
taps."   Ant.  II,  7,5. 

aloes.  A  very  bitter  drug ;  hence  the  sym- 
bol of  bitterness.     Compl.  273. 

Alonso,  dr. p.  King  of  Naples.     Tp. 

Althaea.  The  wife  of  CEneus,  King  of 
Calydon,  by  whom  she  had  a  son,  Me- 
leager.  At  the  birth  of  Meleager  the 
three  Fates  visited  the  house  and  threw 
a  brand  into  the  fire,  declaring  that  the 
child's  life  should  last  as  long  as  the 
piece  of  wood.  Althaea  snatched  the 
brand  from  the  fire,  and  kept  it  care- 
fully until  Meleager  slew  her  two  broth- 
ers, when  she  burned  the  brand  and  her 
son  died.  2HVL  I,  1,  234.  In  a  note  on 
2HIV.  II,  2,  92  Johnson  says  :  "Shakes- 
peare has  confounded  Althaea's  fire- 
brand with  Hecuba's.  The  firebrand  of 
Althaea  was  real,  but  Hecuba,  when  she 
was  big  with  Paris,  dreamed  that  she 
was  delivered  of  a  firebrand  that  con- 
sumed the  kingdom."  See  Meleager, 
Paris  and  firebrand. 

Alton.  Lord  Verdun  of  Alton,  one  of  Tal- 
bot's titles.     IHVI.  IV,  7,  65. 

Amaimon  )      The  name  of  a  devil  whom 

Amamon  )  Handle  Holme,  in  his  "Ac- 
ademie  of  Armourie,"  calls  "the  chief 
whose  dominion  is  on  the  north  part  of 
the  infernal  gulph."  Wiv.  II,  2,  311 ; 
IHIV.  II,  4,  370. 

Amazonian.    1.    Like  an  Amazon  or  fe- 
male warrior.     3HVI.  I,  4.  114. 
2.  Beardless.     Cor.  II,  2,  95. 

Amazons.  A  race  of  female  warriors  said 
to  have  come  from  the  Caucasus,  and  to 
have  settled  in  the  country  about  the 
river  Thermodon,  where  they  founded 
the  city  Themiscyra,  west  of  the  modern 
Trebizond.  They  allowed  no  men  in 
their  country.  They  are  said  to  have 
founded  the  cities  of  Ephesus,  Smyrna, 
Cyme,  Myrina  and  Paphos.    Amongst 


AMB 


41 


ANG 


the  adventures  credited  to  them  is  the 
invasion  of  Lycia  and  Phrygia.  One 
of  the  labors  imposed  on  Hercules  was 
to  take  from  Hippolyte,  the  Amazonian 
queen,  the  girdle  which  was  the  sign  of 
her  queenly  power.  During  the  Trojan 
war  they  went  to  the  assistance  of  Pri- 
am, but  their  queen,  Penthesilea,  was 
slain  by  Achilles.  An  attempt  has  been 
made  in  recent  years  to  identify  the 
Amazons  with  the  Hittites,  whose  god- 
dess was  served  by  an  immense  army  of 
priestesses.  Mids.  II,  1,  70;  John,  V, 
3,  155. 

amble.  1.  To  move  easily  and  gently  with- 
out bumping.     Ado.  V^  1, 159. 
2.  To  move  affectedly.    Hml.  Ill,  1, 151. 

ames^ace.  Now  generally  spelled  ambes- 
ace,  literally  both  aces  (ambo  and  as). 
The  lowest  throw  at  dice.  All's.  II,  3, 
85. 

Amiens,  dr.p.  A  lord,  attendant  on  the 
exiled  duke.     As. 

amiss.  1.  Misfortune ;  disaster.  Hml.  IV, 
5,  18. 
2.  Offence.     Sonn.  XXXV,  7. 

amort.  Dispirited.  All  amort  =  quite 
dejected.  From  the  French  a  la  mort. 
Shr.  IV,  3,  36. 

an.  1.  The  indefinite  article.  Anglo-Sax- 
on one. 

2.  If.  An  I  may  hide  my  face.  Mids. 
I,  2,  53.  Also  with  the  sense  of  though. 
An  thou  wert  a  lion.    LLL.  V,  2,  627. 

"The  Icelandic  use  of  en  da  in  the 
sense,  not  only  of  'moreover'  but  of 
'  if , '  is  the  obvious  origin  of  the  use  of 
the  Middle  English  and  in  the  sense  of 
if.  In  order  to  differentiate  the  senses, 
i.e.,  to  mark  off  the  two  meanings  of 
and  more  readily,  it  became  at  last 
usual  to  drop  the  final  d  when  the  word 
was  used  in  the  sense  of  'if,'  a  use  very 
common  in  Sh.  Thus  Sh.  's  an  is  nothing 
but  a  Scandinavian  use  of  the  common 
word  and.''^—Skeat. 

anatomy.  A  skeleton  ;  generally  used  in 
contempt.     Err.  V,  1,  238 ;  Kins.  V,  1. 

Anchises.  The  father  of  ^neas.  On  the 
taking  of  Troy  he  was  carried  out  of 
the  burning  city  on  his  son's  shoulders. 


and  lived  through  a  good  part  of  the 
wanderings  of  the  Trojans,  but  died  in 
Sicily  before  reaching  Latium.  Troil, 
IV,  1,  21 ;  Caes.  I,  2,  114. 

anchor.  An  anchorite ;  a  hermit.  Hml. 
Ill,  2,  229. 

ancient.   1.    A  banner  or  standard.    An 
old  faced  ancient  =  an  old  patched  ban- 
ner.    IHIV.  IV,  2,  34. 
2.  An  ensign;  a  standard  bearer.     Oth. 
1, 1,  33. 

ancientry.  1.  Old  people.  Wint.  Ill,  3, 
63. 

2.  The  manners  of  old  age.  Ado.  II,  1, 
80. 

Andrew.  Evidently  a  ship,  but  why  called 
"  Andrew  "  has  never  been  properly  ex- 
plained. The  suggestion  that  it  was 
after  the  famous  Genoese  admiral,  An- 
drea Doria,  who  died  in  1560,  is  not  gen- 
erally accepted.    Merch.  I,  1,  27. 

Andromache,  dr.p.  Wife  of  Hector. 
Troil. 

Andromache  was  a  daughter  of 
Eetion,  King  of  the  Cilician  Thebae,  and 
one  of  the  noblest  and  most  amiable  of 
the  female  characters  in  the  Iliad.  Her 
father  and  seven  brothers  were  slain  by 
Achilles  at  the  taking  of  Thebae.  She 
was  married  to  Hector,  by  whom  she 
had  a  son,  Scamandris.  On  the  taking 
of  Troy,  her  son  was  hurled  from  the 
wall  of  the  city,  and  she  herself  fell  to 
the  share  of  the  son  of  Achilles,  to  whom 
she  bore  three  sons.  She  afterwards 
became  the  wife  of  Helenus,  brother  of 
Hector,  her  first  husband.  After  his  , 
death  she  followed  one  of  her  sons  to 
Pergamus,  where  she  died,  and  where  a 
shrine  was  erected  in  her  honor. 

Andronicus,  Marcus,  dr.p.  A  tribune; 
brother  of  Titus.    Tit. 

Andronicus,  Titus,  dr.p.  A  noble  Ro- 
man, general  against  the  Goths.    Tit. 

Angel.  1.  A  messenger  of  God;  a  good 
spirit.    HV.  I,  2,  8;  Hml.  V,  1,  265. 

2.  A  demon;  evil  genius.   Mcb.  V,  8,  14. 

3.  Applied  by  the  Greeks  to  birds  of  au- 
gury, and  hence  used  by  the  old  writers 
to  signify  a  bird. 

In  Massinger's  "  Virgin  Martyr  "  the 


ANG 


42 


AHT 


Roman  eagle  is  spoken  of  as  the  Roman 
Angel.  Angel  implies  a  bird  of  good 
omen,  to  the  exclusion  of  such  ill- 
omened  birds  as  the  crow,  the  cuckoo 
and  the  rsiveu.—Skeat.  Kins.  I,  1. 
Song. 

4.  Ancient  angel=^'^  An  old  Angell,  and 
by  metaphor  a  fellow  of  the  old,  sound, 
honest,  and  worthie,  stamp."  Cot- 
grave's  "Dictionary"  (1611),  s.  v.  An- 
gelot.  Also  s.  v.  escaille:  "An  old  An- 
gell and  (metaphorically)  one  that  hath 
in  him  more  stuff  and  worth,  than  form 
or  fashion."    Shr.  IV,  2,  61. 

5.  Darling;  special  friend  (Craik).  Caes. 
Ill,  2,  185. 

6.  A  gold  coin  worth  about  ten  shillings 
or  $2. 50.  Hence  the  puns  between  coins 
and  good  spirits,  both  being  called  an- 
gels. 2HIV.  I,  2,  187.  The  coin  was  so 
called  because  it  had  on  one  side  a  fig- 
ure of  the  archangel  Michael,  trampling 
on  the  dragon  (Satan  or  Lucifer),  and 
on  the  other  a  cross  surmounting  the 
escutcheon  of  England. 

Angelica,  dr.p.  Christian  name  of  Lady 
Capulet.     Rom.  IV,  4,  5. 

Angelo,  dr.p.  Name  of  the  goldsmith  in 
Err.    Also  of  the  deputy  in  Meas. 

Angus,  dr.p.  A  Scottish  nobleman.  Mcb, 

An-heires.  A  word  found  in  Wiv.  II,  1, 
228.  It  is  evidently  nonsense.  Theo- 
bald suggested  Mynheers;  others  give 
on  here;  on  hearts;  on  heroes,  and 
hear  us.  Hearts  is  used  in  a  similar 
connection  in  Wiv.  Ill,  2,  85. 

a-night.    By  night.    As.  II,  4,  48. 

Anna.  Daughter  of  Belus  and  sister  of 
Dido,  whose  confidante  she  was,  both 
with  regard  to  the  love  of  the  latter  for 
^neas,  and  her  despair  when  he  an- 
nounced his  intention  of  leaving  Carth- 
age. After  the  death  of  Dido  she  fled 
to  Italy,  where  she  was  kindly  received 
by  ^neas,  but  excited  the  jealousy  of 
his  wife,  Lavinia.  Being  warned  in  a 
dream  by  Dido,  she  drowned  herself. 
Shr.  1, 1,  159. 

Anne,  Lady,  dr.p.  Daughter  of  the  Earl 
of  Warwick,  and  widow  of  Edward, 
Prince  of  Wales.     RIII. 


Anne  BuUen,  dr.p.  Afterwards  queen, 
HVIIL 

annexion.    Addition.    Lov.  Compl.  208. 

annexment.  Appendage.  Hml.  Ill,  3, 21. 

annothanize.  One  of  Armado's  high- 
flown  words  manufactured  for  the  oc- 
casion. Probably  to  annotate ;  the  late 
folios  have  anatomize.  It  evidently 
means  to  explain  the  sentence  by  an- 
alysing it.    LLL.  IV,  1,  69. 

anon.    1:    Immediately.    Wiv.  IV,  2,  41. 

2.  Again;  then.    LLL.  IV,  2,  6. 

3.  Answer  to  a  call ;  equivalent  to  the 
modern  "coming."    IHIV.  II,  1,  5. 

answer.  1.  Retaliation ;  retribution. 
Cym.  V,  3,  79. 

2.  Atonement ;  punishment.  Tim.  V, 
4,  63 ;  Cym.  IV,  4,  13. 

3.  In  fencing  it  is  the  coming  in  or 
striking  in  return  after  having  parried 
or  received  a  hit.  Schm.  Tw.  Ill,  4, 
305 ;  Hml.  V,  2,  280. 

answerable.  Corresponding.  0th.  1, 3, 
351. 

Antenor,  dr.p.  A  Trojan  commander. 
Troil. 

Antenor  was  the  son  of  ^syetes  and 
Cleomestra.  According  to  Homer,  he 
was  one  of  the  wisest  among  the  elders 
at  Troy.  He  received  Menelaus  and 
Ulysses  into  his  house  when  they  came 
to  Troy  as  ambassadors,  and  advised 
his  fellow-citizens  to  restore  Helen  to 
Menelaus.  He  is  represented  as  a  traitor 
to  his  country,  and  when  sent  to  Aga- 
memnon, just  before  the  taking  of  Troy, 
to  negotiate  peace,  he  concerted  a  plan 
of  delivering  the  city,  and  even  the  pal- 
ladium, into  the  hands  of  the  Greeks, 
who  spared  him  after  the  capture  of 
the  city.  Of  his  subsequent  history 
various  accounts  are  given. 

anthropophagi.  Cannibals ;  man-eaters. 
Oth.  I,  3, 144. 

anthropophaginian.  Literally,  a  canni- 
bal ;  but  in  the  mouth  of  the  Host,  a 
meaningless  term,  used  because  it  has  a 
pompous  sound.    Wiv.  IV,  5,  10. 

antic,  n.  1.  Odd  and  fantastic  shapes 
and  appearances.  Lucr.  459  ;  LLL.  V, 
1,  119. 


ANT 


^3 


APP 


2.  The  fool  in  the  old  plays.     Shr.  Ind, 
I,  101 ;  RII.  Ill,  2,  162 ;  Troil.  V,  3,  86. 

3.  An  antique  dance ;  a  quaint  dance. 
Skeat,  Kins.  IV,  1. 

This  word  is  spelled  antique^  antick 
and  antic  indifferently  ;  but  in  Sh.  the 
accent  is  always  on  the  first  syllable, 
whatever  may  be  the  meaning. 

antic,  vh.  To  make  grotesque ;  to  turn 
into  a  fool.     Ant.  II,  7,  132. 

antic,  adj.  1.  Odd ;  fantastic  ;  grotesque. 

Rom.  I,  5,  58 ;  do.  II,  4,  29 ;  Hml.  I,  V, 

1  ?2 ;  Mcb.  IV,  1,  130. 

2.    Ancient ;    belonging   to    old   times. 

Sonn.  59,  7  ;  As.  II,  3,  57 ;  Hml.  V,  2, 57. 

Antigonus,  dr. p.   A  Sicilian  lord.  Wint. 

Antiochus,  dr. p.    King  of  Antioch.  Per. 

Antiochus,  dr.p.  Daughter  of  Antio- 
chus.    Per. 

Antipholus  of  Epliesus,    )  dr.p,    Twin 

Antipliolus  of  Syracuse,  [brothers, 
sons  of  ^geon,  but  unknown  to  each 
other.     Err. 

Antonio,  dr. p.  The  father  of  Proteus. 
Gent. 

Antonio,  dr.p. 

Antonio,    dr.p 
Milan.    Tp. 

Antonio,  dr.p.  Brother  of  Leonato.  Ado. 

Antonio,  dr.p.  The  Merchant  of  Venice. 
Merch. 

Antony,  Marc,  dr.p.  The  Roman  Tri- 
umvir.   Ant. 

antre.    A  cavern.    0th.  I,  3,  140. 

ape.  To  lead  apes  in  hell  was  said  to  be 
the  punishment  of  old  maids.  Ado.  II, 
1,  43  ;  Shr.  II,  1,  34.     See  barefoot. 

"  Unpeg  the  basket  on  the  house's  top, 
Let  the  birds  fly  and,  like  the  famous  ape, 
To  try  conclusions  in  the  basket  creep, 
And  break  your  own  neck  down." 

Hml.  Ill,  4,  194. 

No  one  has  yet  found  the  fable  to 
which  this  passage  evidently  refers,  and 
hence  a  full  explanation  is  wanting. 
Sir  John  Suckling,  in  one  of  his  let- 
ters, may  possibly  allude  to  the  same 
story.  "It  is  the  story  of  the  jack- 
anapes and  the  partridges  ;  thou  star- 
est  after  a  beauty  till  it  be  lost  to  thee, 


A  sea-captain.     Tw. 
The  usurping  Duke   of 


and  then  let'st  out  another,  and  starest 
after  that  till  it  is  gone  too. " — Warner. 
But  this  only  half  the  story. 
Apemantus,  dr.p.  A  churlish  philoso- 
pher. Tim. 
Apollo.  Apollo  was  the  god  of  the  sun, 
of  prophecy  and  the  fine  arts.  One  of 
the  great  Olympian  gods,  the  son  of 
Jupiter  and  Latona.  He  had  a  famous 
oracle  at  Delphos  in  Phocis,  which  was 
consulted  by  the  ancients  in  all  emer- 
gencies. (See  Wint.  III.  2.)  The  am- 
biguous character  of  the  answers  kept 
the  oracle  from  becoming  discredited, 
since  it  was  always  possible,  after  the 
event,  to  interpret  the  oracle  in  such  a 
way  as  to  make  it  seem  to  have  fore- 
told what  had  actually  taken  place. 

apothecary,  an,  dr.p.    Rom. 

apparent.  Heir-apparent.  Wint.  I,  2, 
177 ;  3HVI.  II,  2,  64. 

appeach.  To  impeach;  to  inform  against. 
RII.  V,  2,  79;  Alls.  I,  3,  197. 

appeal,  n.  Accusation.    Meas.  V,  1,  303. 

appeal,  vh.    To  accuse.  RII.  I,  1,  9. 

appeared.  Made  apparent.  The  mean- 
ing obviously  is  that  the  identity  of  Ni- 
canor  is  made  apparent  by  his  speech. 
Cor.  IV,  3,  9.  Instead  of  appeared  the 
Globe  Ed.  has  approved.  The  Fl  has 
appeared^  which  is  decidedly  more 
Shakespearean. 

apperil.    Peril ;  risk.    Tim.  1,  2,  32. 

appertainment.  That  which  appertains, 
as  dignity,  attributes,  prerogatives. 
Troil.  II,  3,  87. 

apple- John.  A  kind  of  apple  that  keeps 
long,  but  becomes  shriveled  and  wrink- 
led. Said  to  keep  for  two  years.  The 
variety  is  supposed  to  be  lost.  IHIV, 
III,  3,  5. 

appointment.  Preparation;  equipment. 
Meas.  Ill,  1,  60. 

apprehension.  Keenness  of  wit.  Ado. 
Ill,  4,  68. 

apprehensive.  Quick  to  understand. 
Caes.  Ill,  1,  67. 

apricock.    Apricot.    Mids.  Ill,  1,  173. 

approbation.    Probation.    Meas.  I,  2, 183. 

approof.    1.   Approval.    Meas.  II,  4,  174. 
2.    Proof;  test.     Of  very  valiant  ap- 


AFP 


44 


ABI 


proo/=  proved  or  tested  valor.    All's. 
II,  5,  3. 

approve.    1.    To  prove.    RII.  I,  3, 112. 
2.    To  justify.    Lr.  II,  4,  186. 

apron-man.  A  mechanic.  One  who 
wears  an  apron  as  the  badge  of  his 
trade.    (See  Cses.  I,  1,  7.)    Cor.  IV,  6, 87. 

apt.    Natural;  probable.    0th.  II,  1,  296. 

Aquilon.  The  north  wind.   Troil.  IV,  .5, 9. 

Arabian  bird.  The  phoenix.  Ant.  Ill,  2, 
13 ;  Cym.  I,  6, 17.    See  phoenix. 

Aracline.  A  Lydian  maiden,  daughter 
of  Idmon,  who  was  a  famous  dyer. 
She  was  a  skilful  weaver,  and  so  proud 
of  her  talent  that  she  ventured  to  chal- 
lenge Minerva  (Athena)  to  compete 
with  her.  Arachne  produced  a  piece  of 
cloth  in  which  the  amours  of  the  gods 
were  pictured,  and  as  Minerva  could 
find  no  fault  with  it,  she  tore  the  work 
to  pieces,  and  Arachne  hung  herself. 
The  goddess  loosened  the  rope  and  saved 
her  life,  but  the  rope  was  changed  into 
a  cobweb  and  Arachne  herself  into  a 
spider,  the  animal  most  odious  to  Mi- 
nerva. Arachne'' s  broken  woof^  a 
spider's  web.    Troil.  IV,  2,  152. 

The  name  is  sometimes  speUed  Ari- 
achne. 

arch.  Foremost;  of  the  highest  rank. 
Strangely  enough,  Schmidt  defines  arch 
as  "wicked."  It  has  no  reference  to 
goodness  or  badness ;  there  are  arch- 
angels as  well  as  arch-demons,  and 
many  archbishops  are  undoubtedly 
good  men. 

Arclibishop  of  Canterbury,  Cranmer 
dr.p.     HVIII. 

Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Cardinal 
Bourchier,  dr.p.    RIII. 

Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Chickeley, 
dr.p.     HV. 

Archbishop  of  York,  Scroop,  dr.p. 
IHIV ;  2HIV. 

Archbishop  of  York,  Thomas  Rotheram, 
dr.p.    RIII. 

Archdulce  of  Austria,  dr.p.    John. 

Archibald,  Earl  of  Douglas,  dr.p.  IHIV  ; 
2HIV. 

Archidamus,  dr.p.  A  Bohemian  lord. 
Wint. 


Arcite,  dr.p.  Nephew  to  Creon,  King 
of  Thebes.    Kins. 

Arden.  The  forest  in  which  the  scene  of 
As.  is  laid.  The  location  of  Arden  has 
been  the  subject  of  much  discussion, 
but  apparently  without  reaching  any 
very  satisfactory  conclusion,  probably 
for  the  reason  that  Sh.  's  forest  is  purely 
ideal  and  had  no  "local  habitation." 
The  forest  of  Ardennes,  in  French 
Flanders,  has  been  very  generally  ac- 
cepted as  the  forest  that  is  meant ;  but 
more  recently  the  forest  of  Arden,  in 
Warwickshire,  seems  to  be  recognized 
as  that  which  furnished  Sh.  with  most 
of  his  imagery.  For  a  thorough  pre- 
sentation of  the  subject  see  "  The  Vari- 
orum Shakespeare,"  by  Dr.  Furness, 
Vol.  VIII. 

argal.  The  clown's  corruption  of  the 
Latin  ergfo=therefore.    Hml.  V,  1,  13. 

argentine.    Silvery.    Per.  V,  1,  251. 

Argier.    Algiers.    Tp.  I,  2,  261. 

argo.  A  corruption  of  ergo.  See  argal. 
2HIV.  IV,  2,  31. 

argosy.  Originally  a  vessel  of  Ragusa, 
or  Ragosa;  a  Ragosine.  Hence,  any 
large  merchantman.    Merch.  I,  1,  9. 

Some  derive  the  word  from  Argo^ 
the  name  of  the  ship  in  which  Jason 
and  his  comrades  sailed  in  search  of  the 
golden  fleece. 

argument.  Subject ;  contents.  IHIV. 
11,4,310;  Tim.  II,  2,  187. 

Argus,  surnamed  Panoptes,  "the  all-see- 
ing," because  he  had  a  hundred  eyes. 
He  was  of  superhuman  strength,  and 
slew  a  fierce  bull  which  ravaged  Arca- 
dia ;  a  satyr  who  robbed  and  mur- 
dered; a  serpent  which  rendered  the 
roads  unsafe,  and  the  murderers  of 
Apis.  Hera  then  appointed  him  to 
guard  the  cow  into  which  lo  had  been 
changed;  but  Hermes  carried  off  the 
cow,  having  first  slain  Argus.  Hera 
(Juno)  transplanted  his  eyes  to  the  tail  of 
her  favorite  bird,  the  peacock.  LLL. 
Ill,  1,  201 ;  Merch.  V,  1,  230.    See  lo, 

Ariachne.    See  Arachne. 

Ariel,  dr.p.  An  airy  spirit  under  Pros- 
pero's  command.    Tp. 


AKI 


ASC 


Arion.  The  allusion  to  "Arion  on  the 
dolphin's  back "  refers  to  the  well- 
known  adventure  of  Arion  as  related 
by  Herodotus.  Arion  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  at  the  court  of  Perian- 
der,  at  Corinth,  but  on  one  occasion  he 
went  to  Sicily,  to  take  part  in  a  musical 
contest.  He  won  the  prize,  and,  laden 
with  presents,  he  embarked  for  Corinth 
in  a  Corinthian  ship.  The  sailors,  cov- 
eting his  wealth,  determined  to  murder 
him,  and  the  only  favor  they  would 
grant  him  was  that  he  might  once  more 
sing  and  play  on  his  cithara.  Arrayed 
in  festal  attire,  he  sat  on  the  prow  of 
the  ship  and  sang  and  played.  Many 
dolphins  gathered  around,  and  one  of 
them,  enchanted  by  the  music,  took 
him  on  its  back  and  carried  him  to 
Taenarus,  whence  he  made  his  way  to 
Corinth.  Periander  refused  to  believe 
his  story ;  but  when  the  vessel  arrived 
he  questioned  the  sailors,  and  they  said 
they  had  left  him  happy  and  prosper- 
ous at  Tarentum.  Then  Arion,  at  the 
bidding  of  Periander,  came  forward. 
The  sailors  owned  their  guilt  and  were 
punished.     Tw.  I,  2,  15. 

Aristotle.  Born  at  Stagira,  in  Macedo- 
nia, B.C.  354.  Hence  called  the  Stagir- 
ite.  He  is  referred  to  in  Troil.  II,  2, 
166.  One  of  Sh's  anachronisms.  Troy 
was  taken  B.C.  1184 — nearly  800  years 
before  Aristotle  was  born. 

Armado,  Don  Adrian©  de,  dr.p.  A  fan- 
tastical Spaniard.     LLL. 

arm.  To  take  in  the  arms  and  lift.  Cym. 
IV,  2,  400;  or,  to  take  in  one's  arms 
and  embrace.     Kins.  V,  3. 

armigero.  A  mistake  for  armiger,  Latin 
for  esquire.     Wiv.  I,  1,  10. 

arm-gaunt.  A  word  of  which  the  mean- 
ing is  unsettled.  May  have  been  formed 
by  the  printers  in  reading  some  un- 
intelligible manuscript.  Singer  sug- 
gests "arrogant,"  which  suits  well 
with  the  sense.  Others  suggest  "ram- 
pant," but  the  article  an  favours 
"arrogant."    Ant.  I,  5,  47. 

armipotent.  Mighty  in  arms.  LLL.  V, 
2,  650 ;  All's.  IV,  3,  265;  Kins.  V.  1. 


aroint,   )     Begone;  avaunt.    A  word  of 

aroynt.  i  doubtful  origin.  Occurs  twice 
in  Sh.,  viz.,  Mcb.  I,  3,  6,  and  Lr.  Ill,  4, 
129.  Said  to  be  still  used  in  Cheshire 
by  milkmaids  in  speaking  to  their  cows, 
with  the  meaning  of  get  out  of  the 
ivay. 

Arragon,  Prince  of,  dr.p.  Suitor  to  Por- 
tia.   Merch. 

arras.  Tapestry  covering  the  walls  of  a 
room.     Hml.  II,  2,  163. 

arrest.  We  arrest  your  words=we  ac- 
cept your  word  or  take  you  at  your 
word.    Meas.  II,  4,  134 ;  LLL.  II,  1, 160. 

arrose.    To  sprinkle.    Kins.  V,  4. 

Artemidorus,  dr.p.  A  sophist  of  Cnidus. 
Csps. 

Arthur,  Prince,  dr.p.  Nephew  to  King 
John.    John. 

Artliur's  bosom.  Mrs.  Quickly's  blun- 
der for  Abraham's  bosom.  HV.  II, 
3,  10. 

Artliur's  Sliow.  An  archery  exhibition 
by  a  society  of  London  archers,  who 
assumed  the  names  of  Arthur  and  his 
knights.    2HIV.  Ill,  2,  303. 

articulate.   1.  To  enter  into  articles  of 
agreement.     Cor.  I,  9,  77. 
2.  To  specify.    IHIV.  V,  1,  72. 

Arviragus,  dr.p.  Son  of  CymbeHne. 
Cym. 

arts-man.    A  scholar.    LLL.  V,  1,  85. 

Ascanius.  The  son  of  ^neas  by  Creusa, 
daughter  of  Priam.  Cupid  assumed  his 
shape  in  order  to  cause  Dido  to  fall  in 
love  with  JEneas.    2HVI.  Ill,  2.  116. 

ases.  The  plural  of  as  (that  is  of  the 
word  itself).  Most  modern  eds.  give 
as'es ;  some,  as-es ;  Fl,  assis.  Ases  of 
great  charge= reasons  of  great  weight. 
Johnson  suggests  that  there  is  a  pun  or 
quibble  between  as  and  ass  (a  beast  of 
burden),  but  there  does  not  seem  to  be 
the  slightest  ground  for  this.  The  mean- 
ing is  obvious  ;  and  quibbles,  puns  and 
jokes  are  entirely  out  of  place  in  this 
most  serious  conversation  between 
Hamlet  and  Horatio. 

Ascapart.  A  giant  vanquished  by  Sir 
Bevis  of  Southampton.  He  was  said  to 
have  been  thirty  feet  high  ;  he  was  coy- 


ASC 


46 


ATA 


ered  with  bristles  like  a  wild  boar,  and 
"  liker  a  devil  than  a  man." 
His  staff  was  a  young  oak, 
Hard  and  heavy  was  his  stroke. 
2HVI.  II,  3,  93.    See  Bevis. 

ascaunt.  Aslant ;  dia  gonally ;  across.  In 
most  editions,  aslant ;  evidently  related 
to  askance.    Hml.  IV,  7,  167. 

asinico.  An  ass ;  a  stupid  fellow.  Troil. 
II,  1,  49.  From  the  Spanish  asinico= 
a  little  ass. 

askance,  vb.  To  cause  to  turn  aside. 
Lucr.  637. 

askance,  adv.  Awry;  with  sidelong 
glance.     V.  and  A.  342. 

aspect.  Now  always  used  as  nearly  sy- 
nonymous with  appearance.  Sh.  uses 
it  to  express  the  act  of  looking,  as  in 
Err.  II,  2,  113,  where  it  means  glances, 
looks.  He  also  uses  it  in  the  astrologi- 
cal, as  well  as  in  the  common  sense : 
Heavens  look  with  an  aspect  more  fa- 
vourable, Wint.  II,  1,  107,  referring  to 
the  position,  etc.,  of  the  planets. 

aspersion.  Sprinkling;  hence  blessing, 
because  before  the  reformation  bene- 
diction was  generally  accompanied  by 
the  sprinkling  of  holy  water.  Tp.  Ill, 
3,  18. 

aspicious.  A  blunder  of  Dogberry's  for 
suspicious.     Ado.  Ill,  5,  50. 

aspire.  Besides  the  ordinary  meanings 
Sh.  uses  it  as  synonymous  with  ascend. 
Rom.  Ill,  1,  122. 

aspray.    The  osprey,  q.v. 

ass.  In  Lr.  I,  4,  177,  the  reference  is  to 
the  fable  of  the  old  man  and  his  son 
who  tried  to  please  everybody,  but 
pleased  nobody,  and  lost  their  ass  into 
the  bargain. 

assay,    n.    Attempt ;   test.    Meas.    Ill, 

1,  164. 

assay,  vb.  To  attempt ;  to  make  proof. 
Wiv.  II,  1,  26. 

assemblance.  The  entirety;  totality; 
aggregate.  The  "altogether,"  though 
not  in  the  Trilby  sense.     2HIV.   Ill, 

2,  277. 

assigns.    Appendages ;  belongings.    An 

affected  expression.     Hml.  V,  2,  157. 
assinego.    See  asinico. 


assubjugate.  To  debase ;  to  lessen.  Troil. 
II,  3,  202. 

assured.  Betrothed ;  affianced.  Err.  Ill, 
2,  145 ;  John  II,  1,  535. 

astronomer.  The  difference  between  the 
term  astronomer  and  astrologer  was  not 
clearly  defined  in  Sh.  time.  Astrono- 
mer was  often  employed  where  now  we 
would  use  astrologer  only,  as  in  Troil. 
V,  1, 100.  The  same  applies  to  "  astron- 
omy." 

Assyrian  knight.  A  bombastic  and  mean- 
ingless expression,  used  by  Falstaff  in 
ridicule  of  Pistol.    2HVI.  V,  3,  105. 

Atalanta.  There  are  two  accounts  of  the 
birth  and  life  of  Atalanta,  but  the  one 
most  commonly  received  is  as  follows : 
She  was  the  daughter  of  Jason  and 
Clymene.  Her  father  had  hoped  for  a 
son,  and  in  his  disappointment  exposed 
her  on  the  Parthenian  (virgin)  hill. 
She  was  suckled  by  a  she-bear,  the  sym- 
bol of  Artemis  (Diana),  the  protectress 
of  the  young.  She  lived  in  pure  maiden- 
hoodj  slew  the  centaurs  who  pursued 
her,  took  part  in  the  Calydonian  hunt 
and  in  games.  Her  father  ultimately 
recognised  her  and  wished  her  to  mar- 
ry; but  as  the  Delphic  oracle  had  de- 
clared that  marriage  would  be  fatal  to 
her  she  imposed  such  conditions  on  her 
suitors  as  none  would  care  to  meet. 
These  were  that  her  suitor  should  con- 
tend with  her  in  a  foot-race ;  if  suc- 
cessful he  would  gain  her,  but  if  un- 
successful she  was  to  put  him  to  death. 
One  suitor,  Meilanon,  being  favored  by 
Aphrodite,  received  from  this  goddess 
three  golden  apples  which  he  dropped 
one  after  the  other  as  he  ran.  Atalanta 
stopped  to  pick  them  up  and  lost  the 
race.  She  and  her  husband  having,  by 
their  embraces,  profaned  the  sanctity  of 
the  sacred  grove  of  Zeus,  were  changed 
to  two  lions,  and  thus  the  oracle  was 
vindicated. 

The  passage  in  As.  Ill,  2,  155,  Ata- 
lanta''s  better  part,  has  puzzled  the 
commentators.  Furness  fills  over  three 
closely  printed  pages  with  the  com- 
ments that  have  been  written  upon  it. 


ATE 


47 


AUB 


His  own  summing  up  is  most  probably 
correct.  He  says:  "  Nature's  distilla- 
tion resulted  in  Helen's  face,  Cleo- 
patra's bearing,  Atalanta's  form  and 
Lucretia's  modesty. "  Some  have  said 
that  her  better  part  was  her  heels ;  but 
this  does  not  apply  to  Rosalind.  Others, 
that  it  was  her  chastity ;  but  this  is  as- 
signed to  Lucretia. 
Ate.  The  goddess  of  mischief  and  strife. 
Craik  says :  "  This  Homeric  goddess 
had  taken  a  strong  hold  of  Sh.  imagin- 
ation."   See  Ado.  II,  1,  264;  LLL.  V, 

2,  694  ;  Cses.  Ill,  2,  271. 

According  to  Homer  she  was  the 
daughter  of  Jupiter;  Hesiod  says  she 
was  the  daughter  of  Eris  (strife).  Ju- 
piter having  been  led  by  her  to  make  a 
rash  promise  to  Juno  was  so  enraged 
at  the  result  that  he  hurled  her  down 
from  heaven,  and  since  then  she  has 
been  making  mischief  amongst  men. 
See  Hercules. 

Atlas.  A  giant  who,  with  the  other  Ti- 
tans, made  war  upon  Jupiter,  and  was 
condemned  to  support  the  heavens  upon 
his  hands  and  head.  3HVI.  V,  1,  36. 
See  Hercules  and  demi- Atlas. 

attend.  To  watch  for ;  to  wait  for. 
Sonn.  XLIV,  13 ;  Wiv.  I,  1,  279  ;  Kins. 
IV,  1. 

atomy.  An  atom ;  the  smallest  particle 
of  matter.  As.  Ill,  2, 245 ;  Rom.  I,  4,  57. 
Mrs.  Quickly  uses  it  by  mistake  for 
anatomy  (skeleton)  as  applied  to  a  very 
thin  person;  not  as  in  contempt  of  a 
small  person,  as  the  Globe  glossary 
has  it.    2HIV.  V,  4,  33. 

atone.  1.  To  reconcile.  0th.  IV,  1,  224. 
2.  To  agree.  As.  V,  4,  116 ;  Cor.  IV, 
6,  72. 

Atropos.  One  of  the  Parcae  or  Fates. 
2HIV.  II,  4,  213.     See  Fates. 

attack.    To  sieze ;  to  lay  hold  of .  Tp.III, 

3,  5  ;  LLL.  IV,  3,  375. 

attaint.    Stain;    disgrace.     Err.  Ill,  2, 

16  ;  Lucr.  825. 
attask.    To  reprehend  ;  to  take  to  task. 

Lr.  I,  4,  366. 
attend.  To  watch  for  ;  to  wait  for.  Sonn. 

XLIV,  12 ;  Wiv.  I,  1,  279;  Kins.  IV,  1. 


attent.    Attentive.   HmL  I.  2, 193. 

attorney.  A  substitute ;  an  agent.  As. 
IV,  1,94;  RIIL  V,  3,  83. 

attorney ed.  1.  Employed  as  an  agent. 
Meas.  V,  1,  390. 
2.  Performed  by  proxy.  Wint.  I,  1,  30. 

auburn.  The  color  which  is  now  known 
as  auburn  is  a  reddish  brown  with  a 
tinge  of  "old  gold."  In  Sh.  time  it 
meant  flaxen  or  whitish  colored.  Florio, 
in  his  "  New  World  of  Words  "  (1611), 
defines  alburne  as :  "  That  whitish  color 
of  woman's  hair  which  we  call  an  al- 
burne or  aburne  color."  The  word  oc- 
curs but  once  in  the  Fl,  in  Gent.  IV,  4, 
194,  and  is  there  speUed  aburne.  See 
abram. 

audacious.  Spirited;  daring  (but  with  no 
sense  of  evil).    LLL.  V,  1,  5. 

In   many  other   passages  the   word  li' 
bears  an  intimation  of  evil. 

Audrey,  dr. p.    A  country  girl.    As. 

The  name  is  a  contraction  for  Ethel- 
dreda.    See  tawdry. 

Aufidius,  Tullus,  dr.p.  General  of  the 
Volscians.    Cor. 

augur.    Augury.    Mcb.  Ill,  4,  126. 

auld.  The  Scottish  or  old  English  form  of 
old.    0th.  II,  3,  99. 

Dr.   Schmidt,  in    his    "  Shakespeare 
Lexicon,"  calls  it  "  the  vulgar  form  "  I 

Aumerle,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Son  of  the 
Duke  of  York.     RII. 

aunt.  1.  A  good  old  dame.  Mids.  II,  1, 51. 

2.  A  loose  woman.    Wint.  IV,  2,  11. 

3.  The  aunt  of  Hector  and  his  brothers, 
whom  the  Greeks  held,  was  Priam's 
sister,  Hesione,  whom  Hercules,  being 
enraged  at  Priam's  breach  of  faith, 
gave  to  Telamon,  who  by  her  had  Ajax. 
Troil.  II,  2,  77. 

Aurora.  The  goddess  of  the  morning  red. 
Known  to  the  Greeks  as  Eos.  At  the 
close  of  every  night  she  rose  from  the 
couch  of  her  spouse,  Tithonus,  and  on 
a  chariot  drawn  by  the  swift  horses 
Lampus  and  Phaeton  she  ascended  up 
to  heaven  from  the  river  Oceanus,  to 
announce  the  coming  light  of  the  sun 
to  the  gods  as  well  as  to  mortals.  She 
carried  off  several  youths  distinguished 


ATTT 


4S 


BAB 


for  their  beauty,  such  as  Orion,  Cepha- 
lus  and  Tithonus.     Mids.  Ill,  2,  380; 
Rom.  I,  1,  142.     See  morning''s  love. 
authentic.    Of  acknowledged  authority. 

Wiv.  II,  2,  2a5. 
Autolycus,  dr.p.    A  pedlar  and  rogue. 
Wint. 

The  Autolycus  of  the  Greek  legend 
was  the  son  of  Mercury  and  the  mater- 
nal grandfather  of  Ulysses.  He  was  a 
robber  who  lived  on  Mount  Parnassus, 
and  was  famed  for  his  cunning.  In 
Golding's  translation  of  Ovid's  "  Meta- 
morphoses," from  which  undoubtedly 
Sh.  took  the  name,  he  is  thus  described : 
Now  when  she  [i.e.  Chione]  full  her  time  had 

gon,  she  bare  by  Mercurye 
A  Sonne  that  hight  AwMychus,  who  proude 

a  wily  pye, 
And  such  a  fellow  as  in  theft  and  filching 

had  no  peere ; 
He  was  his  fathers  owne  sonne  right ;  he 

could  mens  eyes  so  bleare 
As  for  to  make  the  blacke  things  white,  and 
white  things  blacke  appeare. 
See  Mercury. 
Auvergne,  Countess  of,  dr.p.    IHVI. 
Ave.      Latin     for     Hail!     acclamation. 
.  Meas.  I,  1,  71. 

Ave  Mary.     The  angelic  salutation  ad- 
dressed to  the  Virgin  Mary.    The  Ro- 


man Catholics  divide  their  chaplets 
into  a  certain  number  of  Ave  Maries 
and  Paternosters.  2HVI.  I,  3,  59; 
3HVI.  II,  2, 162. 

averring.  Confirming;  alleging.  Cym. 
V,  5,  203. 

avoid.  Leave ;  go  away.  HVIII.  V,  1, 
86 ;  Cor.  IV,  5,  25. 

aweless.    1.    Standing  in  awe  or  in  fear 
of  nothing.     John,  I,  1,  226. 
2.    Not  regarded  with  awe    or  rever- 
ence.    RIII.  II,  4,  52. 

awful.  Reverential,  awful  men  =  men 
who  reverence  or  stand  in  awe  of  the 
laws  and  usages  of  society.  Gent.  IV, 
1,  86;  RIL  III,  3,  76,  etc. 

The  expression  "awful  banks,"  in 
2HIV.  IV,  1, 176,  has  given  rise  to  much 
discussion.  Johnson  makes  it  "proper 
limits  of  reverence ;  "  War  burton  had 
changed  awful  to  lawful. 

awkward.  1.  Distorted ;  ill-founded. 
HV.  II,  4,  85. 

2.  Adverse.  2HVI.  Ill,  2,  83 ;  Per.  V, 
1,94. 

ay,    1^     Yes.    Generally  spelled  /  in  old 

aye.  )  editions,  and  this  has  given  occa 
sion  for  a  great  many  puns. 

ayword.  Said  to  be  improperly  written 
for  nay  wordy  q.v.    Tw.  II,  3, 146. 


The  second  letter  of  the  al- 
phabet. Fair  as  a  text  B  in 
a  copybook.  LLL.  V,  2,  42. 
cj^^g^  rpjj^  letter  B  seems  to  be  a  fa- 
vorite for  comparisons.  The  Princess 
has  just  said  of  Rosaline,  Beauteous  as 
ink,  the  black  color  of  which  is  opposed 
to  fair.  Upon  this  exchange  of  wits  Ma- 
son makes  the  following  remarks :  "Ros- 
aline says  that  Biron  had  drawn  her 
picture  in  his  letter;  and  afterwards, 
playing  on  the  word  letter,  Katherine 
compares  her  to  a  text  B.  Rosaline  in 
reply  advises  her  to  beware  of  pencils, 


that  is,  of  drawing  likenesses,  lest  she 
should  retaliate,  which  she  afterwards 
does  by  comparing  her  to  a  red  domini- 
cal letter  and  calling  her  marks  of  the 
small-pox  O's."    See  dominical. 

baby.  The  usual  term  for  a  very  young 
child.  Sometimes  applied  to  images, 
as  aglet-baby  q.v.  As  used  by  Sh.  in 
Mcb.  Ill,  4,  103  : 

If  trembling  I  inhabit  then,  protest  me 

The  baby  of  a  girl. 

The  word  is  usually  said  to  mean  a 


BAC 


BAF 


doll.  We  doubt  the  correctness  of  this 
interpretation.  A  doll  does  not  tremble 
or  exhibit  f eaf .  The  literal  sense  is  far 
more  forceful;  "the  baby  of  a  girl," 
that  is,  the  child  of  an  immature  female 
who  is  incapable  of  bringing  forth 
sturdy  progeny  like  that  of  a  fully  de- 
veloped woman,  and  whose  infant  is 
therefore  doubly  a  baby. 
The  lines  in  Tim.  I,  2,  116  : 
Joy  had  the  like  conception  in  our  eyes 
And,  at  that  instant,  like  a  babe  sprung 
up, 
are  thus  explained  by  Nares :  "The 
miniature  reflection  of  himself  which  a 
person  sees  in  the  pupil  of  another's 
eye,  on  looking  closely  into  it,  was 
sportively  called  by  our  ancestors  a 
little  boy  or  baby,  and  made  the  subject 
of  many  amorous  allusions.  .  .  As 
it  requires  a  very  near  approach  to 
discern  these  little  images,  poets  make 
it  an  employment  of  lovers  to  look  for 
them  in  each  other's  eyes."  Johnson 
explains  it  as  "a  weeping  babe."  This 
does  not  seem  as  forcible. 

baccare.  A  cant  word,  meaning  go  back, 
used  in  allusion  to  a  proverbial  saying, 
"  Backare,  quoth  Mortimer  to  his  sow  ;" 
probably  made  in  ridicule  of  some  man 
who  affected  a  knowledge  of  Latin 
without  having  it,  and  who  produced 
his  Latinized  English  words  on  the 
most  trivial  occasions.  Nares.  Shr. 
II,  1,  73. 

Bacchus.  The  god  of  wine.  The  son  of 
Zeus  or  Jupiter  and  Semele.  Festivals 
known  as  Dionysia,  from  his  Greek 
name  Dionysus,  were  held  in  his  honor, 
and  on  these  occasions  his  priestesses, 
called  Moenads  or  Bacchantes.,  worked 
themselves  up  into  a  state  of  frenzy  by 
wine  and  other  means,  and  wandered 
about  the  country  carrying  thyi'si  and 
behaving  in  a  wild  and  licentious 
manner.  The  thyrsus  was  a  staff  en- 
twined with  vine  leaves  and  surmounted 
with  pine  cones.  Bacchus  was  the 
original  cultivator  of  the  vine  and  the 
discoverer  of  wine.  Among  the  women 
who  won  his  love  none  is  more  famous 


in  ancient  history  than  Ariadne,  for 
whose  story  see  Ariadne.  LLL.  IV,  3, 
339. 

back-friend.  A  bailiff  ;  so  called  because 
he  generally  comes  behind  his  victim 
when  he  makes  an  arrest.  Err.  IV, 
2.  37. 

back-swordsman.  A  single-stick  player. 
2HIV.  Ill,  2,  71. 

backward.  That  which  lies  behind ;  the 
past.     Tp.  I,  2,  50. 

backward,  adv.  Perversely.  She  would 
spell  him  backward=niake  his  virtues 
appear  vices.     Ado.  Ill,  1,  61. 

back-trick.  A  caper  backwards  in  danc- 
ing.   Tw.  I,  3,  133. 

Schmidt  suggests  "  the  trick  of  going 
back  in  a  fight,"  but  nothing  had  yet 
been  said  to  Sir  A.  about  fighting. 

bacon.  A  country  fellow,  bacon  being  a 
staple  article  of  food  in  the  country. 
IHIV.  II,  2,  95. 

For  some  fatuous  but  amusing  lucu- 
brations on  this  word,  after  the  manner 
of  Sergeant  Buzfuz,  see  the  "Great 
Cryptogram,"  by  Ignatius  Donnelly. 
In  this  work  the  author  brings  forward 
"bacon,"  used  as  the  designation  of  a 
man,  as  being  unknown  elsewhere,  and 
therefore  manufactured  by  Lord  Bacon 
for  the  purpose  of  bringing  his  name 
into  the  cipher ! 

bacon-fed.  Country-bred.  2HIV.  II,  2, 
88. 

The  modem  form  is  chaw-bacon,  a 
very  common  expression  in  England. 
One  of  the  illustrations  etched  by  Cruik- 
shank  for  Bentley's  Miscellany  was 
that  of  ' '  Giles  Chaw-bacon. ' '  In  Frank 
Forester's  Warwick  Woodlands,  a 
country  boy  is  called  "a  chaw-bacon." 
Bacon -fed  is  also  slang  for  "fat, 
greasy."    See  "  Slang  Dictionary." 

badged.  Marked  as  with  a  badge.  Mob. 
II,  3,  107  ;  ef.  2HVI.  Ill,  2,  200. 

baffle.  To  use  contemptuously.  2HIV. 
V,  3,  109;  RII,  I,  1,  170;  IHIV.  I,  2, 
113. 

Nares  tells  us  that  baffling  was 
originally  a  punishment  of  infamy,  in- 
flicted on  recreant  knights,  one  part  of 


BAO 


50 


BAN 


which  was  hanging  them  up  by  the 
heels.     The  word  was  also  applied  to 
any  contemptuous  usage,  as  in  Tw.  V, 
1,  337. 
Bagot,  dr. p.    Favorite  of  Richard  II. 

RII. 
bailie.    See  hallow. 

bait.  To  feed  or  take  refreshment.  The 
word  in  this  sense  is  quite  old  and 
occurs  in  Spenser's,  "Fairy  Queen,"  I, 
XII,  a5.  Only  once  in  Sh.  HVIII,  V, 
4,  85.  But  the  word  in  all  its  significa- 
tions is  only  a  form  of  the  word  bite  ; 
thus,  to  bait  (i.e.,  to  take  refreshment) 
is  to  bite ;  to  bait  a  bear  is  to  make  the 
dogs  bite  him ;  to  bait  fish  is  to  induce 
them  to  bite.  In  these  latter  senses 
it  occurs  quite  often.  Err.  II,  1,  94  ; 
Tw.  Ill,  1,  130  ;,2HVI.  V,  1,  148. 

baked-meats.  Meat-pies,  pastry;  not 
merely  meat  or  flesh  baked  in  an  oven. 
Rom.  IV,  4,  5 ;  Hml.  I,  2, 180. 

You  speak  as  if  a  man 
Should  know  what  fowl  is  coffin'd  in   a 

bak'd  meat 
Afore  it  is  cut  up. 

White  DevU  (Old  Play). 

baker.    See  owl. 

Bajazet's  mule.    This  passage  (AU's.  IV, 

1,  46)  has  given  great  trouble  to  the 
commentators.  Warburton  says  that  we 
should  read  mute,  and  refers  to  HV.  I, 

2,  232,  for  the  expression  Turkish  mute. 
Reed  refers  to  a  so-called  philosopher 
who  undertook  to  teach  a  mule  to  speak. 
There  is  a  Scotch  story  to  the  effect 
that  a  certain  charlatan  undertook  to 
teach  a  mule  to  speak  in  ten  years,  and 
agreed  with  the  king  that  if  he  did  not 
succeed  his  life  would  be  the  forfeit. 
When  his  friends  charged  him  with 
being  a  fool  for  incurring  the  risk  of 
certain  death,  he  replied :  "  Not  so ;  the 
king  may  die,  or  the  mule  may  die,  or 
I  may  die  myself,  so  that  I  have  three 
good  chances  for  escape,  and  in  the 
meantime  I  live  like  a  prince."  But 
all  this  does  not  explain  Parolles'  saying. 
His  tongue  had  brought  him  into  trouble 
by  giving  utterance  to  certain  boasts, 
the  meaning  of   which   was   obvious. 


He  will  therefore  exchange  his  tongue 
for  a  mule's  tongue  which  utters  much 
noise  without  any  meaning  at  all. 
bald.     Naked;  bare.     Cor.   Ill,  1,  164. 
Hence,  by  inference,  senseless ;  empty. 
IHIV.  I,  3,  65. 
baldric k.     A  belt.    Ado.  I,  1,  252. 
bale.     Evil ;  mischief.     Cor.  I,  1,  169. 
balk.    To  balk  logic=to  dispute ;  to  chop 

logic.  Shr.  I,  1,  34. 
balk'd.  Heaped  up  in  balks  or  ridges. 
IHIV.  I,  1,  69.  This  word  seems  to 
have  puzzled  the  commentators.  R.  G. 
White  thinks  it  a  misprint  for  barked, 
the  sense  of  which  is  not  obvious. 
Others  have  suggested  bak''d  and  bathed. 
The  word,  like  many  others  in  Sh.,  is 
Scottish  or  old  English.  See  Jamieson's 
Dictionary. 
ballow.    A  cudgell.     Lr.  IV,  6,  237. 

The  word  bailie  which  occurs  in  the 
accepted  text  in  Wiv.  I,  4,  ,92,  is  ballow 
in  Fl,  and  is  pronounced  unintelligible 
by  Schm.  Ballow  is  undoubtedly  a  cor- 
ruption of  the  French  word  baillez, 
the  imperative  of  bailler,  which  signi- 
fies to  give. 
balm,  n.  The  oil  of  consecration.  RII. 
Ill,  2,  55.  Juice  of  balm.  Wiv.  V,  5, 
66.  It  was  a  feature  of  our  ancient 
luxury  to  rub  tables,  chairs,  etc.,  with 
aromatic  herbs.  The  Romans  did  the 
same  to  drive  away  evil  spirits. 
balm,  V.  1.  To  anoint.    Shr.  Ind,  I.  48. 

2.  To  heal.     Lr.  Ill,  6,  105. 
Balthasar,    dr.p.     Servant    to    Portia. 

Merch. 
Balthasar,  dr.p.    Servant  to  Don  Pedro. 

Ado. 
Balthasar,    dr.p.     Servant   to   Romeo. 

Rom. 
Balthazar,  dr.p.    A  merchant.    Err. 
ban.    To  curse.    Lucr.  1460. 
Banbury  cheese.    A  gibe  at  Slender 's 
thinness— Banbury  cheese    being   pro- 
■verbially  thin.    Steevens    quotes  from 
"  Jack  Drum's  Entertainment  "  :  "  Put 
off  your  clothes,  and  you  are  like  a 
Banbury  cheese — nothing  but  paring." 
Wiv.  I.  1,  130. 
band.    Bond  ;  security.    3HIV.  I,  2,  37. 


BAN 


51 


BAR 


ban-dogs.  Watch  dogs,  so  called  from 
their  being  bound  up  or  chained.  2HVI. 
I,  4,  21. 

bandy.  To  fight ;  to  contend ;  a  metaphor 
taken  from  striking  the  balls  at  tennis. 
As.  V,  1,  62  ;  Rom.  II,  5,  14. 

banquet.  Dessert.  Shr.  V,  2,  9 ;  Rom. 
I,  5,  126. 

bank'd.  Sailed  past  their  towns  on  the 
banks  of  the  river.  The  idea  taken  from 
the  old  play,  "  The  Troublesome  Raigne 
of  King  John."    Dyce.    John  V,  2, 104. 

Banquo,  c?r  .p.    A  Scottish  general.    Mcb. 

Baptista  Minola,  dr.p.  A  rich  gentle- 
man of  Padua.     Shr. 

Barbason.  The  name  of  one  of  the  fiends 
in  the  old  demonology.     Wiv.  II,  2, 315. 

barbed.  Protected  by  armour  (said  of  a 
horse).     RII.  Ill,  3,  117. 

barber.  To  shave  and  di-ess  the  nair ;  to 
dress  up  generally.     Ant.  II,  2,  229. 

Bardolph,  dr. p.  A  follower  of  Falstaff, 
who  appears  in  Wiv.,  in  First  and  Sec- 
ond HIV.  and  in  HV.,  where  he  was  a 
soldier  and  was  hung  for  stealing. 

Bardolph,  Lord,  dr.p.  An  enemy  to  the 
king.    2HIV. 

bare.  To  shave.  Meas.  IV,  2,  188  ;  Alls. 
.     IV,  1,  54. 

bare=foot,  to  dance.  It  was  a  popular 
notion  that  unless  the  elder  sisters  danced 
bare-foot  at  the  marriage  of  a  younger 
one  they  would  inevitably  become  old 
maids.     Shr.  II,  1,  34.     See  ape. 

barful.    Full  of  impediments.   Tw.  I,  4,41. 

bargain,  to  sell  a.  To  make  one  ridicu- 
lous. LLL.  Ill,  1,  102.  Capel  tells  us 
that  "  selling  a  bargain "  consists  in 
drawing  a  person  in,  by  some  stratagem, 
to  proclaim  himself  a  fool  by  his  own 
lips.  Thus,  when  Moth  makes  his  master 
repeat  the  Venvoy,  ending  in  the  goose, 
he  makes  him  proclaim  himself  a  goose, 
according  to  rustic  wit,  and  this  Cos- 
tard calls  selling  a  bargain  well. 

barley=break.  An  ancient  rural  game. 
Kins.  IV,  3.  It  was  thus  described  by 
Gifford  :  "  It  was  played  by  six  people, 
three  of  each  sex,  who  were  coupled  by 
lot.  A  piece  of  ground  was  then  chosen 
and  divided  into  three  compartments. 


of  which  the  middle  one  was  called  hell. 
It  was  the  object  of  the  couple  con- 
demned to  this  division  to  catch  the 
others,  who  advanced  from  the  two  ex- 
tremities, in  which  case  a  change  of 
situation  took  place  and  hell  was  filled 
by  the  couple  who  were  excluded  by 
pre-occupation  from  the  other  places; 
in  this  catching,  however,  there  was 
some  difficulty,  as  by  the  regulations  of 
the  game  the  middle  couple  were  not  to 
separate  before  they  had  succeeded, 
while  the  others  might  break  hands 
whenever  they  found  themselves  hard 
pressed.  When  all  had  been  taken  in 
turn,  the  last  couple  were  said  to  be  in 
hell,  and  the  game  ended."  The  game 
is  often  referred  to  by  the  early  English 
dramatists.  There  is  another  form  of 
the  game  played  in  Scotland  and  the 
north  of  England  and  described  by  Dr. 
Jamieson in  his  "Etymological Diction- 
ary of  the  Scottish  Language." 
i  barm.  Yeast.  Mids.  II,  1,  38. 
I  barnacle.  A  kind  of  shell-fi^  (Lepas 
anatifera)  from  which  it  was  fabled 
that  the  barnacle  goose  was  produced. 
Tp.  IV,  1,  249. 
Barnardine,  dr.p.    A  dissolute  prisoner. 

Meas. 
barne.    A  child.    A  word  still  used  in 
Scotland,  generally  in  the  modified  form 
bairn.      AUs.  I,  3,  28.    Wint.  Ill,  3,  70. 
Also  Ado.  Ill,  4,  49,  where  there  is  a 
pun    on    barns    (farm    buildings)    and 
barnes  (children). 
Barrabas.    The  robber  whom  the  Jews 
chose   before    Jesus.     John's    Gospel, 
XVIII,  40;    Merch.    IV,   1,    296.     Sh. 
took  his  spelling  of  the  name  from  the 
I       old  version  of  the  New  Testament. 
I    Bartholomew-pig.    Roasted  pigs  were  at 
i       one  time  among  the  chief  attractions  of 
I       Bartholomew  Fair,  London.    They  were 
displayed  in  booths  and   on  stalls  to 
excite  the  appetite  of  passers-by  and 
were  sold  piping  hot.     Falstaff,  in  ridi- 
cule  of    his  rotund,   greasy   figure,  is 
called    a     "  little    tidy    Bartholomew 
boar-pig."    2HIV.  II,  4,  2.50.     Johnson 
says  that  it  was  "a  little  pig  made  of 


BAS 


52 


BAV 


paste  [dough?],  sold  at  Bartholomew 
Fair,  and  given  to  children  for  their 
.  fairing." 

base.  A  game,  sometimes  called  prisoner's 
base.     Cym.  V.  3,  20. 

base-court.  The  lower  court  in  a  castle 
(French  basse-cour).     RII.  Ill,  3,  182. 

bases.  A  kind  of  embroidered  mantle 
which  hung  down  from  the  middle  to 
about  the  knees,  or  lower,  worn  by- 
knights  on  horseback.    Nares.  Per.  II, 

I,  167. 

baseness.    Illegitimacy;  bastardy.  Wint. 

II,  3,  78.     ^QQ  forced. 
Basilisco-like.    This  term    alludes  to  a 

stupid   play,    printed    in    1599,    called 
"  Soliman  and  Perseda."    One  of  the 
characters  is  Basilisco,  who  is  a  coward- 
ly, bragging  knight.     Piston,  a  buffoon 
servant  in  the  play,  jumps  on  his  back 
and  makes  him  swear  to  certain  terms. 
The  dialogue  is  as  follows  : 
Ba8.    O,  I  swear,  I  swear. 
put.    By  the  contents  of  this  blade— 
Bas.    By  the  contents  of  this  blade— 
Pist.    I,  the  aforesaid  Basilisco— 
Bas.    I,  the  aforesaid  Basilisco— knight, 
good  fellow,  knight,  knight— 

Pist.  Knave,  good  fellow,  knave,  knave— 
The  play,  though  a  wretched  produc- 
tion, was  at  one  time  very  popular.  It 
has  been  attributed  to  Kyd. 
basilisk.  1 .  A  kind  of  ordnance  or  canon. 
IHIV.  II,  3,  56. 

2.  A  fabulous  serpent  said  to  kill  by  its 
look.     Wint.  I,  2,  388. 
Bassanio,  dr.p.    A  friend  of  Antonio, 

q.v.     Merch. 
Basset,  dr.p.    Of  the  Red  Rose  faction. 

IHVI. 
Bassianus,  dr.p.    Brother  of  Saturninus. 

Tit. 
basta.    Enough  (from  the  Italian).     Shr. 

I,  1,  203. 
bastard.    A  sweet  Spanish  wine.    Meas. 

III,  2,  4. 

Bastard  of  Orleans,  dr.p.    IHVI. 

batch.  A  portion;  a  lot.  Troil.  V,  1,  5. 
Not  necessarily  baked  bread  as  Schm. 
gives  it.  "Crusty  "  in  this  connection 
has  no  reference  to  crust  (as  of  bread), 
but  is  a  variant  of  curst=  ill-tempered. 


bate,  n.    A  quarrel.    2HIV.  II,  4,  271. 

bate,  V.  1.  To  blunt.  LLL.  I,  1,  6. 
2.  A  term  in  falconry  meaning  to  flutter 
the  wings  as  after  bathing  or  when 
eager  for  food  or  prey.  It  is  therefore 
freely  used  by  old  writers  to  signify 
eagerness,  as  in  Rom.  Ill,  2,  14 ;  Shr. 
IV,  1,  199.  In  HV.  Ill,  7,  122,  there  is 
a  quibble  between  hate  as  defined  above 
and  hate  in  the  sense  of  diminishing. 

Bates,  dr.p.    A  soldier.    HV. 

bateless.  Not  to  be  blunted  or  dulled. 
Lucr,  9. 

bat-fowling.  A  method  of  catching  birds 
on  dark  nights  by  means  of  torches. 
The  birds,  being  roused  from  their  roost, 
fly  towards  the  lights  and  are  caught 
with  nets  or  knocked  down  with  poles. 
Tp.  II,  1,  185. 

batlet.  A  little  bat  used  by  washer- 
women.    As.  II,  4,  49. 

batten.  To  feed  grossly ;  to  fatten.  Hml. 
Ill,  4,  67. 

battery.  Assault;  a  series  of  strokes. 
Ant.  IV,  14,  39. 

battle.     1.    An  army.    John,  IV,  2,  78; 
IHIV.  IV,  1,  129. 
2.  A  division  of  an  army.    3HVI.  1, 1,  8 ; 
Mcb.  V,  6,  4. 

batty.    Like  a  bat.    Mids.  Ill,  2,  365. 

bauble.  The  licensed  fool's  or  jester's 
"official  sceptre  or  bauble,  which  was 
a  short  stick  ornamented  at  the  end 
with  a  figure  of  a  fool's  head,  or  some- 
times with  that  of  a  doll  or  puppet. 
*  *  *  Aaron  [Tit.  V,  1,  79,]  refers  to 
that  sort  of  bauble  or  scepter  which  was 
usually  carried  by  natural  idiots  and 
allowed  jesters,  and  by  which  it  may  be 
supposed  that  they  sometimes  swore." — 
Douce. 

Bavian,  The.  An  occasional,  but  not  a 
regular  character  in  the  old  Morris 
dance.  He  was  dressed  up  as  a  baboon, 
and  his  office  was  to  bark,  tumble,  play 
antics,  and  exhibit  a  long  tail  with  what 
decency  he  could.  The  word  is  from  the 
Dutch  baviaan,  a  baboon.     Kins.  Ill,  5. 

bavin.  A  bundle  or  faggot  of  brushwood ; 
sometimes  refers  to  the  brushwood  it- 
self, as  IHIV.  Ill,  2,  61. 


BAW 


53 


BEL 


bawcock.  A  fine  fellow ;  a  term  of  coarse 
endearment.  From  the  French  beau 
and  coq.    Tw.  Ill,  4, 125 ;  HV.  Ill,  2,  26. 

bay.  The  space  between  the  main  timbers 
of  the  roof.    Meas.  II,  1,  2.55. 

The  folios  have  it  bay,  but  Pope  sug- 
gested day,  which  is  no  doubt  correct. 
We  have  no  reason  to  believe  that 
hoases  were  rented  at  so  much  per  bay, 
which  is  but  one  point  in  the  value  of  a 
dwelling.  It  certainly  is  quite  as  likely 
that  the  rate  of  the  rent  of  "  the  fairest 
house"  in  Vienna  woidd  be  stated  in 
days  as  in  mere  size. 

beadsman,  }       One  who  repeats  prayers 

bedesman,  y  for  another.  Grent.  1, 1, 18 ; 
RII.  Ill,  2,  116. 

bean-fed.    &>ee  filly. 

bearing  cloth.  A  rich  cloth  in  which 
children  were  wrapped  at  their  christen- 
ing.    Wint.  Ill,  3,  119. 

bear.  1.  A  well-known  animal.  The  bear 
and  the  ragged  staff  were  the  cog- 
nizance of  the  Nevils,  Earls  of  War- 
wick; hence  the  allusion  in  2HVI.  V, 
1,144. 

2.  The  constellation  (Ursa  Major)  known 
as  "  The  Dipper,"  etc.     Oth.  II,  1,  14. 

bear  in  hand.  To  keep  in  expectation ; 
to  amuse  with  false  pretences.  Meas. 
I,  4,  51 ;  Mcb.  Ill,  1,  81 ;  Cym.  V,  5,  43. 

bear  a  brain.  To  have  a  good  memory. 
Rom.  I,  3,  29. 

bear-whelp,  unlick'd.  It  was  an  old 
opinion  that  "the  bear  brings  forth 
only  shapeless  lumps  of  animated  flesh 
which  she  licks  into  the  form  of  bears. " 
—Johnson.      HVI.  Ill,  2,  161. 

bear  me  hard.  Evidently  an  old  phrase 
=does  not  like  me ;  bears  me  a  grudge. 
Craik.     Caes.  I,  2,  31T  ;  Caes.  Ill,  1,  157. 

beat.  To  flutter  as  a  falcon  ;  to  meditate ; 
to  consider  earnestly.     Tp.  I,  2,  176. 

Beatrice,  dr. p.    Niece  of  Leonato.    Ado. 

Beau,  Le,  dr.p.    A  courtier.     As. 

Beaufort,  Henry,  dr.p.  Bishop  of  Win- 
chester.    IHVI. 

Beaufort,  Cardinal,  dr.p.  Bishop  of 
Winchester.     2HVI. 

Beaufort,  John,  dr.p.  Earl,  afterwards 
Duke  of  Somerset.     IHVl. 


Beaufort,  Thomas,  dr.p.  Duke  of  Exeter, 
Governor  of  Harfleur.    HV.  and  IHVI. 

beautified.  Beautiful.  Hml.  II,  2,  110. 
This  word,  as  used  in  this  sense,  is  called 
by  Sh.  (through  Polonius)  "a  vile 
phrase,"  but  it  was  in  use  by  the  best 
writers  immediately  preceding  Sh. 
time.  Query :  Did  Sh.  give  it  the 
modem  meaning  of  made  beautiful  ? 
If  so,  it  is  indeed  a  vile  phrase  when 
applied  to  a  young  woman. 

beaver.  The  visor  of  a  helmet.  It  may 
be  raised  to  give  the  wearer  an  oppor- 
tunity of  taking  breath  when  oppressed 
with  heat,  or,  without  putting  off  the 
helmet,  of  taking  his  repast.     2HIV. 

IV,  1.  120;  Hml.  1,2,230. 

Bedford,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Brother  of  Henry 

V.  HV. 

Bedford,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Regent  of  France ; 
brother  of  Henry  V.     IHVI. 

bedded.  Lying  flat,  Schm. ;  matted,  Clark 
and  Wright.     Hml.  Ill,  4,  121. 

bedlam.  A  corruption  of  Bethlehem. 
The  hospital  of  St.  Mary  of  Bethlehem, 
in  London  (originally  a  priory),  was 
used  as  an  asylum  for  lunatics,  and  the 
patients  when  discharged  as  cured, 
though  perhaps  only  partially  cured, 
were  licensed  to  beg.  They  wore  on 
the  left  arm  an  armilla  or  badge  of  tin 
about  four  inches  long  and  were  known 
as  bedlam  beggars.  Jack  or  Tom,  o' 
Bedlam.  Lr.  I,  2,  148 ;  2HVI,  III,  1, 
51.  Hence  6ed^am=lunatic.  John,  II, 
1,  183. 

bed-swerver.  One  who  is  false  to  the 
marriage  bed.     Wint.  II,  1,  93. 

beef-witted.  Having  an  inactive  brain, 
thought  to  be  caused  by  eating  too 
much.  TroU.  II,  1,  14 ;  cf.  Tw.  I,  3, 
90  and  Caes.  I,  2,  194. 

beetle.  A  kind  of  maUet.  2HIV.  I,  2, 
25.5.  A  three-man  beetle  =&  beetle  so 
heavy  that  it  takes  three  men  to  handle 
it.    See  fillip. 

befortune.  To  happen  to ;  to  fall  to 
one's  lot.     Gent.  IV,  3,  41. 

bed.    See  Ware. 

Beelzebub,  l       In   the   New  Testament 

Belzebub.    )    Beelzebub    is    called    the 


54 


BEH 


' '  prince  of  the  devils, ' '  In  the  language 
of  the  Philistines  the  name  has  been  sup- 
posed to  signify  either  the  god  of  hosts 
or  the  god  of  heaven.  The  Jews,  who 
delighted  in  disfiguring  the  names  of 
false  gods  by  a  play  upon  words,  called 
him  in  derision  the  dung-god  or  god  of 
ffies.  Tw.  V,  1.  291;  HV.  IV,  7,  145'; 
Mcb.  II,  3,  4. 
beg.  In  LLL.  V,  2,  490,  the  expression 
you  cannot  beg  us  means  that  you  can- 
not apply  to  be  our  guardian.  In  the 
old  common  law  was  a  writ  de  idiota 
inquirendo,  under  which,  if  a  man  was 
legally  proved  an  idiot,  the  profit  of  his 
lands  and  the  custody  of  his  person 
might  be  granted  by  the  king  to  any 
subject.  Such  a  person,  when  this 
grant  was  asked,  was  said  to  be  begged 
for  a  fool.  One  of  the  legal  tests  of  a 
natural  or  fool  was  to  try  whether  he 
could  number,  and  this  is  illustrated  in 
the  play.  See  fool-begged. 
behaviour.  This  word  has  a  peculiar 
sense  in  John,  I,  1,  3  : 
Thus,  after  greeting,  speaks  the  king  of 

France  - 
In  my  behaviour. 

Johnson  explains  it  as:  "The  King 
of  France  speaks  in  the  character  which 
I    here    assume,"    Fleay  says:    "Not 
only  in  my  words,  but  in  my  bearing 
and  manner — my  assumption  of  super- 
iority." 
being,  n.    Dwelling.     Cym,  I,  6,  54. 
being,  adv.    When.     Ado.  V,  1,  61. 
being,  vb.    The  passage.  Ant.  Ill,  6,  29  : 
And,   being,   that  tve  detain  All  his 
revenue — evidently    means    that    "he 
being  deposed,  that  we  retain,  etc." 
Bel.    The  god  of  the  Chaldaeans,    Ado, 
III,  3,  144. 

The  word  Bel  signifies  Lord,  and  Bel 
was  one  of  the  highest  of  the  Babylonian 
deities.  To  him  was  attributed  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world  and  the  gift  of  healing 
diseases.  He  was  supposed  to  eat  and 
drink  like  a  human  being,  and  the 
apocryphal  book  of  Daniel  relates  his 
detection  of  the  cheat  of  Bel's  priests, 
who  came  every  night  through  private 


doors,  to  eat  what  was  offered  to  their 
deity. 
Belarius,  dr. p.    A  banished   lord;    dis- 
guised under  the  name  of  Morgan,  Cym. 
Belcli,  Sir  Toby,  dr.p.     Uncle  of  Olivia. 

Tw, 
be-leeM.  One  vessel  is  said  to  be  in  the 
lee  of  another  when  it  is  so  placed  that 
the  wind  is  intercepted  from  it,  lago's 
meaning,  therefore,  is  that  Cassio  had 
got  the  wind  of  him  and  be-calmed  him 
from  gaining  promotion.  0th.  I,  1,  30. 
beil.  Bells  were  attached  to  hawks  by 
the  falconers.  They  served  various  pur- 
poses, amongst  others,  to  frighten  game- 
birds.  Hence  the  allusions  in  Lucr. 
511  ;  3HVI.  I,  1,  47. 
bell,  book,  and  candle.  "In  the  solemn 
form  of  excommunication  used  in  the 
Romish  Church,  the  bell  was  tolled  ;  the 
book  of  offices  for  the  purpose  used ;  and 
three  candles  extinguished  with  certain 
ceremonies."  Nares.  John,  III,  3,  12. 
Bellona.  The  goddess  of  war.  By  Bel- 
lona\s  bridegroom  Macbeth  is,  of  course, 
meant.     Mcb.  I,  2,  54. 

It  is  very  probable  that  Bellona  was 
originally  a  Sabine  deity.  She  is  fre- 
quently mentioned  by  the  Roman  poets 
as  the  companion  of  Mars,  or  even  as 
his  sister  or  his  wife.  Her  temple  became 
of  political  importance,  for  in  it  the 
senate  assembled  to  give  audience  to 
foreign  ambassadors.  In  front  of  the 
entrance  to  the  temple  stood  a  pillar 
which  served  for  making  the  symbolical 
declarations  of  war,  the  area  of  the 
temple  being  regarded  as  a  symbolical 
representation  of  the  enemies  of  the 
country,  and  the  pillar  as  that  of  the 
frontier.  The  declaration  of  war  was 
made  by  launching  a  spear  over  the 
pillar. 
belly-pinched.    Starved;   hungry.    Lr. 

Ill,  1,  13. 
belly-doublet.    A  doublet  made  very  long 
in  front,  and  usually  stuffed  or  bom- 
basted  so  as  to  project  considerably  in 
front.     LLL.  Ill,  1,  19. 
Belzebub.    See  Beelzebub. 
be-mete.    To  measure.    Shr.  IV,  3,  113. 


BEM 


55 


BES 


betnoil.  To  bemire ;  to  daub  with  dirt. 
Shr.  IV,  1,  77. 

bending.  The  expression,  our  bending 
author  (HV.  Epilogue,  2)  means :  un- 
equal to  the  weight  of  his  subject  and 
bending  beneath  it.  Or  he  may  mean, 
as  in  Hml.  Ill,  2,  160:  "Here  stooping 
to  your  clemency. "  Steevens.  Probably 
the  first. 

bends.  The  passage  in  Ant.  II,  2,  213  : 
and  made  their  bends  adornings,  has 
given  rise  to  endless  conjecture  as  to  its 
meaning.  The  Variorum  of  1821  con- 
tains six  pages  of  comment  upon  it,  and 
there  has  probably  been  more  than 
that  offered  since.  Professor  Rolfe 
gives  the  following  as  the  most  accept- 
able interpretation:  "The  part  of 
North's  account  [in  his  translation  of 
Plutarch]  which  corresponds  to  made 
their  beyids  adornings  seems  to  be  the 
statement  that  the  gentlewomen  were 
apparelled  '  like  the  Graces  ;'  and  this 
might  suggest  a  reference  to  grace  in 
their  movements.  We  believe  that  in. 
all  that  has  been  written  on  the  passage 
no  one  has  called  attention  to  the  very 
close  paraphrase  of  North  which  Sh. 
gives:  'Her  ladies  and  gentlewomen 
*  *  *  were  apparelled  like  the  Nymphs 
Nereids  (which  are  the  mermaids  of  the 
waters)  and' — after  getting  so  far  we 
have  only  to  seek  a  parallel  for  'like 
the  Graces ;'  and  may  we  not  find  it  in 
made  their  bends  adornings  f — made 
their  very  obeisance,  as  they  tended 
her^  like  that  of  the  Graces  waiting  on 
Venus." 

Benedick,  dr.p.  A  young  lord  of  Padua. 
Ado. 

The  term  Benedict  is  used  to  signify  a 
married  man,  and  the  Century,  Stand- 
ard, and  other  large  dictionaries  tell  us 
that  it  is  derived  from  this  character  in 
Ado.  Brewer  ("  Phrase  and  Fable  ")  has 
the  following :  "A  married  man,  from 
the  Latin  benedictus  (a  happy  man)  and  a 
skit  on  the  order  of  St.  Benedict,  famous 
for  their  ascetic  habits,  and,  of  course, 
rigidly  bound  to  celibacy.  Sh. ,  in  Ado. , 
avails  himself  of  this  joke  in  making 


Benedick,  the  young  lord  of  Padua,  rail 
against  marriage,  but  afterwards  marry 
Beatrice,  with  whom  he  falls  in  love." 
So  that  whether  Sh.  took  the  idea  from 
a  common  joke  or  the  joke  originated 
with  Sh.  seems  to  be  a  question  to  be 
settled.  "  Benedick  is  an  easy  form  of 
Benedict. " — Century  Dictionary. 

Bennet.  A  contraction  of  Benedict.  The 
Church  of  St.  Benedick,  or  Bennet,  was 
at  Paul's  Wharf,  London.  It  was  des- 
troyed in  the  great  fire  of  1666.  Tw.  V, 
1,42. 

bent.  A  term  used  by  Sh.  for  the  utmost 
degree  of  any  passion  or  mental  quality. 
The  expression  is  derived  from  archery. 
The  bow  has  its  bent  when  it  is  drawn 
as  far  as  it  can  be.    Johnson. 

bent  brow.  Frowning  brow.  IHVI.  V, 
3,  34  ;  3HVI.  V,  2,  19 ;  Kins.  Ill,  1. 

Benedictus.    See  Carduus. 

ben  venuto.  (Ital.)  Welcome.  LLL.  IV, 
2,  164.     Shr.  I,  2,  282. 

Benvolio,  dr.p.  A  friend  of  Romeo. 
Rom. 

bergomask.  A  rustic  dance  framed  in 
imitation  of  the  people  of  Bergomasco 
(a  province  in  the  State  of  Venice) ,  who 
are  ridiculed  as  being  more  clownish  in 
their  manners  and  dialect  than  any 
people  in  Italy.  All  the  Italian  buffoons 
imitate  them.     Nares.     Mids.  V,  1,  360. 

Berkeley,  Earl,  dr.p.    RII. 

Bermoothes.  This  is  the  Spanish  pronun- 
ciation of  Bermudas.  "The  islands 
are  called  'still-vexed,'  that  is,  con- 
stantly, always  vexed  by  tempests,  from 
the  accounts  of  them  which  early  voy- 
agers brought  home,  and  which  were 
so  unvarying  in  their  character  that, 
as  Hunter  says,  the  Bermudas  became 
a  commonplace  in  Sh.  time  whenever 
storms  and  tempests  were  the  theme." 
Furness.     Tp.  I,  2,  229. 

Bernardo,  dr.p.     An  ofHcer.     Hml. 

Bertram,  dr.p.  Count  of  Rousillon.    Alls. 

beslabber.  To  besmear.  IHIV.  II,  4, 
244. 

besort,  n.  Suitable  surroundings-  Pth. 
I,  3,  239. 

besort,  v.    To  suit.    Lr.  I,  4,  272. 


BES 


56 


BIB 


Bessy.  Malone  tells  us  that  there  is  a 
peculiar  propriety  in  the  address  of 
Mad  Tom  to  Bessy — Mad  Tom  and  Mad 
Bessy  being  usually  companions.  "Bess 
of  Bedlam"  was  a  character  as  well 
known  among  the  vagrants  of  the  day 
as  "Tom  o'  Bedlam."  Lr.  Ill,  6,  27. 
See  bedlam. 

bested.  Another  form  of  bestead.  Placed; 
situated.  Worse  bested  =  placed  in 
worse  circumstances.    2HVI.  II,  3,  56. 

bestraught.  Distraught ;  distracted.  Shr. 
Ind.  II,  26. 

beteem.  l.  To  pour  out.  Mids.  1, 1, 131. 
2.  To  allow.    Hml.  I,  2,  141. 

betid.    Happened.    Tp.  I,  2,  31. 

Bevis,  Sir,  of  Southampton.  Referred 
to  in  HVIII.  I,  1,  38.  Also  in  the  old 
qu.  ed.  of  2HVI,  II,  3,  93,  though  the 
passage,  as  Bevis  of  Southampton  fell 
upon  Ascapart,  is  omitted  from  the 
accepted  text.  Bevis  was  a  Saxon  whom 
William  the  Conqueror  is  said  to  have 
created  Earl  of  Southampton. 

bezonian.  A  needy  fellow.  From  Ital. 
besogno,  or  French  besoin.  Cot.  thus 
explains  the  old  French  bisongne  ;  "  A 
filthie  knave  or  clown,  a  raskall,  bis- 
onian,  base  humored  scoundrell,"  2HIV. 
V,  3, 118.  Frequently,  but  erroneously, 
printed  with  a  capital  as  if  referring  to 
the  native  of  some  country.  Pistol's 
question  is  a  quotation  from  an  old  play 
current  in  the  time  of  Sh. 

Bianca,  dr.p.    Mistress  of  Cassio.    0th. 

Bianca,  dr.p.    Sister  of  Katherine.   Shr. 

Bigot,  Robert,  dr.p.  Earl  of  Norfolk. 
John. 

biding.    Abiding  place.    Lr.  IV.,  6,  228. 

bigamy.  This  term  does  not  always 
mean  having  two  wives  at  the  same 
time,  as  it  does  with  us.  "  Bigamy, 
by  a  canon  of  the  council  of  Lyons, 
A.D.  1274  (adopted  in  England  by  a 
statute  in  4  Edward  I),  was  made  un- 
lawful and  infamous.  It  differed  from 
polygamy  or  having  two  wives  at  once, 
as  it  consisted  in  either  marrying  two 
virgins  successively,  or  once  marrying 
a  widow."  Blackstone.  RIII.  Ill,  7, 
189. 


biggin.    A  night-cap.    2HIV.  IV,  5,  26. 

bilberry.  The  whortleberry  (Vaccinium 
Myrtillus).    Wiv.  V,  5,  49. 

Called  in  Scotland  the  blaeberry  (blue- 
berry). It  stains  the  lips  a  deep,  pur- 
plish blue.  Whortle  is  generally  pro- 
nounced hurtle,  and  it  is  probable  that 
this,  when  transferred  to  New  England, 
became ' '  huckleberry, ' '  and  was  applied 
to  a  similar  berry  of  a  different  species. 
See  robin. 

bilbo.  A  sword-blade  manufactured  at 
Bilbao,  Spain,  and  noted  for  its  flexi- 
bility and  fine  temper.  Wiv.  Ill,  V,  112. 

bilbos.  Iron  fetters  or  shackles.  Hml. 
V  2  6 

bill.  1.  A  kind  of  pike  or  halbert,  for- 
merly carried  by  the  English  infantry, 
and  afterward  the  usual  weapon  of 
watchmen.  Nares.  Ado.  Ill,  3,  44; 
Rom.  I,  1,  80.  In  Ado.  Ill,  3,  191  and 
2HVI.  IV,  7,  135,  there  is  a  pun  upon 
bills  (weapons)  and  bills  (accounts). 
2.  A  placard  posted  by  public  challen- 
gers.    Dyce.     Ado.  I,  1,  39. 

bin.    Are.    Frequently  rendered  ts,  which 
is  a  grammatical  error,  bin  being  plural. 
In  Fl,  Cym.  II,  3,  28,  reads : 
And  winking  Mary -buds  begin  to  ope  their 

Golden  eyes 
With  everything  that  pretty  is,  my  Lady 
sweet  arise. 

In  order  to  make  a  rhyme  to  begin, 
Hanmer  wrote  : 

And  winking  Mary -buds  begin 

To  ope  their  golden  eyes 
With  all  the  things  that  pretty  bin. 
My  Lady  sweet,  arise. 
Most   modern    editors   very   properly 
restore  the  old  reading,  but  Warburton, 
Johnson,  and  many  others  retain  bin. 
bird-bolt.    A  short,  thick  arrow  with  a 
broad,  flat  end,  used  to  kill  birds  with- 
out piercing — by  the  mere  force  of  the 
blow.    Frequently  ascribed  to  Cupid. 
Ado.  I,  1,  42.     Nares.     See  bolt. 
birding.    Hawking  at  partridges.    Wiv. 

III,  3,  247. 

birth-child.  A  child  adopted  on  account 
of  being  born  in  a  certain  domain.    Per. 

IV,  4,  41. 


BIS 


57 


BLE 


bisson.    1.  Purblind.    Cor.  II,  1,  70. 
2.  Blinding.    Hml.  II,  2,  529. 

In  Cor.  Ill,  1,  131,  the  text  stands : 
bosome-niultiplied  in  all  the  folios. 
Collier's  MS.,  as  given  in  his  notes, 
reads  bisson  tmdtitude,  and  this  is  the 
reading  in  every  important  subsequent 
edition.  The  Cambridge  eds.  credit 
this  correction  to  Dyce,  which  is  cer- 
tainly wrong. 

bite.  The  phrase :  I  will  bite  my  thumb 
at  them  (Rom.  I,  1,  48)  seems  to  indicate 
a  mode  of  insult  common  in  Sh.  time. 
Decker,  in  his  "  Dead  Term,"  has  the  ex- 
pression :  "  What  byting  of  thumbs  to 
beget  quarrels!"  Cot.  s.v.  nique,  has 
"  Faire  la  nique.  To  mocke  by  nodding, 
or  lifting  up  of  the  chinne  ;  or  more 
properly,  to  threaten  or  defie  by  putting 
the  thumbe  naile  into  the  mouth,  and 
with  a  jerke  (from  th'  upper  teeth) 
make  it  to  knacke. "    See  ear. 

bitter-sweeting.  A  kind  of  apple  which 
seems  to  have  been  used  for  making 
sauce.     Rom.  II,  4,  83. 

Black  Monday.  Easter  Monday.  Merch. 
II,  5,  2.5. 

So  called  from  the  severity  of  that 
day,  April  14,  1360,  which  was  so  extra- 
ordinary that  of  Edward  Ill's  soldiers 
then  before  Paris,  many  died  with  the 
cold. 

blacks.  Mourning  clothes.  Wint.  I,  2, 
133. 

bladed  corn.  No  difficulty  has  ever  been 
suggested  in  regard  to  bladed  grass 
(Mids.  I,  1,  211),  but  the  expression 
bladed  corn  (Mcb.  IV,  1,  5.5)  has  given 
rise  to  considerable  discussion  since  the 
publication  of  Collier's  "Notes."  On 
the  famous  second  folio  margin  Col- 
lier found  bleaded,  that  is,  in  the  ear, 
substituted  for  bladed,  which  signifies 
the  stage  just  before  the  ear  is  fuUy 
developed  ;  he  has  adopted  this  reading 
on  the  ground  that  while  corn  in  the 
ear  {bleaded)  is  often  lodged  by  storms, 
com  in  the  blade,  or  leaf,  is  not  liable 
to  this  accident.  But  it  seems  to  me 
that  this  is  the  very  reason  why 
"  bladed  "  is  the  correct  reading.    Any    i 


moderately  heavy  rain-storm  will  cause 
corn  in  the  ear  to  lodge,  but  it  requires 
a  terrific  storm  of  wind  and  rain  to 
cause  com  in  the  blade  to  lodge,  and 
this   is   just    what    Macbeth    meant : 
"  Though  the  storm  be  so  severe  as  to 
cause  com  to  lodge  even  while  in  the 
blade."    It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that 
corn  here  means  wheat. 
Blanch,  of    Spain,    dr. p.     Daughter    of 
Alphonso,  King  of  Castile,  and  niece  to 
King  John.    John. 
blank.    "The  white  mark  in  the  middle  of 
a  target ;  hence,  metaphorically,  that 
which  is  aimed  at.     Wint.  II,  3,  5. 
blanks.    A  mode  of  extortion  by  which 
blank  papers  were  given  to  the  agents 
of  the  crown,  which  they  were  to  fill 
up  as  they  pleased,  to  authorize   the 
demands  they  chose  to  make.    Nares. 
RII.  II,  1,  251. 
blazon.    Publication ;  revelation.    Hml^ 

I,  5,  21.  See  eternal. 
blear.  To  inflame  or  make  sore ;  hence 
to  make  the  sight  dim.  Shr.  V,  1,  120. 
Blear-eyed  has  been  suggested  as  the 
true  reading  of  Tp.  1, 2, 270,  which  stands 
in  the  accepted  text  blue-eyed ;  in  Fl 
blew-ey''d.  The  term  "blue-eyed  "  con- 
veys no  disagreeable  impression,  while 
blear-eyed  very  weU  describes  the  offen- 
sive look  of  an  old  witch  whose  eyes  are 
inflamed  and  blinking  owing  to  the 
smoke  of  her  hut  and  her  incantations. 
Dr.  Furness  accepts  blue-eyed  as  refer- 
ring to  the  arcus  senilis,  the  bluish 
circle  which  appears  in  the  cornea  in 
old  age,  and  which  "is  wont  to  give  a 
baleful  expression."  For  a  complete 
review,  see  the  new  Variorum  ed.  by 
Furness.  See  blue-eyed. 
blench.    To  start  aside ;  to  flinch.    Meas. 

IV,  5,  5 ;  Hml.  II,  2,  626. 
blenches.  Inconstancies.  Sonn.  CX,  7. 
bless.  To  defend  from  ;  to  keep  from. 
A  common  use  of  the  word  among  old 
writers.  Ado.  V,  1,  145 ;  RIII.  Ill,  3, 
5 ;  Troil.  II,  3,  32. 

God  bless  the  mark.  Merch.  II,  2,  25. 
Of  this  expression  Rolfe  says,  "the 
origin  and  meaning  are  alike  obscure." 


BLI 


58 


BOL 


The  Clarendon  ed.  tells  us  that  it  is 
used  "  as  a  parenthetic  apology  for  some 
profane  or  vulgar  word ;"  in  such  cases 
=  save  your  reverence.  But  it  seems 
to  me  more  likely  that  in  this  case  it  is 
=  God  save  us — i.e.,  from  the  devil 
whom  he  is  about  to  name ;  the  mark 
being  probably  the  sign  of  the  cross. 

blindworm.  A  small  lizard  {Anguis 
fragilis),  sometimes  erroneously  called 
a  snake.  It  is  without  feet  and  has 
small  eyes  covered  with  moveable  lids. 
Generally  supposed  to  be  blind  ;  hence 
the  name.  Also  supposed  to  be  deaf 
and  exceedingly  poisonous.  It  is  neither 
blind  nor  deaf,  and  is  not  poisonous. 

blistered.  Garnished  with  puff  s.  HVIII. 
I,  3,  31. 

block.     I.  The  wood  on  which  a  hat-  is 
formed.     Ado.  I,  1,  78. 
2.  The  fashion  of  a  hat.     Lr.  IV,  6,  188. 

blood.  In  blood  is  a  term  in  hunting, 
and  signifies  in  perfect  condition.  LLL. 
IV,  2,  4;  IHVI.  IV,  2,  48.  / 

blood-boltered.    See  bolter.  \. 

blood,  worst  in.  In  worst  condition.  Cor. 
I,  1,  141. 

blood-sized.  Smeared  over  with  blood, 
as  with  size  or  glue.     Kins.  I,  1. 

blow.    To  puflP  up.    Tw.  II,  5,  48. 

blowse.  A  coarse,  redfaced  beauty.  Tit. 
IV,  2,  73. 

blue-bottle.  A  name  given  in  derision 
to  the  beadles  on  account  of  their  blue 
coats.  2HIV.  V,  4,  23.  It  is  a  curious 
fact  that  in  modern  London  slang  police- 
men still  are  called  "  blue- bottles. " 

blue-eyed.  Explained  by  some  editors  as 
having  a  blue  or  blackish  circle  round 
the  eyes.  Dr.  Furness  claims  that  those 
eyes  which  Sh.  called  blue  would  be,  by 
us,  called  grey;  a  somewhat  difficult 
thing  to  prove.     See  blear. 

blue-cap.  A  Scot,  so-called  from  the  blue 
bonnets  worn  by  the  Scots.  IHIV.  II, 
4,  392. 

Blunt,  Sir  James,  dr. p.  Great-grandson 
of  the  Sir  Walter  Blunt  in  IHIV.  ;  RIII. 

Blunt,  Sir  Walter,  dr.p.  Personated  the 
the  king  at  the  battle  of  Shrewsbury, 
and  was  killed  by  Douglas.    IHIV. 


blurted  at.    Sneered  at.    Per.  IV,  3,  34. 

boar  of  Thessaly.  A  monstrous  animal 
which  Diana  sent  to  waste  the  fields  of 
Calydon,  because  CEneus,  the  king  of 
the  place,  once  neglected  to  offer  up  a 
sacrifice  to  the  goddess.  No  one  dared 
to  attack  the  terrible  animal  until  Mel- 
eager,  who  had  just  returned  from  the 
Argonaulic  expedition,  gathered  a  band 
and  attacked  it.  Meleager  slew  it  with 
his  own  hand.    See  Althcea. 

board,  n.  Table.  Err.  V,  1,  64.  "Our 
ancestors  took  their  meals  on  loose 
boards,  supported  by  trestles,  and  this 
custom  continued  tiU  Sh.  time,  and 
probably  after.  Capulet,  in  Rom.  I,  5, 
29,  directs  his  servants  to  "  turn  the 
tables  up  "  to  make  room,  by  which  it 
appears  that  they  were  loose  boards 
placed  upon  moveable  stands. " — Toone. 
Steevens  says  these  boards  were  hinged 
together,  but  this  was  not  generally  the 
case. 

board,  vb.    To  accost.    Shr.  I,  2,  95. 

bob,  n.  A  blow  ;  metaphorically  a  sar- 
casm.   As.  II,  7,  55. 

bob,  V.  1.  To  strike  ;  to  beat.  RIII.  V, 
3,  334. 

2.  To  knock.    Mids.  II,  1,  49. 

3.  To  get  in  a  cunning,  underhand  man- 
ner.    0th.  V,  1,  16 ;  TroH.  Ill,  1,  75. 

bodge.    To  yield  ;  to  give  way.    3HVI. 

I,  4,  19.    Some  define  bodge  =  a  bungle 
or  botch. 

bodikin,     j    Literally  a  little  body.  God's 

body  kins.  (  5odt//cm,s=  God's  little  body. 
Wiv.  II,  3,  46  ;  Hml.  II,  2, 554.  Said  to 
have  referred  originally  to  the  sacra- 
ment. 

bodkin.  An  instrument  for  piercing; 
hence  a  small  dagger.    Hml.  Ill,  1,  76. 

boggier.  A  swerver ;  a  vicious  or  in- 
constant woman.     Ant.  Ill,  13,  110. 

Bohemian  Tartar.  One  of  the  Host's 
bombastic  and  nonsensical  phrases. 
Wiv.  IV,  5,  21.  Some  have  suggested 
that  it  means  gipsy. 

boitier  vert.  (French.)  A  green  box. 
Wiv.  I,  4,  47. 

bold,  ad/.   Confident ;  full  of  trust.    Cym. 

II,  4,  2 ;  LLL.  II,  1,  28. 


BOL 


BOO 


bold,  V.  To  embolden  ;  to  encourage.  Lr. 
V,  1,  26. 

bolin.    Bowline.     Per.  Ill,  1,  43. 

Bolingbroke,  Henry,  surnamed,  dr.jj. 
Son  to  John  of  Gaunt,  and  afterwards 
Henry  IV.     RII. 

Bolingbroke,  Roger,  dr.p.  A  conjuror. 
2HVI. 

bollen.    Swollen.     Lucr.  1417. 

bolt,  n.  1.  A  sort  of  arrow.  See  bird- 
bolt.  The  shaft  was  sharp  and  generally 
barbed.  Hence  the  proverb  :  "  To  make 
a  shaft  or  a  bolt  of  it" — i.e.,  to  make 
one  thing  or  another  of  it.  Wiv.  Ill, 
4,  24.  The  explanation  of  Schm.  :  '"I 
will  take  the  risk,"  does  not  quite 
meet  the  case.  A  fooVs  bolt  =  a  point- 
less arrow,  fools  not  being  trusted  with 
dangerous  weapons.  HV.  Ill,  7,  132; 
As.     V,  4,  67. 

bolt,  V.    To  sift ;  to  refine.     Wint.  IV^,  3, 
377. 
2.  To  fetter  ;  to  chain  up.    Ant.  V,  2,  6. 

bolter.    A  sieve.    IHIV.  Ill,  3,  81. 

bolting^hutch.  The  wooden  receptacle 
into  which  meal  is  bolted.  Steevens. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  495. 

bombast.  Padding ;  cotton  used  to  stuff 
out  garments.  IHIV.  II,  4,  495.  0th. 
I,  1,  13  ;  LLL.  V,  2,  791. 

bombard.  A  leathern  vessel  used  for 
holding  liquor  ;  a  jack  or  black  jack. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  497.  Baiting  of  bombards 
=  swilling  liquor  or  refreshing  your- 
selves out  of  bombards.  HVIII.  V,  4, 
85.  Used  metaphorically  for  a  cloud  in 
Tp.  II,  2,  21. 

Bona,  Lady,  dr.p.  The  Princess  Bonne 
of  Savoy,  sister  to  the  French  queen. 
3HVI. 

bona-roba.  A  woman  of  light  character, 
so  called  because  they  are  generally 
showily  dressed.     2HIV.  Ill,  2,  26. 

bones.  1.  Fingers.  By  these  ten  bones  (i.e. 
fingers).  2HVI.  1, 3, 193.  An  old  form  of 
asseveration,  c.f.  Hml,  III,  2, 348.  Some- 
times takes  the  form  by  my  hand,  as  in 
2HVI.  V,  3,  29.  Fl.  Some  eds.  change 
this  to  by  my  faith.  See  pickers. 
2.  Pieces  of  bone  used  for  beating  time 
in  music.    Mids.  IV,  1,  32.     See  Tongs. 


3.  Bobbins  used  for  making  lace,  and 
generally  made  of  bone.    Tw.  II,  4,  46. 

4.  O,  their  bones,  their  bones  !  Rom. 
II,  4,  37.  Unintelligible  in  its  present 
form,  which  is  that  of  the  accepted  text. 
Sch.  suggests  that  it  means  :  I  should 
like  to  beat  them.  The  most  probable 
suggestion  is  that  of  Theobald,  who 
reads  6on's,  the  plural  of  the  French 
word  bon.  Mercutio  has  just  been 
ridiculing  his  Frenchified  countrymen 
for  their  pardonnez-moVs,  and  now 
turns  to  their  use  of  the  word  bon  which 
they  use  instead  of  "  good." 

bonfire.  A  blazing  fire  kindled  in  some 
open  place ;  generally  made  on  the 
occasion  of  some  rejoicing.  Wint.  V,  2, 
24 ;  0th,  II,  2,  5.  A  very  general  idea 
is  that  the  syllable  bon  is  the  French 
bon  =  good,  but  the  accepted  etymology 
is  that  the  word  is  bone-fire— a  fire  of 
bones,  and  that  it  refers  to  the  burning 
of  saints'  relics  in  the  time  of  HVIII. 
The  words  appears  to  be  no  older  than 
his  reign.     Skeat. 

bonjour.  French  for  good-day.  Tit.  I, 
1,  494. 

bonneted.  Cor.  II,  2,  30.  Generally  said 
to  mean  took  off  their  bonnets.  To 
express  this  idea  our  present  form  would 
be  unbonneted  (but  cf.  loose  and  un- 
loose). Cot.  has  "bonneter — to  put  off 
his  cap  unto;"  but  this  is  the  French 
idiom.  Dyce  says :  "  The  passage  is 
very  awkward  and  obscure ;"  but  the 
meaning  obviously  is  that  his  ascent 
was  not  so  easy  as  that  of  those  who 
merely  flattered  the  people  and  took 
off  their  caps  to  them  without  perform- 
ing any  meritorious  deeds.  Compare 
Cor.  V,  1,  5 : 

and  knee 
The  way  into  his  mercy. 

bonny.  Handsome ;  fair  ;  beautiful.  Set. 
Ado.  II,  3,  69;  Shr.  II,  1,  187;  Hml.  IV, 
5, 187. 

book.  In  addition  to  the  usual  meanings, 
sometimes  signifies  any  writing  or  paper, 
as  in  IHIV.  Ill,  1,  224  and  270.  In 
your  books  =  in  your  good  graces.  See 
also  bell,  book,  and  candle. 


BOO 


60 


BOW 


book-mate.    A  fellow  student.    LLL.  IV, 

1,  102. 
book-oath.    An  oath  made  on  the  Bible. 

2HIV.  II,  1,  111. 
boot.    Booty.    HV.  I,  2,  194 ;  IHIV.  II, 

I,  91.  In  the  latter  passage  there  is  a 
quibble  between  boots^  foot-covering, 
and  boots,  plunder. 

In  the  phrase  give  rtie  not  the  boots, 
Grent.  I,  1,  27,  the  allusion  has  been  sup- 
posed to  be  to  the  boot,  an  instrument 
of  torture,  and  the  meaning  is :  "do 
not  torture  me."  It  is  also  said  that 
"  to  give  one  the  boots  "is  an  old  pro- 
verbial expression  signifying  to  make  a 
laughing  stock  of  one.  The  French 
have  an  old  phrase,  Bailler  foin  en 
come,  which  Cot.  interprets  :  "  To  give 
one  the  boots ;  to  sell  him  a  bargain." 
See  bargain. 

Borachio,  dr.p.  Follower  of  Don  John. 
Ado. 

bore.    1.  The  caliber  of  a  gun  or  a  mea- 
sure of  its  size.     Hml.  IV,  6,  26. 
2.  A  hole.     Cor.  IV,  6,  87.     The  bores 
of  hearing  =  the  ears.    Cym.  Ill,  2,  59. 

borrower's  cap.  The  borrower  is  sup- 
posed to  be  ever  ready  to  off  with  his 
cap  and  show  complaisance  to  him  from 
whom  he  wishes  to  obtain  a  loan.  2HIV. 

II,  2,  124. 

bosky.  Woody.  Tp.  IV,  1,  81;  IHIV. 
V    1   2 

bosom.  1.  The  breast.  Abraham'' s  bosom 
=  the  abode  of  the  blessed.  The  passage 
in  Hml.  II,  2,  113 :  To  her  excellent 
white  bosom  these,  is  thus  explained  by 
Nares :  "  Affectation  pervaded  even  the 
superscriptions  of  letters  in  former 
times ;  they  were  usually  addressed  to 
the  bosom,  the  fair  bosom,  etc.,  of  a 
lady.  *  *  *  Women  anciently  had 
a  pocket  in  the  forepart  of  their  stays, 
in  which  they  not  only  carried  love- 
letters  and  love-tokens,  but  even  their 
money  and  materials  for  needlework." 
2.  Wish  ;  heart's  desire.  Meas,  IV,  3, 
139 ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  574.  For  bosom  mul- 
tiplied, see  bisson. 

botcher.  A  mender  of  old  clothes.  All's. 
IV,  3,  211. 


bots.  A  worm  which  infests  the  digestive 
tract  of  horses.  IHIV.  II,  1,  11  ;  Shr. 
Ill,  2,  56.  Sometimes  used  as  an  exe- 
cration, as  in  Per.  II,  1,  124. 

bottle.  A  small  bundle  or  truss.  This 
word  has  no  relation  to  the  word  bottle 
which  signifies  a  vessel  for  holding 
liquids.  It  is  the  diminutive  of  the 
French  botte,  a  bundle  of  hay,  flax,  etc. 
Skeat.  The  word  is  still  in  use  in  the 
proverb :  "  to  look  for  a  needle  in  a  bottle 
of  hay"— a  saying  which  conveys  no 
sense  until  we  understand  the  meaning 
of  bottle.  Mids.  IV,  1,  37.  In  some  old 
works  an  ostler  is  called  a  bottle-man. 
See  cat. 

bottled.  Having  a  lump  or  hump  (not 
necessarily  in  front).  Hence  =  hunch- 
back. Bottled  spider :  A  large,  bloated, 
glossy  spider,  supposed  to  contain  venom 
proportionate  to  its  size.    Ritson.    RIII. 

1,  3,  242. 

Bottom,  Nick,  dr.p.  A  weaver  who  takes 
a  part  in  the  play  of  Pyramus  and 
Thisbe.     Mids. 

bottom,  n.  A  ball  of  thread.  Shr.  IV, 
3,  138. 

bottom,  vb.  To  wind  thread.     Gent.  Ill, 

2,  53. 

Boult,  dr.p.    A  servant.     Per. 

bound,  vb.  To  cause  to  leap.  HV.  V, 
2,  145. 

Bourbon,  Duke  of,  dr.p.    HV. 

Bourchier,  Thomas,  dr.p.  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury  and  Cardinal.     RIII. 

bourn.  1.  A  boundary.  Hml.  Ill,  1,  79; 
Wint.  I,  2,  134. 

2.  A  brook  ;  equivalent  to  the  Sco.  word 
burn.     Lr.  Ill,  6,  27. 

bowget.  A  leathern  pouch  ;  a  budget. 
Wint.  IV,  2,  20. 

bow-hand.  The  hand  that  holds  the  bow, 
usually  the  left.  Wide  o'  the  bow  hand. 
LLL.  IV,  1,  135.  A  phrase  borrowed 
from  archery.  If  the  bow  be  not  held 
very  steadily  when  the  string  is  released 
to  let  the  arrow  fly,  the  bow  will  turn 
and  the  arrow  will  fly  wide  of  the 
mark.  Hence,  wide  o'  the  bow-hand = 
his  aim  or  intention  is  good,  but  skill 
and  strength  are  lacking. 


BOW 


61 


BBA 


bow-strings.  Hold,  or  cut  bow-strings. 
Mids.  I,  2, 114.  This  singular  expression 
is  thus  explained  by  Capell :  "  When  a 
party  was  made  at  butts,  assurance  of 
meeting  was  given  in  the  words  of  that 
phrase  ;  the  sense  of  the  person  using 
them  being  that  he  would  keep  promise 
or  they  might  cut  his  bow-strings  ;  de- 
molish him  for  an  archer."  i 

Boyet,  dr. p.  A  lord  in  attendance  on  i 
the  Princess  of  France.    LLL.  | 

boy-queller.  Boy-killer.  A  term  of  re-  i 
proach,  as  if  the  subject  were  able  to  ! 
fight  with  boys  only.     Troil.  V,  5,  45. 

boy,  V.    In  Sh.  time,  female  characters    \ 
were  acted  by  boys.     See  Hml.  II,  2.    j 
Cleopatra  dreads  that  she  should  see 
some   squeaking    Cleopatra    boy    her 
greatness — that  is,   personate    her   on 
the  stage.    Ant.  V,  2,  220.    See  ivoman. 

Brabantio,  dr.p.  A  senator,  father  of 
Desdemona.     0th. 

brabble.    A  quarrel.    Tw.  V,  1,  69. 

brace.  Armour  for  the  arm.  Per.  II, 
1,  133.  cf.  Vantbrace.  Figuratively, 
the  word  sometimes  stands  for  defence 
in  general,  as  in  0th.  I,  3,  24. 

brach.  1.  A  dog  that  hunts  by  scent. 
Lr.  Ill,  6,  72. 

2.  A  female  dog.     Lr.  I,  4,  125 ;  IHIV. 
Ill,  1,  240. 

Brackenbury,  Sir  Robert,  dr.p.  Lieu- 
tenant of  the  Tower.     RIII. 

braid,  adj.    Deceitful.    All's.  IV,  2,  73. 

braid,  v.  To  reproach.  Per.  I,  1,  93. 
Malone,  followed  by  some,  prints  the 
word  braid,  as  if  it  were  an  abbrevia- 
tion of  u2obraid.     See  gins. 

brain.  Beaten  with  brains  =  mocked. 
Ado.  V,  4, 104;  a  hot  brain  =  skill  in  in- 
vention. Wint.  IV,  4, 701.  Boiled  brains 
=  hot-headed  fellows.  Wint,  III,  3,  64. 
Much  throwing  about  of  brains  =  much 
satirical  controversy.  Hml.  II,  2,  376. 
Cure  thy  braines  [Now  vselesse)  boile 
within  thy  skidl.  Tp.  V,  1,  60  (as  in 
Fl.).  Modern  editions,  boiVd  for  boile. 
This  passage  has  given  rise  to  much  dis- 
cussion, but  the  general  meaning  is 
obvious.  Alonso  had  been  under  the 
spell  of  Prosper©  and  had  been  driven 


crazy  by  what  had  happened  to  him,  so 
that  his  brains  were  useless,  or  "boil- 
ing." Prospero  commands  him  and  his 
companions  to  stand  while  the  music 
does  its  work  and  the  charm  dissolves. 
For  a  full  discussion  see  Tempest.  New 
Variorum,  ed.  by  Furness,  page  238. 
brake.  The  only  meaning  given  to  this 
word  by  Schm.  is  thicket.    In  HVIII. 

I,  2,  75,  it  has  been  suggested  that  it 
means  an  engine  of  torture  like  the  so- 
called  Duke  of  Exeter''s  daughter,  but 
a  path  beset  with  thorns  and  briars  is 
equally  forcible.     The  passage  in  Meas. 

II,  1,  39:  Some  run  from  brakes  of 
ice,  has  thus  far  defied  the  commenta- 
tors. Rowe  read,  through  brakes  of 
vice.  Ingleby,  in  his  "  Hermeneutics  " 
devotes  considerable  space  to  this  pass- 
age, but  to  my  mind  without  clearing 
it  up. 

branched.  Adorned  with  needlework  re- 
presenting flowers  and  twigs.  Schm. 
Tw.  II,  5,  54. 

Brandon,  Sir  William.  Ealled  at  Bos- 
worth.    RIII. 

Brandon,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

brands.  There  is  a  difference  of  opinion 
as  to  the  meaning  of  this  word  in  Gym. 
II,  4,  91 : 

two  winking  Cupids 
Of  silver,  each  on  one  foot  standing,  nicely 
Depending  on  their  brands. 

Some  think  the  brands  are  torches,  as  in 
Sonn.  CLIII,  1,  and  CLIV,  2,  and  that 
the  Cupids  leaned  on  their  inverted 
torches  while  standing  on  one  foot. 
This  would  certainly  be  the  best  ar- 
rangement mechanically,  as  it  would 
give  two  points  of  support  to  each 
image.  Others  claim  that  the  brands 
are  the  brand-irons,  or  that  portion  of 
the  andirons  which  supported  the  logs, 
and  that  the  Cupids  stood  with  one  foot 
on  these.  Such  an  arrangement  would 
be  mechanically  very  weak,  and  not 
likely  to  be  used  by  a  good  workman. 
A  Cupid  standing  on  one  foot  and  un- 
obtrusively supported  by  his  inverted 
brand,  while  having  a  light,  airy,  and 
artistic  look,  would  be  very  strong. 


BBA 


BRI 


bras.  The  French  for  arm.  HV.  IV,  4, 
18.  It  is  pronounced  bra,  and  attention 
has  frequently  been  called  to  the  error 
made  by  Sh.  when  Pistol  mistakes  it  for 
brass,  the  s  in  the  French  word  being 
silent.  From  this  it  has  been  inferred 
that  Sh.  knowledge  of  French  must  have 
been  very  slight.  It  has  been  suggested 
that  the  pronunciation  may  have  been 
different  in  his  time,  but  we  know  that 
this  was  not  the  case,  for  Eliot,  in  his 
*'Orthoepia  Gallica,"  published  in  1593, 
directs  that  bras  de  fer  be  pronounced 
bra  de  fer.  Sh.  may  have  had  a  read- 
ing although  not  a  speaking  knowledge 
of  French. 

brave,  n.    Boast.    John,  V,  2,  159. 

brave,  adj.  1.  Bold  ;  courageous.  2HVI. 
IV,  8,  21. 

2.  Well-dressed  ;   splendid  ;   beautiful. 
Tp.  I,  2,  6  ;  III,  2,  104. 

The  word  here  takes  the  French  mean- 
ing.    See  face. 

bravery.    1.    Finery.     Shr.  IV,  3,  57. 
2.  Boastfulness.     Hml.  V,  2,  79. 

brawl.  A  kind  of  dance.  LLL.  Ill,  1,  9. 
From  the  French  branle,  to  shake. 
"  It  was  performed  by  several  persons 
uniting  hands  in  a  circle  and  giving 
each  other  continual  shakes,  the  steps 
changing  with  the  time."    Douce. 

break.  To  carve.  LLL.  IV,  1,  56.  See 
capon.  Broken  mouth  =  a  mouth  from 
which  some  of  the  teeth  are  gone. 
Broken  music  =  music  on  stringed  in- 
struments. ' '  The  term  originating  pro- 
bably f  rbm  harps,  lutes,  and  such  other 
stringed  instruments  as  were  played 
without  a  bow,  not  having  the  capability 
to  sustain  a  long  note  to  its  full  duration 
of  time. "  As.  I,  2, 150 ;  Troil.  Ill,  1,  52. 
This  was  the  explanation  first  offered 
by  Chappell,  but  he  afterwards  changed 
his  opinion  and  supposed  that  it  was 
music  by  a  set  of  instruments  from 
which  some  of  the  pieces  are  absent.  All 
explanations  of  the  phrase  seem  to  be 
mere  conjectures,  so  that  one  is  as  good 
as  another. 

breast.    Voice.    Tw.  II,  3,  20, 

breathe.    1.  To  exercise.    Hml.  V,  2, 181. 


2.  To  rest.  Cor.  I,  6,  1.  Breathe  in  your 
watering  =  stop  and  take  breath  while 
you  are  drinking.  IHIV.  II,  4,  17. 
Also  employed  in  other  and  more  usual 
senses. 

breathed.  Rendered  strong  by  exercise. 
LLL.  V,  2,  659  ;  As.  I,  2,  230;  Shr.  Ind. 
II,  50. 

breeched.  The  passage  in  Mcb.  II,  3, 122 : 
Their  daggers  unmannerly  breeched 
with  gore  has  had  many  explanations, 
none  satisfactory.  The  general  meaning 
is  obvious  enough,  but  some  of  the 
words  have  defied  the  commentators. 

breeching.  A  whipping.  I  am  no  breech- 
ing scholar  in  the  schools,  means : 
I  am  no  schoolboy  liable  to  be  whipt. 
Shr.  Ill,  1,  18. 

breed=bate.  One  who  fosters  quarrels. 
Wiv.  I,  4,  12. 

breese.  The  gadfly.  Troil.  I,  3,  48; 
Ant.  Ill,  10,  14. 

Briareus.  Referred  to  in  Troil.  I,  2,  30. 
Known  also  as  ^gaeon.  He  was  the 
son  of  Uranus  by  Gsea.  He  had  two 
brothers,  Gyges  and  Cottus,  and  the 
three  were  known  as  the  Uranids.  They 
are  described  as  huge  monsters,  with  a 
hundred  arms  and  fifty  heads  each.  On 
one  occasion,  when  the  Olympian  gods 
were  about  to  put  Zeus  in  chains,  Thetis 
called  in  the  assistance  of  -(Egaeon,  who 
compelled  the  gods  to  desist  from  their 
intention.  Being  hated  by  Uranus,  they 
were  concealed  in  the  depth  of  the  earth, 
but  when  the  Titans  made  war  upon  Zeus 
they  were  delivered  from  their  prison 
that  they  might  assist  him.  They  over- 
came the  Titans  by  hurling  three  hun- 
dred rocks  at  once. 

The  opinion  which  regards  JEgaeon 
(Briareus)  and  his  brothers  as  only 
personifications  of  the  extraordinary 
powers  of  nature,  such  as  are  manifested 
in  the  violent  commotions  of  the  earth, 
as  earthquakes,  volcanic  eruptions  and 
the  like,  seems  to  explain  best  the  various 
accounts  given  of  them. 

bribed  bucl(.    A  buck  divided  into  parts 
to  be  given  away.     Wiv.  V,  5,  27. 
This  expression  has  caused  much  un- 


BSI 


BBO 


necessary  perplexity.  Halliwell  gives 
stolen;  Theobald,  sent  as  a  prize  or 
present  ;  Schm.,  apreseyit  made  to  cor- 
rupt a  person,  but,  as  if  not  satisfied 
with  this,  tells  us  to  compare  with  de- 
formed, disdained,  etc.  Singer  gives 
the  meaning  which  we  have  adopted, 
because  we  find  in  Cot.  (1611)  :  "  Bribe  : 
f.  a  peece,  lumpe,  or  cantill  of  bread 
giuen  vnto  a  begger." 
bride=house.  A  public  hall  for  celebrat- 
ing marriages,  which  seems  to  have 
been  one  of  the  social  arrangements  of 
ancient  times.  Nares.  Kins.  I,  1. 
brief.  A  contract  of  espousals ;  a  license 
of  marriage.  Dyce.  All's.  II,  3,  186. 
Schm.  pronounces  this  passage  unin- 
telligible : 

the  favour  of  the  king 
Smile  upon  this  contract ;  whose  cere- 
mony 
Shall  seem  expedient  on  the  now-born 

brief, 
And  be  performed  to -flight : 

Fl.  and  F2.  have  *'  now  borne  ;"  others 
"  now  born. "  The  word  expedient  evi- 
dently carries  its  etymological  meaning 
and  signifies  quickly,  immediately  (see 
expedient).  The  meaning,  therefore,  is 
obvious :  the  ceremony  [of  marriage] 
shall  follow  immediately  on  the  con- 
tract just  made  [now  born]  and  be  per- 
formed to-night. 
brinded.  Brindled  ;  of  a  gray  or  tawny 
color,  with  streaks  or  bars  of  a  darker 
hue.  The  word  occurs  but  once  in  Sh. , 
Mcb.  IV,  1,  1.  The  association  of 
witches  and  cats  is  to  be  found  in  the 
folk-lore  of  almost  all  nations;  but  gen- 
erally the  "familiar"  of  the  witch  is 
supposed  to  be  a  perfectly  black  cat, 
without  a  single  white  hair  in  its  fur. 
Here,  however,  the  cat  is  gray,  and  in 
the  same  play  (I,  1,  9)  it  is  to  Gray- 
malkin  that  the  witch  makes  i-esponse. 
In  heraldry  it  means  spotted. 

bring.  To  conduct;  to  lead;  to  accom- 
pany. Meas.  I,  1.  63.  To  he  with  a 
person  to  bring  is  a  phrase  which  is 
common  in  the  old  dramatists,  but  of 


which  no  quite  satisfactory  explanation 
has  been  given.  Dyce  gives  several 
examples  of  its  use,  and  from  these  it 
would  seem  to  have  meant  to  get  even 
with,  to  humiliate.  It  occurs  but  once 
in  Sh.  Troil.  I,  2,  305.  We  give  two 
illustrative  quotations : 
And  heere  He  have  a  fling  at  him, 

that's  flat ; 
And,  Balthazar,  He  be  with  thee  to 

bring, 
And  thee,  Lorenzo,  etc. 

Kyd's  Spanish  Tragedy. 

Why  did  not  I  strike  her  ?  but  I  will 

do  something 
And  be  with  you  to  bring  before  you 

think  on't. 

Shirley  :  Tlie  BaU. 

brize.     See  breese. 

broach.  1.  To  pierce  through  ;  to  trans- 
fix.    Tit.  IV,  2,  85. 

2.  To  set  abroach,  q.v.  Shr.  I,  2,  84 ; 
3HVI.  II,  2,  1.59 ;  Tit.  II,  1,  67. 

brock.  A  badger  ;  used  as  a  term  of  re- 
proach.    Tw.  II,  5,  114. 

brogue.  A  stout,  heavy  shoe,  probably 
made  of  very  coarse  leather.  Cym.  IV, 
2,  214.  Schm.,  following  Nares,  says  a 
wooden  shoe.  Doubtful  if  wooden  shoes 
are  ever  clouted.     See  clout. 

broke.  To  act  as  a  procurer.  All's.  Ill, 
5,  74. 

broken  music.    See  break. 

broker.  A  go-between,  frequently  in  a 
vile  sense.  Compl.  173;  John,  II,  i, 
568  and  582. 

brooch.     To  adorn.     Ant.  IV,  13,  25. 

brook.  Flying  at  the  brook  =  hawking 
at  water  fowl.     2HVI.  II,  1,  1. 

broom-groves.  Groves  of  broom.  Fl. 
broome  groues.  Tp.  IV,  1,  66.  This 
word  has  given  much  trouble  to  the 
commentators,  so  much,  indeed,  that 
Hanmer  changed  the  word  to  brown 
groves,  the  point  made  being  that  the 
broom  plant  does  not  grow  large  enough 
to  form  a  grove.  It  has  been  suggested 
that  by  broome  Sh.  merely  meant  the 
tree  from  which  brooms  are  made,  and 
that  this  was  quite  as  often  the  birch  as 
the  broom.  Nares.  Schm.  interprets 
the  word  as  "groves  or  woods  over- 


BBO 


64 


BUG 


grown  with  genista  "  (broom) ;  but  if 
my  memory  fails  not,  the  broom  plant 
does  not  grow  freely  in  the  shade  of 
trees.  In  rich  land  the  broom  grows 
quite  tall,  high  enough  to  cast  the 
shadow  spoken  of  in  the  text,  and  so 
far  as  the  word  grove  is  concerned, 
such  terms  are  very  apt  to  be  elastic. 
Burns  speaks  of  "groves  o'  sweet 
myrtle,"  and  etymologists  tell  us  that 
"the  original  sense  must  have  been  a 
glade  or  lane  cut  through  trees. "  Skeat. 
Grove  probably  did  not  have  quite  the 
meaning  which  we  now  attach  to  it, 
but  rather  that  of  thicket.  Cot.  s.v. 
Chesnaye  has  "Chesnaye:  f.  A  wood, 
groue,  or  thicket  of  oakes."  At  any 
rate  the  broom  is  a  favorite  plant  with 
lovers;  the  Scotch  love  songs  are  full 
of  it. 

broomstaff.  The  handle  of  a  broom. 
They  came  to  the  b.  to  me  =  they  came 
within  a  broomstaff's  length  of  me. 
HVIII.  V,  4,  57. 

brotherhood.    1.    A    trading    company. 
Troil.  I,  3,  104. 
2.  A  religious  order.     Rom.  V,  2,  17. 

Brownist.  An  adherent  of  a  Puritan 
sect  founded  in  the  reign  of  Queen 
Elizabeth  by  Robert  Browne.  Dyce 
says  that  Browne  left  the  sect.  Nares 
tells  us  that  he  died  in  jail  in  1630,  aged 
about  80  years.    Tw.  Ill,  2,  34. 

bruising-irons.  Weapons.  RIII.  V,3,110. 
c/.  Troil.  II,  3,  18.  Also  Psalm  ii,  9. 
(Prayer-book  version)  Hunter.  Accord- 
ing to  Henley,  bruising-iron  =  the  mace 
with  which  some  of  the  English  cavalry 
were  armed,  but  this  idea  is  gross  and 
unpoetical.  The  expression  occurs  in 
a  prayer,  and  the  term  is  evidently 
generic,  not  specific. 

bruit.  Noise ;  report ;  rumour.  3HVI. 
IV,  7,  64. 

brush.    Rude  assault.    Troil.  V,  3,  34. 

Brutus,  Decius,  dr. p.  A  Roman  con- 
spirator. Caes.  His  name  really  was 
Decimus  Brutus.  Sh.  got  the  name 
Decius  from  North's  "  Plutarch." 

Brutus,  Junius,  dr.p.  A  Roman  tribune 
of  the  people.    Cor. 


Brutus,  Lucius  Junius.  There  was  a 
Brutus  once,  etc.  Caes.  I,  2,  159.  He 
brought  about  the  expulsion  of  Tar- 
quinius  Superbus.  When  consul  he 
condemned  his  sons  to  death  for  at- 
tempting to  restore  the  kingdom. 

Brutus,  Marcus,  dr.p.  A  conspirator 
against  Caesar.     Caes. 

bubulcles.  Pimples.  HV.  Ill,  6,  111. 
This  is  the  only  known  passage  in  which 
the  word  occurs. 

buck.    1.  Male  deer.    Troil.  Ill,  1,  127. 

2.  Linen  for  washing ;  also  the  lye  in 
which  the  clothes  are  steeped.  2HVL 
IV,  2,  51. 

3.  The  symbol  of  cuckoldom.  Wiv.  Ill, 
3,  167. 

buck-basket.  A  basket  for  soiled  linen. 
Wiv.  Ill,  3,  2. 

Buckingham,  Edward  Stafford,  Duke  of, 
dr.p.    HVIII. 

Buckingham,  Henry  Stafford,  Duke  of, 
dr.p.     RIII. 

Buckingham,  Humphrey  Stafford,  Duke 
of,  dr.p.    2HVI. 

Bucklersbury.  A  street  in  London, 
chiefly  inhabited  by  druggists,  whose 
chief  wares  were  simples  or  herbs. 
These  had  a  strong  odor.  Wiv.  Ill,  3, 
79. 

buck  of  the  first  head.  One  m  its  fifth 
year.     LLL.  IV,  2,  10. 

buck-washing.  Washing  in  lye.  Wiv. 
Ill,  3,  140. 

bug.  A  bugbear  ;  a  bugaboo.  3HVI.  V, 
2,  2.  The  word  bug  is  probably  derived 
from  the  Welsh  word  for  ghost  or 
spectre ;  bug-bear  =  spectre-bear.  The 
use  of  the  word  bug  to  signify  an  insect 
is  comparatively  recent.  The  word  bug- 
bear occurs  in  Troil.  IV,  2,  84. 

In  Matthew's  Bible,  Ps.  xci,  5,  is 
rendered :  "  Thou  shalt  not  nede  to  be 
afraid  of  any  bugs  by  night." 

bugle.  A  short  piece  of  glass  tubing  used 
as  a  bead;  generally,  though  not  always, 
black.  Bugle  bracelet  =  a  bracelet 
made  of  bugles,  or  ornamented  with 
bugles.  Wint.  IV,  4,  224.  Bugle  eye- 
balls =  black  eyes.  As.  Ill,  5, 47.  This 
we  gather  from  line  130,  where  Phoebe 


BUL 


65 


BUT 


says  :  "  He  said  iniiie  eyes  were  black. ' ' 
But  perhaps  this  was  only  Phoebe's 
interpretation  of  another  meaning.  It 
is  more  probable  that  bugle  means  bril- 
liant and  that  Phoebe  did  not  understand 
it.  This  would  be  just  like  one  of  Sh.  sly 
touches. 

Bull=calf,  dr.p.  One  of  Falstaff's  re- 
cruits.   2HIV. 

Bullen,  Anne,  dr.p.  Afterwards  Count- 
ess of  Pembroke  and  Queen.     HVIII. 

bulk.  A  projecting  part  of  a  building. 
0th.  V,  1,  1. 

bully-rook.  A  bragging  cheater.  Wiv. 
I,  3,  2.  It  has  been  objected  to  this  mean- 
ing of  the  word,  that  if  it  be  correct, 
the  host  would  never  have  applied  the 
term  to  his  best  customer.  But  this  is 
just  where  the  joke  comes  in.  Half  the 
time  the  host  does  not  understand  the 
meaning  of  the  words  he  uses.  Some 
eds.  have  suggested  bully-rock. 

Bunch  of  Grapes.    See  tavern. 

bung.    A  pickpocket.    2HIV.  II,  4,  136. 

bunting.  A  bird  resembling  the  skylark. 
"  The  general  resemblance  of  this  bunt- 
ing to  the  skylark  in  the  colour  of  its 
plumage  has  given  origin  to  another 
provincial  name  by  which  it  is  known, 
that  of  the  bunting  lark."  Yarrell's 
' '  History  of  British  Birds. ' '  I  took  this 
lark  for  a  bunting  =  I  did  not  give 
the  man  credit  for  what  he  really  is. 
All's.  II,  5,  7. 

burgonet.  A  close-fitting  helmet.  Ant. 
I,  5,  24. 

Burgundy,  Duke  of,  dr.p.    HV. 

Burgundy,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Suitor  for 
the  hand  of  Cordelia,  but  retires  when 
she  is  disinherited.  Called  by  his  ri\  al 
the  duke  of  "Waterish  Burgundy." 
Lr. 

burial.    See  death. 

bush.  A  sign  ;  an  advertisement.  As. 
Epi.  4.  A  bush  of  ivy  was  the  vintner's 
sign,  as  this  plant  was  sacred  to  Bacchus. 
It  was  so  consecrated,  because  when 
the  chi],d  Bacchus  lay  in  his  cradle  the 
nymphs  of  Nisa  concealed  him  from  the 
vengeance  of  Juno  by  covering  him 
with  ivy  trails. 


Bushy,  Sir  John,  dr.p.  A  creature  of 
Richard  II.     RII. 

busky.    Bushy.    IHIV.  V,  1,  2. 

buss.    A  kiss.    2HIV.  II,  4,  291. 

busy-less.  In  Fl.  Tp.  Ill,  1,  15,  the 
reading  is  busie  lest;  this  was  changed 
by  Theobald  to  busyless,  a  word  which 
is  found  nowhere  else  in  the  language. 
The  text  as  usually  given  reads  busy- 
lest. 

This  passage  is  the  great  crux  of  the 
play,  and  Dr.  Furness  tells  us  that  it 
"  has  received  a  greater  number  of 
emendations  and  staggers  under  a 
heavier  weight  of  comment  than,  I 
believe,  any  other  in  Sh. ,  not  excepting 
even  Juliet's  'runaways  eyes.'"  In 
evidence  of  this  he  gives  twelve  solid 
pages  of  fine  type  to  it,  and  then  con- 
cludes as  follows,  the  explanation  being 
credited  to  Hicl'cson  (1850).  Ferdinand 
says  in  effect :  "I  am  forgetting  my 
work ;  but  when  I  do  thus  forget,  my 
mind  so  teems  with  thoughts  that  I  am 
really  most  busy  when  I  seem  to  be 
least  busy,  and  by  these  sweet  thoughts 
I  am  even  refreshed  for  "my  work." 
The  spelling  lest  for  least  is  quite  com- 
mon with  old  authors. 

butcher.    See  lent. 

butcher's  cur.  Cardinal  Wolsey  is  said 
to  have  been  the  son  of  a  butcher. 
Johnson.    HVIII.  I,  1,  120. 

but.    1.    Except.    2HIV.  V,  3,  83;  do.  II, 
3,  8  ;  IHVI.  II,  2,  82. 
2.  Only.     Ado.  II,  1,  45. 

butt.  Goal ;  "the  end  to  which  I  was 
destined."     0th.  V,  2,  267. 

butt.  This  word  occurs  in  Fl.,  and  in 
most  eds.  is  rendered  boat.  Tp.  I,  2, 
146.  It  has  been  supposed,  however, 
and  not  without  good  reason,  that  butt 
is  tho  name  of  a  peculiar  kind  of  vessel. 
Some  have  supposed  that  it  means  a 
car  k,  which  is  absurd. 

buttery-bar.  In  large  establishments,  a 
room  whence  provisions  were  dispensed. 
Tw.  I,  3,  74.  Maria's  speech  is  thus 
explained  byKenrick:  "The  bringing 
the  hand  to  the  buttery-bar  and  letting 
it  drink,  is  a  proverbial  phrase  among 


BTTT 


CAD 


forward  Abigails,  to  ask  at  once  for  a 
kiss  and  a  present.  Sir  Andrew's  slow- 
ness of  comprehension  in  this  particular 
gave  her  a  just  suspicion  at  once  of  his 
frigidity  and  avarice." 

button.  1,  A  well-known  device  for 
fastening  clothes.  In  his  buttons  =  he 
is  able  to  do  it;  it  is  in  him.  It  is  a 
familiar  expression  to-day,  and  can 
cause  trouble  only  to  closet  students. 
Wiv.  Ill,  2,  71. 
2.  Buds.     Hml.  I,  3,  40. 

butt-shaft.  A  kind  of  arrow  used  for 
shooting  at  butts  ;  formed  without  a 
barb  so  as  to  be  easily  extracted.  Rom. 
II,  4,  16. 

Butts,  Doctor,  dr. p.  Physician  to  Henry 
VIII.    HVIII. 


buxom.  Lively  ;  fresh ;  brisk.  Buxom 
valour  =  vigorous  valour.  HV.  Ill, 
6,  27. 

by-drinkings,  or  drinkings  at  odd  times. 
Occasional  drinkings.     IHIV.  Ill,  3,  84. 

by'riakin.  By  our  Ladykin,  or  little 
Lady  (the  Virgin  Mary).  Mids.  Ill,  1, 
13. 

buzzard.  A  common  or  inferior  kind  of 
hawk,  and  one  not  easily  tamed.  Shr. 
II,  1,  208 ;  RIII.  I,  1,  133. 

There  is  no  doubt  about  the  meaning 
of  buzzard  in  Shr.  II,  1,  208,  but  it  has 
been  suggested  that  in  line  209  buzzard 
means  an  insect,  but  this  seems  to  miss 
the  point  which  turns  upon  the  mistake 
of  taking  a  gentle  turtle  for  a  hawk, 
and  one  untameable  at  that. 


^^g^sjABIN.  1.  To  dwell  in  a  cabin. 
(1^^  Tit.  IV,  2,  179. 
Jk^^  2.  To  imprison.  I  am  cabin'' d, 
^^-^i  cribb''d,  confined,  bound  in — 
i.e.,  made  a  prisoner  to  saucy  doubts 
and  fears.    Mcb.  Ill,  4,  24. 

cable.  Scope,  or,  as  we  say  colloquially, 
"rope."    Oth.  I,  2,  17. 

caco-demon.  A  bad  demon ;  an  evil 
spirit  of  the  worst  kind.  RIII.  I,  3, 
144. 

cade.  A  small  barrel  or  keg.  2HVI. 
IV,  2,  36. 

Cade,  Jack,  dr.p.    A  rebel.    2HVI. 

John  Cade,  or  as  he  is  called  in 
2H VI. ,  Jack  Cade,  was  born  in  Ireland 
and  killed  near  Heathfield,  in  Sussex, 
England,  July  12, 1450.  Cade's  rebellion 
was  chiefly  a  rising  of  Kentishmen  for 
real  or  imaginary  grievances.  At  first 
they  had  considerable  success.  They 
defeated  the  royal  army  at  Seven  Oaks, 
killing  the  commanders,  Sir  Humphrey 
Stafford  and  his  brother.  They  entered 
London  July  2,  and  put  Lord  Say  and 
his  son-in-law  to  death,  but  owing  to 
their  plundering  and  ravaging,  the  citi- 
zens of  London  became  enraged  and 


defeated  Cade  and  his  followers.  Cade 
fled  in  disguise,  and  his  death  is  said  to 
have  occurred  pretty  much  as  Sh.  has 
described  it. 

caddis.  Worsted  galloon ;  some  say  it  is 
so-called  because  it  resembles  the  caddis- 
worm.     Wint.  IV,  4,  208. 

caddis-garter.  Worsted  garter  ;  a  term 
used  in  derision.  Garters  of  the  time 
being  worn  in  sight:  they  were  usu- 
ally made  of  costly  material,  and  to 
wear  a  cheap,  coarse  kind  was  a  subject 
of  reproach.     IHIV.  II,  4,  80. 

cadent.    Falling.    Lr.  I,  4,  307. 

Cadmus.  Son  of  Agenor,  King  of  Phoe- 
nicia, and  brother  of  Europa.  When 
Europa  was  carried  off  by  Jupiter  to 
Crete,  Agenor  sent  Cadmus  in  search  of 
his  sister,  enjoining  him  not  to  return 
without  her.  Unable  to  find  her,  Cad- 
mus settled  in  Thrace,  but  having  con- 
sulted the  oracle  at  Delphi,  he  was  com- 
manded by  the  god  to  follow  a  cow  of 
a  certain  kind,  and  to  build  a  town  on 
the  spot  where  the  cow  should  sink 
down  with  fatigue.  Cadmus  found  the 
cow  in  Phocis,  and  followed  her  into 
Boeotia,  where  she  sank  down  on  the 


CAD 


67 


CAL 


spot  on  which  Cadmus  built  Cadmea, 
afterward  the  citadel  of  Thebes.  In- 
tending to  sacrifice  the  cow  to  Minerva, 
he  sent  some  persons  to  the  well  of 
Mars  (Ares)  to  fetch  water.  The  well 
was  guarded  by  a  dragon,  a  son  of 
Mars,  who  killed  the  men  sent  by  Cad- 
mus. Cadmus  slew  the  dragon,  and  by 
advice  of  Minerva,  sowed  the  teeth  of 
the  monster,  out  of  which  armed  men 
grew  up,  called  Sparti  (or  the  Soivn), 
who  killed  each  other,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  five,  who  were  the  ancestors  of 
the  Thebans. 

Cadmus  is  said  to  have  introduced 
into  Greece,  from  Phoenicia  or  Egypt, 
an  alphabet  of  sixteen  letters  and  also 
the  art  of  mining,  and  civilization  in 
general.    Mids.  IV,  1,  117. 

caduceus.  The  wand  of  Mercury,  around 
which  were  twined  two  snakes  repre- 
sented as  kissing  each  other.  Hyginus 
tells  us  that  Mercury  once  found  two 
snakes  fighting  and  divided  them  with 
his  wand ;  from  this  circumstance  they 
were  used  as  an  emblem  of  peace,  and 
from  caduceus  was  formed  the  word 
Caduceator^  which  signified  a  person 
sent  to  treat  of  peace.  The  caduceus 
had  the  power  of  inducing  sleep ;  hence, 
Milton  calls  it  the  "  opiate  rod. "  Troil. 
II,  3,  14. 

Cadwal,  dr.p.  The  assumed  name  of 
Arviragus.     Cym. 

Cadwalader.  The  last  king  of  the  Welsh 
or  ancient  Bi-itons.  Surnamed  Bhen- 
diged,  or  the  Blessed.  He  performed 
wondrous  feats  of  valour  in  defending 
Wales  against  the  Saxons,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  prophecy  of  Merlin,  he  is  one 
day  to  return  to  the  world  to  expel  the 
Saxons  from  the  land.  He  succeeded 
to  the  throne  in  634  and  died  in  664. 
HV.  V,  1,  29. 

Csesar,  Julius,  dr.p.     Caes. 

Caius  Julius  Cae^sar  was  born  July  12, 
100  B.C.  Killed  at  Rome,  March  15, 
44  B.  c.  Amongst  other  notable  achieve- 
ments, he  reformed  the  calendar  46  b.  c.  , 
and  gave  his  name  to  the  Julian  calen- 
aar  and  the  month  of  July.    His  famous 


"crossing  of   the  Rubicon"  occurred 
49  B.C. 

Caesar,  Octavius,  dr.p.  A  Roman  trium- 
vir.    Caes.  and  Ant. 

Csesario,  dr.p.  The  name  assumed  by 
Viola  while  in  the  disguise  of  a  man. 
Tw. 

Caesarion.  The  son  of  Cleopatra  by  Julius 
Caesar.     Ant.  Ill,  13,  162. 

cage.  1.  A  prison.  2HVI.  IV,  2,  56. 
2.  A  wicker-work  basket.  Rom.  II,  3,  7. 
The  expression  cage  of  rushes,  As. 
Ill,  2,  389,  has  called  forth  a  good  deal 
of  comment.  Some  think  it  refers  to 
the  rush  rings  used  by  country  folks  in 
a  mock  ceremony  of  marriage,  but  this 
seems  to  me  far  fetched.  Does  it  not 
rather  refer  to  the  cages  made  of  rushes 
by  children  who,  time  out  of  mind, 
have  therein  imprisoned  butterflies  and 
insects  of  various  kinds  ?  Such  a  cage 
is  the  very  emblem  of  flimsiness. 

Cain-coloured.  Yellow  or  red,  as  a  color 
of  hair,  being  esteemed  a  deformity, 
was  by  conmion  consent  attributed  to 
Cain  and  Judas,  and  these  characters 
were  generally  represented  in  old  tapes- 
tries with  yellow  or  red  beards.  It  has 
been  conjectured  that  the  odium  took 
its  rise  from  the  aversion  to  the  red- 
haired  Danes.  Wiv.  I,  4,  23 ;  As.  Ill, 
4,  10. 

Caithness,  dr.p.  A  Scottish  nobleman. 
Mcb. 

caitiff.  A  wretch  ;  slave ;  captive ;  hence, 
sometimes  a  witch.     All's.  Ill,  2,  117. 

Caius,  Dr.,  dr.p.  A  French  physician,  in 
love  with  Anne  Page.     Wiv. 

Caius,  dr.p.  Name  assumed  by  Earl  of 
Kent  during  his  banishment.     Lr. 

Calchas,  dr.p,  A  Trojan  priest,  taking 
part  with  the  Greeks.  Father  of  Cres- 
sida.     Troil. 

In  Sh.  play  Calchas  is  represented  as 
a  Trojan,  who  has  deserted  his  country 
and  gone  over  to  the  enemy,  but  there 
is  no  trace  of  this  story  in  the  ancient 
legends.  See  Cressida.  He  was  the 
son  of  Thestor  of  Mycenae,  a  high- priest, 
and  the  wisest  soothsayer  amongst  the 
Greeks.     He  foretold  the  duration  of 


OAI 


68 


CAM 


the  Trojan  war,  even  before  the  Greeks 
sailed  from  Aulis,  and  while  they  were 
engaged  in  the  war  he  explained  to 
them  the  cause  of  the  anger  of  Apollo. 
An  oracle  had  declared  that  Calchas 
should  die  if  he  should  meet  with  a 
soothsayer  superior  to  himself ;  and  this 
came  to  pass  at  Claros,  for  Calchas  met 
the  famous  soothsayer  Mopsus  in  the 
grove  of  the  Clarian  Apollo,  and  was 
defeated  by  him  in  not  being  able  to 
state  the  number  of  figs  on  a  wild  fig- 
tree,  or  the  number  of  pigs  which  a  sow 
was  going  to  give  birth  to — things  which 
Mopsus  told  with  perfect  accuracy. 
Hereupon  Calchas  is  said  to  have  died 
of  grief.  Another  story  about  his  death 
runs  thus :  A  soothsayer  saw  Calchas 
planting  some  vines  in  the  grove  of 
Apollo,  near  Grynium,  and  foretold 
him  that  he  would  never  drink  any  of 
the  wine  produced  by  them.  When  the 
grapes  had  grown  ripe  and  wine  was 

•  made  of  them,  Calchas  Invited  the 
soothsayer  among  his  other  guests. 
Even  at  the  moment  when  Calchas  held 
the  cup  of  wine  in  his  hand  the  sooth- 
sayer repeated  the  prophecy.  This  ex- 
cited Calchas  to  such  a  fit  of  laughter 
that  he  dropped  the  cup  and  choked. 

calf's  skin.  The  phrase,  and  hang  a 
calfs  skin  on  those  recrea7it  limbs,  is 
thus  explained  by  Sir  John  Hawkins : 
"  Fools,  kept  for  diversion  in  great 
families,  were  often  distinguished  by 
coats  of  calfskin,  with  buttons  down 
the  back.  Therefore,  Constance  and 
Faulcon bridge  mean  to  call  Austria  a 
fool  in  that  sarcastic  line  so  often  re- 
peated." To  this  Ritson  replies :  "  But 
it  does  not  appear  that  Constance  means 
to  call  Austria  a  fool,  as  Sir  John 
Hawkins  would  have  it;  but  she  cer- 
tainly means  to  call  him  coward,  and 
to  tell  him  that  a  calfs  skin  would  suit 
his  recreant  limbs  better  than  a  lion's." 
John  III,  1,  129. 

Caliban,  dr.p.  A  savage  and  deformed 
slave ;  the  son  of  Sycorax.     Tp. 

Some  coms.  contend  that  the  name 
Caliban  is  an  anagram  of  cannibal^ 


but  there  does  not  seem  to  be  any  good 
ground  for  this.  It  has  been  suggested 
that  the  idea  of  Caliban  is  of  Hebraistic, 
or  at  least  of  Oriental  origin,  and  is,  in 
fact,  no  other  than  the  fish-god  Dagon 
of  the  Philistines.  For  a  full  exposition 
of  this  theory  see  Hunter's  "New  Illus- 
trations," Vol,  I,  p.  183,  or  Furness's 
"Tempest,"  p.  65. 

calculate.  To  prophesy.  Caes.  I,  3,  65. 
This  application  of  the  word  evidently 
had  its  origin  in  the  practice  of  as- 
ti'ology.  Is  our  Americanism,  "I  cal- 
culate," a  relic  of  this  old  use  of  the 
word  and  brought  over  by  the  first 
settlers  ? 

caliver.  A  hand  gun,  less  and  lighter 
than  a  musket,  and  fired  without  a 
rest.  Dyce.  IHIV.  IV,  2,  21;  2HVI. 
Ill,  2,  289. 

Calipolis.  A  character  is  Peele's  bom- 
bastic tragedy,  "The  Battle  of  Alcazar." 
Feed  and  be  fat,  my  fair  C.  (2HIV. 
II,  4,  193)  is  a  travesty  of  one  of  the 
lines. 

calling.  Appellation;  title.  As.  I,  2, 
245. 

callat,  \    A    woman   of    bad   character. 

callet,  [     Wint.  II,  3,  90 ;  2HVI.  I,  3,  86 ; 

callot.  )     0th.  IV,  2,  121. 

calm.  A  Quicklyisra  for  qualm.  2HIV. 
II,  4,  40. 

Calpurnia,  dr.p.  Wife  of  Julius  Caesar. 
Caes. 

Calydon.  The  prince's  heai-t  of  Calydon. 
2HVI.  I,  1,  235.     See  Meleager. 

Cambio,  dr.p.  Name  assumed  by  feucen- 
tio  in  Sh. 

Cambridge,  Earl  of,  dr.p.  A  conspirator. 
HV. 

Cambyses.  King  of  ancient  Persia.  In 
King  Cambyses  vein  (IHIV.  II,  4,  425); 
an  allusion  to  Preston's  play  entitled: 
"A  lamentable  Tragedie  *  *  *  c©n- 
taining  the  life  of  Cambises,  King  of 
Percia  *  *  *  and  his  odious  death 
by  God's  lustice  appointed." 

Camillo,  dr.p.     A  Sicilian  lord.     Wint. 

Camelot.  The  place  where  Arthur  kept 
his  court  in  the  west.  In  the  parts  of 
Somersetshire,  near  Camelot,  there  are 


CAM 


CAP 


many  large  moors,  upon  which  great 
numbers  of  geese  are  bred.  In  Lr,  II, 
5,  90,  there  is,  perhaps,  a  double  allu- 
sion to  Camelot  as  famous  for  its  geese, 
and  to  those  knights  who  were  van- 
quished by  the  Knights  of  the  Round 
Table  being  sent  to  Camelot  to  yield 
themselves  vassals  to  King  Arthur. 

Campeius,  Cardinal,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

can.  An  old  way  of  spelling  gan  {began). 
Pilgr.  232 ;  LLL.  IV,  3,  106  ;  Per.  Ill, 
Prol.  36. 

can.  To  know  ;  to  be  skilful  in.  Hml. 
IV,  7,  8.5. 

canakin.  A  little  can  ;  a  mug.  0th.  II, 
3,  71.     See  clink. 

canary.  A  quick  and  lively  dance.  All's. 
II,  1,  77. 

canary.  A  blunder  of  Mrs.  Quickly  for 
quandary.  Wiv.  II,  2,  61  and  64.  Dr. 
Schmidt  objects  to  this  interpretation 
on  the  ground  that  "this  word  is  un- 
known to  Sh."  The  word  (quandarie) 
was  used  by  Greene  in  his  "  Mamillia  " 
(printed  1.593).  Greene  died  in  1592,  and 
as  he  had  lampooned  Sh. ,  Sh.  may  have 
ridiculed  some  of  his  expressions.  Sh. 
was  well  acquainted  with  Greene's 
works,  for  the  "  Winter's  Tale "  is  a 
dramatization  of  one  of  Greene's  stories, 
Pandosto. 

candidatus.  A  Roman  name  for  a  suitor 
for  a  high  office,  so  called  from  his 
white  gown.     Tit.  I,  1,  185. 

Canidius,  dv.p.  Lieutenant-general  of 
Antony.     Ant. 

canker.    The  dog-rose.     Ado.  I,  3,  28. 

canker^bloom.  The  flowers  of  the  wild 
rose.     Sonn.  LIV,  5. 

canker=blossom.  A  worm  that  preys  on 
blossoms.     Mids.  Ill,  2,  282. 

candle.     See  belli,  book,  and  candle. 

candle's  ends.  "It  may,  perhaps,  be 
asked  why  drinking  off  candle's  ends 
for  flap-dragons  should  be  esteemed  an 
agreeable  qualification  ?  The  answer  is, 
that  as  a  feat  of  gallantry,  to  swallow  a 
candW s-end  formed  a  more  formidable 
and  disagreeable  flap-dragon  than  any 
other  substance,  and  therefore  aftorded 
a  stronger  testimony  of  zeal  for  the 


lady  to  whose  health  it  was  drunk." 
Nares.  2HIV.  II,  4,  267.  See  flap- 
dragon. 

candle^mine.  A  huge  mass  of  tallow, 
2HIV.  II,  4,  326. 

candle-waster.  One  who  sits  up  at  night 
either  for  study  or  revelry.  Ado.  V, 
I,  18. 

cannibal.  One  who  eats  human  flesh. 
3HVI.  I,  4,  152;  0th.  I,  3,  143.  In 
2HIV.  II,  4,  180,  Pistol,  in  his  bombastic 
speech,  evidently  uses  cannibals  for 
Hannibals,  and  in  Meas.  II,  1,  183, 
Elbow  uses  Hannibal  for  cannibal. 

canstick.  A  candlestick.  IHIV.  Ill,  1, 
1.31. 

Canterbury,  Archbishop  of,  Bourchier, 
dr.p.     RIII. 

Canterbury,  Archbishop  of,  Chicheley, 
dr.p.     HV. 

Canterbury,  Archbishop  of,  Cranmer, 
dr.p.    HVIII. 

cantle.  A  piece ;  a  part.  IHIV.  Ill,  1, 
100  ;  Ant.  Ill,  10,  6. 

canton.  A  song.  Tw.  1,  5,  289  and  III, 
1,  100. 

canvass.  To  toss,  as  in  a  blanket.  In 
2HIV.  II,  4,  243,  this  is  undoubtedly 
the  signification,  but  in  IHVI.  I,  3,  36, 
this  meaning  does  not  apply  so  well. 
To  tumble  the  bishop  into  his  hat  and 
toss  him  therein  is  not  very  feasible.  A 
writer  in  the  Edinburgh  Review  (Oct. 
1872)  suggests  that  canvass  here  means 
to  trap  or  to  ensnare,  canvass  being  a 
technical  name  for  a  net  used  for  catch- 
ing wild  hawks.  The  hat  being  the 
emblem  of  his  position,  which  he  abused 
by  granting  immoral  licences,  he  would 
be  caught  in  it. 

canzonet.  A  song  ;  a  ditty.  [Ital.  can- 
zo7ietta.]    LLL.  IV,  2,  125. 

cap.  A  covering  for  the  head  ;  meta- 
phorically, the  top.  Tim.  IV,  3,  363; 
Hml.  II,  2,  233,  and  cf.,  our  collo- 
quial: "  that  caps  all. " 

capable.    Capacious.     0th.  Ill,  3,  4.59. 

cap-a-pe.  From  head  to  foot.  Wint. 
IV,  4,  761 ;  Hml.  I,  2,  200.  In  some  eds. 
cap-a-pie,  the  old  French  form. 

Caphis,  dr.p.     A  servant.    Tim. 


CAP 


70 


CAB 


caper.  The  unexpanded  flower  of  the 
caper-bush,  used  for  pickling.  For 
quibble,  see  mutton. 

capitulate.    1.    To  make  head.     IHIV. 

III,  3,  120. 

2.  To  treat  with;  to  make  agreement. 
Cor.  V,  3,  83. 
capocchia.    (Ital.)    A  simpleton.     Troil. 

IV,  3,  33. 

capon.  Besides  the  usual  and  well-known 
meaning  of  the  word  as  applied  to 
certain  kinds  of  fowl  (Gent.  IV,  4,  10 ; 
Hml.  Ill,  3,  100),  it  is  also  applied  as  a 
term  of  reproach  (Err.  Ill,  1,  33  ;  Ado. 

V,  1,  155,  where  the  inference  is  obvi- 
ous). It  has  been  suggested  that  in 
Cym.  II,  1,  35,  there  is  a  quibble  (capon 
=  cap  on  =  coxcomb).  In  LLL.  IV,  1, 
56,  the  word  capon  evidently  means  a 
love-letter.  Theobald,  in  reference  to 
this  passage,  says  :  "  Our  poet  uses  this 
metaphor  as  the  French  do  their  pou^e^, 
which  signifies  a  young  fowl  and  a 
love-letter.  The  Italians  use  the  same 
manner  of  expression  when  they  call  a 
love-epistle  una  pollicetta  [polizzetta] 
aino7'osa.  I  ow'd  the  hint  of  this  equi- 
vocal use  of  the  word  to  my  ingenious 
friend  Mr.  Bishop. "  Farmer,  the  famous 
Sh.  critic,  adds :  "  Heniy  IV.  consulting 
wdth  Sully  about  his  marriage,  says  : 
'  My  niece  of  Guise  would  please  me 
best,  notwithstanding  the  malicious 
reports  that  she  loves  poulets  in  paper 
better  than  in  a  fricassee.'  "  See  also 
carve  and  break. 

caprice io.  (Italian.)  Caprice ;  fancy. 
All's.  II,  3,  310. 

capricious.  J  am  here  with  thee  and  thy 
goats,  as  the  most  c.  poet,  honest  Ovid, 
was  among  the  Ooths.  As.  Ill,  3,  8. 
Meaning  here  is  uncertain.  The  pun 
on  Goths  and  goats  (the  th  having  fre- 
quently the  sound  of  t  in  Sh.  time)  is 
obvious.  Ovid  may  here  be  called 
"capricious,"  as  being  notedly  amatory 
(See  his  Art  of  Love),  and  the  goat  is 
one  of  the  most  salacious  of  animals. 
(0th.  Ill,  3,  403.) 

captious.  Various  meanings  have  been 
given  to  this  word  as  it  occurs  in  All's. 


I,  3,  308.  Schm.  makes  it  =  "capaci- 
ous." Here,  as  in  many  other  cases, 
Sh.  probably  gave  it  the  purely  ety- 
mological meaning,  taking,  so  that 
"captious  and  intenible  "  would  mean 
"  taking  and  not  holding." 

captivate,  adj.  Captive.  IHVI.  II,  3, 
43. 

Capucius,  dr.p.  Ambassador  from 
Charles  V.    HVIII. 

Capulet,  dr.p.    Father  of  Juliet.     Rom. 

Capulet,  Lady,  dr.p.  Wife  of  Capulet, 
and  mother  of  Juliet.     Rom. 

car.  In  the  expression :  Though  our 
silence  be  drawn  from  us  with  cars 
(Tw.  II,  5,  71),  the  meaning  has  never 
been  satisfactorily  ascertained.  John- 
son makes  cai-s  =  carts.  Perhaps  Fabian 
means  though  our  silence  be  drawn 
from  us  by  whipping  at  the  carVs  tail, 
a  well  known  mode  of  punishment  at 
that  time.  Jackson  suggested  cats, 
meaning,  of  course,  the  cat-o' -nine-tails. 
But  was  this  word  in  use  then  in  that 
sense  ?  Hanmer  suggested  ears,  and 
this  reading  is  adopted  by  Rolf  e. 

caraclc.  A  large  ship  of  burden.  (Ital. 
caracca.)  Cot.  tells  us  that  a  carraque 
is :  "  The  huge  ship  tearmed  a  carricke. ' ' 
Err.  Ill,  3,  140 ;  0th.  1,  3,  50  ;  Kins. 
Ill,  4. 

caraways.  Comfits  made  with  caraway 
seeds.    3HIV.  V,  3,  3. 

carbonado.  Meat  scotched  for  broiling. 
IHIV.  V,  3,  61. 

carcanet,  )       A   necklace ;   a  collar  of 

carkanet.  f  jewels.  Err.  Ill,  1.  4 ;  Sonn. 
LII,  8. 

card,  i;.  To  debase  by  mixing.  IHIV. 
Ill,  3,  63. 

This  use  of  the  word  was  not  uncom- 
mon in  Sh.  time.  Thus,  in  Greene's 
"Quip  for  an  Upstart  Courtier"  we 
find  :  "You  card  your  beer,  if  you  see 
your  guests  begin  to  be  drunk,  half 
small,  half  strong." 

card,  n.  1.  The  face  of  a  mariner's  com- 
pass.    Mcb.  I,  3,  17. 

2.  Printed  or  written  rules.     Hml.  V,  1, 
149.     See /ace. 
A  "cooling  card"  is  a  stroke  whicli 


CAB 


.71 


CAS 


suddenly  turns  the  tables.     IHVI.  V,  3, 
84. 

Cardecue.  A  quarter  of  a  French  crown. 
{quart  d'ecu).     All's.  IV,  3,  311. 

Cardinal  Beaufort,  dr.p.  Bishop  of  Win- 
chester.   2HVI. 

Cardinal  Bourchier,  dr.p.  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury.     RIII. 

Cardinal  Campeius,  dr.p.     HVIII. 

Cardinal  Pandulph,  dr.p.  The  Papal 
legate.     John. 

Cardinal  Wolsey,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

Carduus  Benedictus.  The  blessed  thistle. 
This  plant  was  reputed  to  cure  all 
diseases — even  the  plague.  Cogan  in 
his  "Haven  of  Health,"  published  in 
4to.  in  1586,  says:  "This  her  be  may 
worthily  be  called  Benedictus  or  Omni- 
morbia,  that  is,  a  salve  for  every  sore, 
not  knowen  to  jDhysitians  of  old  time, 
but  lately  revealed  by  the  speciall  pro- 
vidence of  Almighty  God. "  It  is  alleged 
that  Luther  was  cured  of  "  a  congeal- 
ing of  blood  about  the  breast "  by 
drinking  the  water  of  Carduus  Bene- 
dictus. It  is  evident  that  in  Ado.  Ill, 
4,  74,  Margaret  twits  Beatrice  with 
her  love  for  Benedick,  and  recommends 
Carduus  Benedictus  as  a  remedy  for 
heart  disease. 

career.  Defined  by  Schm.  as :  1.  The 
ground  on  which  a  race  is  run  ;  2.  The 
race  itself.  This  scarcely  gives  the  idea 
intended  in  some  passages.  In  Ado.  V, 
1,  135,  /  shall  meet  your  wit  in  the 
career,  certainly  does  not  mean  that 
Benedick  will  meet  Claudio's  wit  in  the 
race  ;  that  would  be  impossible,  as  con- 
testants in  a  race  never  meet.  The 
term  is  borrowed  from  the  tilt-yard, 
and  means  that  he  will  meet  him  in  the 
full  rush  of  his  attack.  So  in  Ado.  II, 
3,250:  The  career  of  his  humour 
means  when  his  humour  is  intense  or 
in  full  swing.  Also  in  RII.  I,  3,  49  : 
first  career  means  the  first  encounter. 
The  word  occurs  seven  times  in  the 
plays  and  has  this  signification  in  each 
case,  except  HV.  II,  1,  132,  where  it  has 
no  meaning  at  all,  being  nonsensically  • 
used  by  Nym  (not  by  Pistol,  as  Schm. 


gives  it).  Bardolph's  speech,  Wiv.  I,  1, 
184,  is  evidently  thieves'  Latin  intended 
to  confuse  Slender,  and  any  attempt  to 
make  sense  of  it  would  simply  be  a 
waste  of  time. 

carl.    A  churl ;  a  fellow.     Cym.  V,  2,  4. 

Carlisle,  Bishop  of,  dr.p.     RII. 

carlot.  A  jjeasant ;  a  churl.  As.  Ill,  5, 
108. 

carnal.     Carnivorous,     RIII.  IV,  4,  56. 

carpet.  He  is  a  knight,  dubbed  with  un- 
hatched  rapier  and  on  carpet  con- 
sideration. Tw.  Ill,  4,  258.  '■'Carpet 
knights  were  dubbed  at  court  by  mere 
favour — not  on  the  field  of  battle  for 
their  military  exploits.  Our  early 
writers  constantly  speak  of  them  with 
great  contempt,  and  carpet  knight 
became  a  term  for  an  effeminate  per- 
son." Dijce.  See  also  Nare's  "Gloss- 
ary," where  it  is  stated  that  "trencher- 
knight  ' '  is  probably  synonymous. 

carpet=nionger.  One  who  frequents  car- 
pets and  ladies'  bowers.     Ado.  V,  2,  32. 

carpets.    Table-cloths.     Shr.  IV,  1,  52. 

carrack.    See  carack. 

carve.  In  Hml.  I,  3,  20,  the  phrase  carve 
for  himself  obviously  means  :  to  shape 
his  own  destiny. 

In  Wiv.  I,  3,  48,  and  probably  in 
LLL.  V,  2,  323,  the  word  has  a  special 
meaning  first  pointed  out  by  Hunter  in 
his  "  New  Illustrations  of  Shakespeare, " 
Vol.  I,  p.  215.  In  these  passages  the 
word  means  "to  make  certain  signs 
with  the  fingers,  indicating  a  desire 
that  the  person  to  whom  they  are  ad- 
dressed should  be  attentive  and  pro- 
pitious." In  "A  Very  Woman"  we 
find  :  "  Her  lightnesse  gets  her  to  swim 
at  the  top  of  the  table,  where  her  wrie 
little  finger  bewraies  carving ;  her 
neighbours  at  the  latter  end  know  they 
are  welcome." 
Casca.     dr.p.      A    Roman    conspirator, 

and  friend  of  Brutus.     Cajs. 
case,   n.     Skin.     The  skin    of    a    fox  is 

called  its  case.     Tw.  V,  1,  168. 
case,  V.     To  strip  off  the  skin.     All's.  Ill, 

6,  110.     cf.  uncase. 
casque.     A  helmet.     RII.  I,  3,  81. 


CAS 


73 


CAT 


Cassandra,  dr.p.  A  prophetess.  Troil. 
Cassandra  was  the  daughter  of  Priam 
and  Hecuba.  She  and  her  twin  brother 
Helenus,  when  young,  were  left  asleep 
in  the  sanctuary  of  Apollo,  when  their 
ears  were  purified  by  serpents,  so  that 
they  could  understand  the  divine  sounds 
of  nature  and  the  voices  of  birds.  After- 
wards, Cassandra  sometimes  used  to 
sleep  in  the  same  temple,  and  when 
she  grew  up  her  beauty  won  the  lo\  e  of 
Apollo.  The  god  endowed  her  with 
the  gift  of  prophecy  upon  her  promising 
to  comply  with  his  desires,  but  when 
she  had  become  possessed  of  the  pro- 
phetic art,  fhe  refused  to  fulfil  her 
promise.  Thereupon  the  god,  in  anger, 
ordained  that  no  one  should  believe  her 
prophecies.  She  predicted  to  the  Trojans 
the  ruin  that  threatened  them,  but  no 
one  believed  her ;  she  was  looked  upon 
as  a  madwoman,  and  according  to  a 
late  account  was  shut  up  and  guarded. 
On  the  capture  of  Troy  she  fled  into  the 
sanctuary  of  Minerva,  but  was  torn 
from  the  statue  of  the  goddess  by  A jax, 
son  of  Orleus,  and,  according  to  some 
accounts,  was  even  ravished  by  him  in 
the  sanctuary.  On  the  division  of  the 
booty  she  fell  to  the  lot  of  Agamemnon. 
See  Agamemnon. 

Cassibelan.  A  king  of  Britain  in  the 
time  of  Julius  Caesar.  After  his  death 
Theomantius,  the  youngest  son  of  Lud, 
was  made  king.  He  reigned  twenty- 
two  years  and  left  the  kingdom  to  his 
son  Cymbeline  or  Kymbeline.  Cym.  I, 
1,  30. 

Cassio,  dr.p.  Lieutenant  to  Othello. 
0th. 

Cassius,  dr.p.  A  Roman  conspirator 
and  friend  of  Brutus.     Caes. 

cassock.  A  military  cloak.  All's.  IV, 
3,  193. 

cast.    1.  Dismissed.     0th.  I,  1,  150. 
2.  This  was  the  word  used  by  quacks  to 
desci'ibe  the  inspection  of  the  urine  by 
which  diseases  were  found  out.     Mcb. 
V,  3,  50.     cf.  Tw.  Ill,  4,  113. 

Castalion-King-Urinal.  A  nonsensical 
word  coined  by  the  host.    It  doubtless 


has  a  satirical  reference  to  the  Doctor's 
system  of  medical  practice.  Sometimes 
printed  Castillian.  Wiv.  II,  3,  34. 
Castiliano  vulgo.  Schm.  calls  this  "  Span- 
ish of  Sir  Toby's  own  making  and  not 
easily  translated. ' '  Warburton  suggest- 
ed volto  for  vulgo.,  and  explained  it  as 
=  "Put  on  your  Castilian  counten- 
ance ;  that  is,  your  grave  solemn  looks." 
Tw.  I,  3,  45. 
castle.  A  very  strong  helmet.  In  Mal- 
lory's  "History  of  King  Arthur" 
(Camelot  Classics,  p.  294),  we  find  this 
passage  :  "  '  Do  thou  thy^best,'  said  Sir 
Gawaine ;  '  therefore,  hie  thee  fast  that 
thou  wert  gone  :  and  wit  thou  well,  we 
shall  soon  come  after,  and  break  the 
strongest  castle  that  thou  hast  upon 
thy  head.'"  Hollinshed  has :  "Then 
suddenlie,  with  great  noise  of  trumpets, 
entered  sir  Thomas  Knevet  in  a  castell 
of  cole  blacke."  This  is  also  the  mean- 
ing in  Tit.  Ill,  1,  170 ;  Troil.  V,  2,  187. 

The  expression :  My  old  lad  of  the 
castle  !  IHI V.  I,  2,  48,  is  equivalent  to 
"my  old  buck."    It  has  been  claimed 
that  this  is  a  reference  to  the  old  play 
in  which  Falstaff  appears  as  Sir  John 
Oldcastle.     But   this   opinion   is   now 
relinquished.    The  expression  "old  lad 
of  the  castle  "  is  an  old  one. 
Catalan.     A    Chinaman ;    a    native   of 
Cathay.    A  cant  term  for  a  sharper  or 
thief.     Wiv.  II,  1,  147. 
cater-cousin.  A  corruption  of  the  French 
quatre-cousin  =  fourth  cousin.     Gobbo 
perhaps  used  it  as  meaning  that  two 
persons  ate  together.    Merch.  II,  2,  139. 
cates.    Delicacies ;  dainty  food.    IHIV. 
Ill,  1,  103 ;  Shr.  II,  1,  190.     (A  pun  or 
quibble.) 
Catesby,  Sir  William,  dr.p.    RIII. 

His  name  was  made  the  subject  of 
a  rhyme  by  one  CoUingbourne : 
The  Cat,  the  Rat,  and  Lovell  our  dog 
Doe  rule  all  England  under  a  Hog.; 
The  crooke  backt  boore  the  way  hath 

found 
To  root  our  roses  from  our  ground. 

The  Cat  was  Catesby;  the  Rat,  Rat- 
cliff  ;  Lovell  was  Lord  Lovel ;  the  Hog 


CAT 


73 


CEB 


was  Richard  III.,  whose  cognizance  was 
a  boar.  Collingboume  was  executed 
for  making  this  rhyme.  Catesby  was 
taken  prisoner  at  Bosworth  and  exe- 
cuted. 

catlings.  Fiddle-strings  ;  catgut.  Troil. 
Ill,  3,  306. 

Cato,  the  Yoimger,  dr.p.  A  friend  to 
Brutus.    Caes. 

caudle.  A  warm,  cordial  drink  made  of 
gruel,  with  ale  or  wine,  and  spices, 
given  to  the  sick — especially  to  women 
and  their  gossips.  Hempen  caudle  = 
execution  by  hanging  ;  help  of  hatchet 
=  decapitation,  both  being  certain  cures 
for  all  diseases.  2HVI.  IV,  7,  95 ;  cf, 
Cym.  V,  4,  169,  et  seq.  This  passage  has 
caused  trouble  to  some,  but  the  meaning 
seems  obvious.     See  help. 

cautel.    Deceit.    Hml.  I,  3,  15. 

cautelous.  False  ;  deceitful ;  insidious. 
Cor.  IV,  1,  33 ;  Cses.  II,  1,  129. 

caviare.  The  roe  of  the  sturgeon,  pre- 
served by  salting.  The  taste  for  caviare 
is  an  acquired  one,  and  to  ' '  the  general ' ' 
it  is  not  acceptable,  hence  Hamlet's 
comparison.     Hml.  II,  2,  457. 

cease.    Decease  ;  death.    Hml.  Ill,  3, 15. 

Celia,  dr.p.  Daughter  of  the  usurping 
Duke  Frederick,  and  companion  of 
Rosalind.    As. 

censer.  A  pan  for  burning  perfumes. 
"  The  censers  had  pierced  convex  covers 
and  stood  on  feet.  They  not  only 
served  to  sweeten  a  barber's  shop,  but 
to  keep  his  water  warm  and  dry  his 
cloths  on."  Steevens.  The  reference 
in  Shr.  IV,  3,  91,  is  to  the  perforations 
in  the  cover.  The  portable  censers, 
used  for  burning  perfumes  in  dwelling 
houses,  had  thin  embossed  figures  in  the 
middle  of  the  lid,  and  it  has  been  sug- 
gested that  it  is  to  these  figures  that 
reference  is  made  in  2HIV.  V,  4,  21. 
White's  idea  is  that  the  thin  officer 
wore  some  kind  of  cap  which  Doll  Tear- 
sheet  likened  to  a  censer,  and  this  is 
certainly  a  very  satisfactory  explana- 
tion. 

censure,  n.  Judgment.  IHVI.  II,  3, 10 ; 
RIII.  II,  2,  144 ;  Oth.  II,  2,  3,  193. 


censure,  v.    1.    To  pass  sentence  upon. 
Meas.  I,  4,  72. 
2.  To  judge  ;  to  criticise.    Gtent.  I,  2, 19. 

Cephalus.  Corrupted  by  Bottom  to  Shafa- 
lus.  Mids.  V,  1,  200.  Alluded  to  as 
"the  morning's  love"  in  Mids.  Ill,  2, 
389,  Cephalus  was  the  son  of  Deion, 
the  ruler  of  Fhocis.  He  was  married 
to  Procris  or  Procne,  to  whom  he  was 
sincerely  attached.  Once  when  the 
handsome  Cephalus  was  amusing  him- 
self with  the  chase,  Aurora  approached 
him  with  loving  entreaties  which,  how- 
ever, he  rejected.  The  goddess  then 
bade  him  not  break  his  vow  until 
Procris  had  broken  hers,  but  advised 
him  to  try  her  fidelity.  She  then  meta- 
morphosed him  into  a  stranger,  and 
gave  him  rich  presents  with  which  he 
was  to  tempt  Procris.  Procris  yielded, 
when  he  discovered  himself  to  her, 
whereupon  she  fled  in  shame  to  Crete 
and  discovered  herself  to  Diana,  who 
gave  her  a  wonderful  dog  and  spear 
which  were  never  to  miss  their  object. 
She  then  returned  home  in  the  disguise 
of  a  youth  and  went  out  with  Cephalus 
to  hunt.  When  he  saw  the  excellence 
of  the  dog  and  spear  he  wished  to  buy 
them,  but  she  would  sell  them  only  for 
love.  When  he  promised  to  love  her 
she  discovered  herself  to  him,  and  they 
were  reconciled.  As  she  still  feared 
Aurora,  however,  she  always  jealously 
watched  him  while  hunting,  and  by 
accident  he  killed  her  with  the  spear, 
mistaking  her  for  a  wild  animal.  Grief 
led  him  to  kill  himself. 

cere-clotli.  Waxed  cloth  sometimes  used 
to  enwrap  dead  bodies.   Merch.  II,  7,  51. 

ceremonies.  1.  Honorary  ornaments; 
tokens  of  respect.  Caes.  I,  1,  70.  Here 
they  mean  scarfs.  See  Caes.  I,  2,  289. 
2.  Omens ;  signs  deduced  from  sacri- 
fices or  other  ceremonial  rites.  Caes.  II, 
1,  197;  do.  11,2,  13. 

Ceres,  dr.p.  Represented  by  one  of  the 
spirits  called  up  by  Prospero.     Tp. 

Ceres,  whom  this  spirit  represented, 
was  one  of  the  great  divinities  of  the 
Greeks,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Cro- 


CBR 


74 


CHA 


nus  (Saturn)  and  Rhea,  and  sister  of  Ju- 
piter, by  whom  she  became  the  mother 
of  Proserpine.  She  was  the  goddess  of 
agriculture  and  of  all  the  fruits  of  the 
earth.  It  has  been  claimed  (see  Tp.  IV. 
1,  66)  that  she  was  not  the  goddess  of 
trees  and  forests;  but  the  ancient  legends 
tell  us  that  she  punished  with  fearful 
hunger  Erysicthon,  who  cut  down  her 
sacred  grove. 

Cerimon,  dr.jp.    A  lord  of  Ephesus.   Per. 

cess.    Measure;  reckoning.     IHIV.   II, 

I,  8. 

cestron.    A  cistern.    Kins.  V,  1. 

certify.    To  convince.    Merch.  II,  8,  10. 

chaffless.  Without  chaff;  without  any 
imperfection.     Cym.  I,  6,  178. 

chair  days.  A  time  of  repose ;  the  even- 
ing of  life.     2HVI.  V,  2,  48. 

chamber.  1.  A  small  piece  of  ordnance. 
HVIII.  I,  4,  47  (stage  direction);  2HIV. 

II,  4,  57.     (quibble.) 

2.  London  was  anciently  called  "Camera 
Regis  "  (King's  Chamber).  This  title  it 
began  to  have  immediately  after  the 
Norman  Conquest.     RIII.  Ill,  1,  1. 

chamberer.  An  effeminate  man  ;  a  car- 
pet knight.     0th.  Ill,  3,  265. 

chameleon.  A  species  of  lizard,  notable 
for  its  power  of  changing  its  color  so  as 
to  resemble  the  object  on  which  it  rests; 
said,  also,  to  live  upon  air.  It  feeds 
upon  insects,  which  it  captures  so  dex- 
terously that  few  eyes  are  sharp  enough 
to  observe  the  process.  Gent.  II,  4,  26  ; 
Hml.  Ill,  2,  98. 

changeable.  Varying  in  color.  Tw.  II, 
4,  75. 

changeling.  The  belief  that  fairies  were 
in  the  habit  of  carrying  off  human  chil- 
dren and  leaving  their  own  in  place  of 
them  was  anciently  common  all  over 
Europe,  and  in  some  countries  it  sur- 
vived until  a  comparatively  recent  pe- 
riod. The  child  was  stolen  before  it 
was  baptized;  it  could  not  be  stolen 
after  that.  The  motive  which  led  to 
the  change  was  that  every  seven  years 
the  fairies  were  compelled  to  sacrifice 
one  of  their  number  to  the  devil,  and 
they  tried  to  substitute  a  human  child 


for  one  of  themselves.  A  baptized  in- 
fant the  devil  could  not  accept.  It  was 
always  believed  that  certain  charms 
would  compel  the  fairies  to  return  the 
stolen  child  and  take  back  their  own; 
but  the  most  effectual  way  was  said  to 
be  to  close  doors,  windows  and  even  the 
chimney,  and  then  throw  the  fairy  brat 
on  the  fire.  Its  screams  would  call  its 
own  people  to  its  rescue,  and  the  real 
child  would  be  returned  to  its  mother. 
Mids.  II,  1,  22.  Much  has  been  said 
about  the  term  changeling  being  here 
applied  to  the  human  child,  but,  of 
course,  it  was  a  changeling  to  the 
fairies,  just  as  the  elfin  youngster  was  a 
changeling  to  the  human  parent.  In 
this  case,  however,  there  seems  to  have 
been  no  exchange. 

chanson.  A  song.  HnU.  II,  2,  438.  The 
4to  of  1603  has :  "the  first  verse  of  the 
godly  ballet. "  This  explains  the  mod- 
ern reading. 

chape.  The  metal  part  at  the  end  of  a 
scabbard.     All's.  IV,  3,  164. 

chapeless.  Without  a  chape.  Shr.  Ill, 
2,  48. 

chapless.  The  jaw  being  gone.  Rom. 
IV,  1,  83 ;  Hml.  V,  1,  97. 

chapman.  A  dealer ;  a  trader  ;  a  pedlar. 
LLL.  II,  1,  16;  Troil.  IV,  I,  75. 

charact.  A  distinctive  mark.  Meas.  V, 
1,56. 

character.    To  write ;  to  inscribe.    Hml. 

1,  3,  59. 

characterless.    Unrecorded.     Troil.  Ill, 

2,  195. 

charactery.    Writing.    Wiv.  V,  5,  77. 
chare,  n.    Work;  a  piece  of  drudgery. 

Ant.  IV,  15,  75 ;  do.  V,  2,  231. 
chare,  vb.    To  do  a  job.    AlPs  chared  = 

the  business  is  finished.     Kins.  Ill,  2. 
charge-house.    A  school-house,  but   of 

what  kind  is  uncertain.     LLL.  V,  1,  87. 

Some  read  church-house. 
Charles,  dr.p.    The  Dauphin  of  France. 

IHVI. 
Charles  \l.,  dr.p.    King  of  Erance.    HV. 
Charles,  dr.p.    A  wrestler.   As. 
Charles'  wain.    The  constellation  known 

as  Ursa  Major,  or  the  Great  Bear.    Also 


CHA 


75 


CHI 


called  the  Dipper.    See  wain.    IHIV. 
II,  1,  2. 

charm.  To  check  or  restrain.  Shr.  IV, 
2,  58 ;  2HVI.  IV,  1,  64  ;  3HVI.  V,  5,  31 ; 
0th.  V,  2,  183. 

charmer.    A  sorceress.    0th.  Ill,  4,  57, 

Charmian,  dr. p.  One  of  Cleopatra's 
attendants.     Ant. 

charneco.  A  species  of  sweet  wine. 
2HVI.  II,  3,  63. 

chace  [       A  term  of  tennis-play,  used 

chase.  I  by  Sh.  as  =  match  played  at 
tennis.     HV.  I,  2,  266. 

Chatham,  the  Clerk  of,  dr.p.  A  non- 
entity in  history.  {Douce.)  2HVI.  IV, 
2,  92. 

Chatillon,  dr.p.  Ambassador  from 
France.    John. 

chats  him.  The  explanations  given  of 
this  phrase  are  not  quite  satisfactory, 
but  the  best  seems  to  be  that  of  the 
Rugby  Sh.  "  Talks  Coriolanus,"  as  we 
say  a  man  "talks  horse."  Various 
emendations  have  been  suggested ;  none 
of  much  value.    Cor.  II,  1,  224. 

chaudron.    Entrails.    Mcb.  IV,  1,  33. 

cheater,  )       1.    A   swindler ;   a   decoy. 

cheator.  f  2HIV.  II,  4,  111. 
2.  A  corruption  of  escheator,  an  officer 
who  collected  the  fines  to  be  paid  into 
the  exchequer.  In  Wiv.  I,  3,  76,  there 
seems  to  be  a  quibble  based  on  the  two 
different  meanings  of  the  word. 

check.  A  term  in  falconry.  When  a 
falcon  flies  at  a  bird  which  is  not  her 
proper  game,  she  is  sa,id  to  check  at  it. 
Tw.  11.5,125;  111,1,71. 

checks.  Generally  considered  a  misprint 
for  ethics  in  Shr.  I,  1,  32. 

cheer,  n.  Countenance ;  face.  Mids.  Ill, 
2,  96;  IHVI.  I,  2,  48;  Kins.  I,  5.  It  is 
the  old  French  word  chere,  defined  by 
Cot.  as  "face,  visage,  countenance." 

cheer,  vb.  To  encourage;  to  raise  the 
spirits.    Mcb.  V,  3,  20.     See  disease. 

chequin.  A  zechin,  or  sequin ;  an  Italian 
gold  coin  worth  a  little  more  than  $2. 
Per.  IV,  2,  28. 

cherry-'pit.  A  game  in  which  cherry-pits 
are  thrown  into  a  hole.     Tw.  Ill,  4, 129. 

cheveril.     Kid   or   roe-buck  leather ;   a 


symbol  of  elasticity,  as  in  a  c.  glove^ 
Tw.  Ill,  1,  13 ;  a  c.  conscience,  HVIII. 
II,  3,  32;  a  c.  vdt,  Rom.  II,  IV,  87. 

che  vor  ye.  Somerset  dialect  for  I  warn 
ye.    Lr.  IV,  6,  346. 

chewit.    A  chough.    IHIV.  V,  1,  29. 

childed.    Occurs  in  the  following  lines : 
How  light  and  portable  my  pain  seems 

now, 
When  that  which  makes  me  bend 

makes  the  king  bow, 
He  childed  as  I  fathered. 

Lr.  m,  6.  117. 
The  word  is  found  nowhere  else  in 
Sh.  Schm.  gives  the  meaning  of  c/it7derf 
as  "having  children."  The  Century 
Dictionary  gives  "provided  with  or 
having  a  chUd  or  children, ' '  both  quoting 
this  passage.  There  are  two  meanings 
which  may  be  suggested  and  which  do 
not  strain  the  sense  :  1.  To  child  =  to 
become  as  a  child.  Lear  grew  more 
childlike  as  Edgar  became  stronger  or 
more  like  a  father.  2.  The  king  seemed 
to  adopt  Edgar  as  a  child  in  proportion 
as  Edgar  adopted  him  as  a  father  by 
rendering  son-like  duty  to  him. 

childing.  Fruitful ;  prolific.  Mids.  II,  1, 
112.  Some  have  suggested  that  childing 
is  a  misprint  for  chilling  or  chiding, 
but  it  is  now  generally  accepted  with 
the  meaning  given  above. 

childe.  Thus  in  Fl.,  but  usually  spelled 
child.  Lr.  Ill,  3, 187.  Byron's  "  Childe 
Harold"  has  made  the  term  quite 
familiar.  According  to  Warburton, 
vol.  VI,  p.  85:  "In  the  old  times  of 
chivalry,  the  noble  youths  who  were 
candidates  for  knighthood,  during  the 
season  of  their  probation,  were  called 
InfanSj  Varlets,  Damoysels,  Bache- 
liers.  The  most  noble  of  the  youth, 
particularly,  Infans.''''  Infans  =  child. 
Rowland  is  the  same  as  Roland.  Edgar 
evidently  mixes  up  a  ballad  about  the 
Child  Rowland,  and  lines  from  a 
popular  rhyme  about  Jack  the  Giant- 
KiUer. 

childness.  Childish  dispkosition.  Wint. 
I,  2,  170. 

ch'ill.  I  will.  (Somerset  dialect.)  Lr. 
IV,  6,  239,  and  247. 


CHI 


76 


CLE 


chine.  The  spine ;  a  piece  of  the  spine 
cut  for  cooking.  2HVI.  IV,  10,  61; 
HVIII.  V,  4,  26.    See  mose. 

chinks.  Money.  Rom.  I,  5,  118.  So 
called  from  its  "  chinking  "  sound.  The 
term  still  survives  as  a  slang  word. 

chirurgeonly.  In  the  manner  of  a  sur- 
geon.    Tp.  II,  1,  140. 

chopine.  A  shoe  or  clog  with  a  very  high 
heel.  Hml.  II,  2,  447.  Some  of  these 
chopines  were  more  like  stilts  than 
shoes,  being  18  inches  high,  and  when 
a  lady  who  wore  them  went  abroad  she 
required  one  or  two  assistants  to  walk 
by  her  side  and  keep  her  from  falling. 

choppy.     Chopped.     Mcb.  I,  3,  44. 

Christendom.  The  state  of  being  a  Chris- 
tian.   John  IV,  1,  16. 

christom.  Mi-s.  Quickly  means  chrisom 
child  =  a  child  just  christened.  Infants 
dying  within  a  month  of  christening 
were  called  chrisoms.  The  term  is  also 
applied  to  the  face-cloth  or  piece  of 
linen  put  upon  the  head  of  a  child 
newly  baptised.     HV.  II,  3,  12. 

chuclc.  A  chicken ;  a  term  of  endear- 
ment.    LLL.  V,  1,  117.  ;  0th.  Ill,  4,  49. 

chuff.  A  coarse,  unmannered  clown,  at 
once  sordid  and  wealthy.  IHIV.  II,  2, 
94. 

chrysolite.  Literally  gold-stone— a  pre- 
cious stone,  evidently  at  one  time  in 
high  repute  amongst  jewellers.  Some- 
times identified  with  the  topaz,  but 
probably  a  very  different  and  much 
more  valuable  mineral.  The  chrysolite 
of  the  modern  mineralogist  has  no  value 
as  a  jewel.    0th.  V,  2,  145. 

Chiron,  dr.p.    Son  of  Tamora.    Tit. 

Cicero,  dr. p.    A  Roman  senator.    Caes. 

cincture.  A  belt  or  girdle.  John  IV, 
3,  1.5.5.  The  word  is  center  in  the  folio, 
and  this  Schm.  glosses  as  soul.  The 
word  cincture  was  pronounced  center 
in  Sh.  day  (R.  G.  White),  hence  the 
mistake  in  spelling. 

Cinna,  dr. p.  A  conspirator  against  Julius 
Caesar.    Caes. 

Cinna,  dr. p.  A  poet.  Plutarch  tells  us 
that  the  populace  mistook  him  for  Cinna 
the  conspirator  and  put  him  to  death. 


cinque-pace.  A  lively  dance,  the  steps 
of  which  were  regulated  by  the  number 
five.  From  the  French  cinq  =  five. 
Literally  five-step.  Ado.  II,  1,  77.  See 
sink-a-pace. 

cipher.    To  decipher.    Lucr.  208. 

circumstance.  Phrases ;  ceremony.  Hml. 
I,  5,  127  ;  0th.  I,  1,  13 ;  2HVI.  I,  1,  105. 

cite.    To  call ;  to  incite.     Gent.  II,  4,  85. 

citizen.  Town-bred ;  effeminate.  Cym. 
IV,  2,  8. 

cittern.  A  guitar.  LLL.  V,  2,  614.  The 
allusion  here  is  to  the  fact  that  the 
cittern  usually  had  a  head  grotesquely 
carved  at  the  extremity  of  the  neck 
and  the  finger-board.     Nares. 

clack-dish.  A  wooden  dish  carried  by 
beggars,  with  a  movable  cover,  which 
they  clapped  and  clattered  to  show  that 
it  was  empty.  In  this  they  received 
the  alms.     Nares.     Meas.  Ill,  2,  135. 

Also  called  clap-dish.,  and  sometimes 
jocularly  applied  to  a  woman's  mouth 
from  the  noise  it  is  supposed  to 
make.  "  Widow,  hold  your  clap-dish  " 
(Greene's  "  Tu  Quoque  ")  means,  do  not 
speak. 

clap.  By  itself  this  word  has  the  usual 
meaning ;  to  clap  on  the  shoulder  was 
the  sign  of  arrest  by  bailiffs,  and  this 
(and  not  a  sign  of  applause,  as  is  the 
usual  interpretation,)  is  evidently  the 
meaning  in  As.  IV,  1,  48. 

clap  i'  the  clout.  To  shoot  an  arrow 
into  the  buU's  eye  of  the  target.  2HIV. 
Ill,  2,  51. 

Clarence,  George,  Duke  of,  dr. p.  Son  of 
the  Duke  of  York,  and  brother  of 
Edward  IV.  and  Richard  III.  3HVI. 
and  RIII. 

Clarence,  Thomas,  Duke  of,  dr. p.  Son 
of  Henry  IV.     2HIV. 

Claudio,  dr. p.  Brother  of  Isabella,  and 
condemned  to  death.     Meas. 

Claudio,  dr. p.  A  young  Florentine  lord 
in  love  with  Hero.     Ado. 

Claudius,  dr./7.  King  of  Denmark.  Uncle 
and  stepfather  to  Hamlet.     Hml. 

Claudius,  dr. p.    Servant  to  Brutus.  Caes. 

claw.    To  flatter.    Ado.  I,  3,  18. 

Cleomenes,  c2r.j7.   A  Sicilian  lord.   Wlnt. 


CLE 


CLO 


Cleon,  dr. p.    Governor  of  Tarsus.     Per. 
Cleopatra,  dr. p.    Ant.  j 

The  Cleopatra  who  makes  such  a 
figure  in  history  and  in  Sh.  play  was 
the  daughter  of  Ptolemy  Auletes,  and 
was  born  69  B.C.  At  the  age  of  seven- 
teen she  was  left  heir  to  the  kingdom 
jointly  with  her  younger  brother, 
Ptolemy,  whose  wife,  in  accordance 
with  Egyptian  custom,  she  was  to 
become.  Being  deprived  of  her  king- 
dom by  her  guardians,  she  withdrew 
into  Syria  and  prepared  to  recover  her 
kingdom  by  force  of  arms.  At  this 
time  she  met  Julius  Caesar,  who  had 
followed  Pompey  into  Egypt,  and 
Caesar,  smitten  with  her  charms,  at 
once  took  her  part,  defeated  the  Ptole- 
my who  had  usurped  her  rights,  and 
replaced  her  on  the  throne,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  younger  brother,  to  whom 
she  was  contracted  in  marriage.  On 
Caesar's  return  to  Rome,  Cleopatra  fol- 
lowed him  with  her  young  husband,  of 
whom,  however,  she  got  rid  by  poison, 
but  on  the  assassination  of  Caesar  she 
returned  to  Egypt.  Some  years  before 
this  she  had  met  Antony,  and  made 
such  a  deep  impression  upon  him  that 
he  followed  her  to  Egypt,  where  they 
lived  together  in  the  most  unbridled 
and  wanton  luxury.  They  assumed  the 
names  of  "Osiris  "  and  "  Isis,"  and  gave 
themselves  out  as  divinities.  War  was, 
however,  declared  against  them  by  Oc- 
tavianus  Caesar  (Augustus),  and  the 
rest  of  her  history  is  given  in  the  play. 
She  had  three  children  by  Antony  and 
a  son  called  Caesarion  by  Julius  Caesar. 
Caesarion  was  executed  by  order  of 
Augustus. 

clepe.    To  call ;  to  name.    Hml.  I,  4,  19. 

Clifford,  Lord,  dr.p.  A  Lancastrian. 
2HVI.  and  3HVI. 

Clifford,  Young,  dr.p.  Son  of  Lord 
Clifford.    2HVI. 

climature.    Region.     Hml.  I,  1,  12.5. 

cling.    To  waste  away.     Mcb.  V,  5,  40. 

clink.  To  make  a  ringing  sound :  IHIV. 
II,  4,  51 ;  0th.  II,  8,  71.  In  the  latter 
passage  the  "clink"  is  supposed  to  be 


made  by  touching  mugs  or  glasses,  as  is 

even  now  a  common  fashion. 
clinquant.    Glittering  ;  shining.    HVIII. 

I,  1,  19. 
clip.     To  embrace  ;  to  enclose.     0th.  Ill, 

3,  404  ;  2HVI.  IV,  1,  6. 
clipper.  Adefacerofcoin.  HV.  IV,  1,249. 
Clitus,  dr.p.     Servant  to  Brutus.     Caes. 
closely.    Secretly ;  privately.    John  IV, 

1,  133 ;  Hml.  Ill,  1,  29. 

Cl3ten,  dr.p.  Son  of  the  queen,  and  thn 
rejected  lover  of  Imogen.     Cym. 

clothier's  yard.  An  arrow  the  length 
of  a  clothier's  yard.     Lr.  IV,  6,  88. 

cloud.  A  dark  spot  between  the  eyes  of  a 
horse.  This  gives  him  a  sour  look,  and 
being  supposed  to  indicate  an  ill-temper 
is  regarded  as  a  great  blemish.  Steevens. 
Ant.  Ill,  2,  51. 

clout.  1.  A  rag  or  piece  of  cloth.  John, 
III,  4,  58 ;  RIII.  I,  3,  177 ;  Hml.  II,  2, 
529.  Schm.  suggests  that  in  Ant.  IV, 
7,  6,  clouts  =  cuffs  [blows].  Surely  not. 
It  is  true  that  there  is  a  Scotch  word 
clout,  which  signifies  a  blow,  but  here 
the  word  means  broken  heads  tied  up 
with  cloths. 

2.  The  white  mark  fixed  in  the  center  of 
the  target  at  which  archers  shot  for 
practice.    LLL.  IV,  1,  136  ;  2HIV.  Ill, 

2,  51 ;  Lr.  IV,  6,  92. 

Nares  derives  the  word  from  the 
French  clouette,  which  is  not  to  be  found 
in  the  ordinary  French  dictionaries. 
Cot.  has  '■'■  clouet,  a  little  nayle."  But 
none  of  the  forms  or  combinations  of 
the  English  word  clout  have  any  rela- 
tion to  the  French  clou,  a.  nail.  A 
clout  nail,  or  as  Cot.  has  it,  "aclowte 
nayle,"  is  a  nail  with  a  very  broad 
head  used  for  nailing  cloth,  canvass, 
leather,  and  similar  materials  to  wood, 
and  ch>ut,  as  used  here,  has  direct  re- 
ference to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is 
used — i.e.,  nailing  clouts.  In  this  case 
the  small  head  of  the  common  nail 
would  go  through  the  material  and 
would  not  hold.  Hunter,  in  his  "  New 
Illustrations  of  Shakespeare,"  vol.  II, 
page  70,  quotes  the  "accompts  of  re- 
pairs at  Woodstock,  in  the  sixth  year 


CLO 


78 


coc 


of  King  Edward  the  Fourth,  '  Item 
solut.  Roberto  Austyn  pro  c.  cloute 
neyle  pro  le  goters  in  Rosamond.'  " 

The  clout  of  the  archer  was  a  piece  of 
white  cloth  nailed  to  the  center  of  the 
butt.     See  hob-nail  and  clap. 

clouted.  There  is  a  difference  of  opinion 
as  to  whether  this  word  signifies  patched 
or  studded  with  clout  or  hob-nails  in 
2HVI.  IV,  2,  195,  and  Cym.  IV,  2,  214. 
In  the  second  quotation  it  certainly 
means  studded  with  nails.  Arviragius 
puts  off  his  "  clouted  brogues  "  for  fear 
of  making  too  much  noise ;  patched 
brogues  would  not  make  a  noise,  but 
brogues  studded  with  nails  would.  In 
2H  VI.  the  order  is  to  spare  poor  people — 
those  whose  coarse  shoes,  studded  with 
nails,  gave  evidence  that  they  were 
peasants.  Surely  the  mere  accident 
that  a  peasant's  shoes  were  not  patched 
would  not  have  condemned  him  to 
death.  The  soles  of  the  shoes  of  the 
upper  classes  were  not  so  studded  with 
nails.  Hunter,  to  whose  work  we  have 
already  referred,  quotes  from  Poole's 
"English  Parnassus,"  the  following 
lines  referring  to  small-pox  : 

which  ploughs  up  flesh  and  blood, 
And  leaves  such  prints  of  beauty  if  he 

come, 
As  clouted  shoon  do  upon  floors  of 
lorae. 
Patched  shoes  would  not  leave  imprints 
resembling   small-pox    upon    floors   of 
loam.    That  clouted  sometimes  means 
patched    is    undoubtedly    true.      See 
Joshua  ix,  5.     See  brogue. 

clown,  dr.p.  Pompey,  servant  to  Mrs. 
Overdone.    Meas. 

clown,  dr.p.  Feste,  servant  to  Olivia. 
Tw. 

cloy.  To  stroke  with  the  claw.  "An 
accustomed  action  with  hawks  and 
eagles."    Steevens.     Cym.  V,  4,  118. 

coast.  1.  To  creep  along  the  coast.   Err. 
I,  1,  135 ;  H VIII.  Ill,  2,  38. 
2.    To  advance.     V.  and  A.,  870. 

coasting.  Inviting ;  amorous  approach  ; 
courtship.  Troil.  IV,  5,  59.  In  some 
eds.  accosting. 


cob-loaf.  A  coarse,  uneven  loaf  with  a 
round  top  to  it.  A  term  of  contempt 
applied  to  a  man.     Troil.  II,  1,  41. 

The  meaning  of  cob  is  a  round  lump. 
Thus  a  cob,  said  of  a  horse,  means  a 
dumpy  animal;  a  cob-nut  is  a  round 
nut ;  a  cobble-stone  is  a  stone  of  a  round 
form,  such  as  is  used  for  pavement,  and 
a  cobble  is  a  boat  wide  in  proportion  to 
its  length. 

cobweb.  The  fiber  spun  by  spiders. 
Country  people  consider  it  an  excellent 
styptic,  hence  Bottom's  words  in  Mids. 
Ill,  1,  186,  where,  if  he  cut  his  finger, 
he  will  desire  a  cobweb  to  stanch  the 
bleeding. 

cock.    1.    A  male  bird. 

2.  A  small  boat ;  a  cock-boat.  Lr.  IV, 
6,  19. 

3.  A  minced  form  of  God,  frequently 
used  in  oaths.  Same  as  cox.  Cock''s 
passion  =  God's  passion,  that  is,  the 
sufferings  of  Christ.  Shr.  IV,  1,  121. 
By  cock-and-pie.  Wiv.  I,  1,  316.  An 
oath  of  uncertain  derivation.  Cock  is 
supposed  to  stand  for  God  (as  it  does 
elsewhere)  and  pie  to  mean  the  service 
book  of  the  Romish  Church.     Dyce. 

cock-a-hoop.  To  cast  off  all  restraint. 
Rom.  I,  5,  85. 

cocatrice.  A  fabled  animal,  said  to  be 
hatched  from  the  egg  of  an  old  cock. 
It  was  said  to  have  eight  feet,  a  crown 
on  its  head  and  a  hooked  and  recurved 
beak.  It  was  supposed  to  have  such 
deadly  power  that  it  killed  by  the  very 
glance  of  its  eye  (Rom.  Ill,  2,  47) ;  but 
it  was  also  believed  that  the  animal 
could  not  exercise  this  faculty  unless  it 
first  perceived  the  object  of  its  wrath 
before  it  was  itself  seen  by  it ;  if  first 
seen,  it  died.  Also  called  the  basilisk, 
q.v. 

Cockatrice  was  a  popular  name  for  a 
loose  woman,  probably  from  the  fasci- 
nation of  the  eye. 

cockle.  1.  The  shell  of  the  cockle  (not 
mussel,  as  Schm.  has  it).  Shr.  IV,  3, 
166;  Per.  IV,  4,  2.  The  cockle-sheU 
was  the  badge  of  pilgrims  bound  for 
places  beyond  the  sea.     Hml.  IV,  5,  25. 


coc 


79 


COL 


2.  An  obnoxious  weed;  the  darnel. 
LLL.  IV,  3,  383;  Cor.  Ill,  1,  70.  See 
darnel. 

cockney.  Both  the  meaning  and  origin 
of  this  word  are  quite  uncertain.  For 
a  good  discussion  of  the  subject  see 
*' Century  Dictionary."  s.v.  cockney. 
In  Lr.  II,  4,  123,  it  has  been  interpreted 
to  mean  cook ;  in  Tw.  IV,  1,  15,  it  is 
evidently  intended  to  mean  an  ignorant 
person. 

cockscomb.    See  coxcomb. 

cockshut.  A  large  net  suspended  between 
two  poles,  employed  to  catch  or  shut  in 
woodcocks,  and  used  chiefly  in  the  twi- 
light ;  hence  it  came  to  be  used  for  twi- 
light. Also  in  the  form  cockshut  time 
=  the  time  for  catching  woodcocks — 
twilight.  Some  say  the  time  when 
cocks  and  hens  go  to  roost.  RIII.  V,  3,  70. 

Cocytus.  A  river  in  Epirus,  a  tributary 
of  the  Acheron.  Like  the  Acheron, 
the  Cocytus  was  supposed  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  lower  world,  and  hence 
came  to  be  described  as  a  river  in  the 
lower  world,  cf.  Acheron.  Homer 
makes  the  Cocytus  a  tributary  of  the 
Styx.     Tit.  II,  3,  236. 

cod's  head.  To  change  the  cocfs  head 
for  the  salmon  tail  =  to  give  up  the 
best  part  of  a  homely  thing  for  the 
worst  part  of  something  very  fine. 
White.    0th.  II,  1,  156. 

White  here  uses  homely  in  the  Ameri- 
can sense  of  inferior  or  ill-looking^  not 
in  the  British  sense  of  like  home.  An 
unfortunate  euphemism. 

coffin.    The  crust  of  a  pie.     Tit.  V,  2, 189. 

coign.  A  corner;  a  projecting  comer- 
stone.    Mcb.  I,  6,  7  ;  Cor.  V,  4,  1. 

coil.  Timiult;  turmoil;  bustle.  Tp.  I, 
2,  207.  Shuffled  off  this  mortal  coil  = 
when  we  have  got  rid  of  all  the  turmoil 
of  mortality.    Hml.  Ill,  1,  67. 

coistrel.    See  coystrel. 

Colbrand.  A  Danish  giant,  whom  Guy 
of  Warwick  discomfited  in  the  presence 
of  King  Athelstan.  Johnson.  John, 
I,  1,  225  ;  HVIII.  V,  4,  22. 

coliied.  Blackened ;  darkened.  0th.  II, 
3,206. 


collier.  A  term  of  reproach,  not  only 
from  the  black  appearance  of  colliers, 
but  from  their  reputation  as  cheats 
and  swindlers.  Tw.  Ill,  4,  130 ;  Rom. 
I,  1,  3.  Collier  here  means  seller  or 
pedlar  of  coal  rather  than  a  miner. 
coUop.  A  slice  of  flesh.  Wint.  I,  2,  137 ; 
IHVI.  V,  4,  18. 

An  old  English  word  found  in  the 
"  Promptorium  Parvulorum  "  and  else- 
where, and  still  in  common  use  in  Scot- 
land, where  "minced  collops "  are  a 
favorite  dish.  Schm.  says,  "part  of  a 
man's  flesh,"  but  this  is  true  only 
metaphorically,  as  in  the  text. 
Colme-kill.  The  cell  or  chapel  of  St. 
Columba,  situated  on  a  barren  islet 
now  known  as  Icolmkill  or  lona,  about 
eight  miles  north  of  Staffa.  Mcb.  II, 
4,33. 

Here  St.  Columba,  an  Irish  Christian 
preacher,  founded  a  monastery  in  a.d. 
563,  and  here  he  died  about  a.d.  597,  or 
at  the  time  when  Augustine  landed  in 
Kent  to  convert  the  English.  From  this 
monastery  in  lona,  Christianity  and 
civilization  spread,  not  only  through 
Scotland,  but  even  to  the  Orkneys  and 
Iceland.  Hence  the  island  came  to  be 
considered  holy  ground,  and  there  was  a 
traditionary  belief  that  it  was  to  be 
specially  favored  at  the  dissolution  of 
the  world.  According  to  the  ancient 
prophecy. 

Seven  years  before  that  awful  day 

When  time  shall  be  no  more, 
A  watery  deluge  shall  o'ersweep 

Hibernia's  mossy  shore ; 
The  green-clad  Isla,  too,  shall  sink, 

While  with  the  great  and  good 
Columba's  happier  isle  shall  rear 
Her  towers  above  the  flood. 
It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  mon- 
archs  desired  to  be  buried  in  this  sacred 
spot,  and  that  thus  it  became  the  ceme- 
tery where,  as  CoUins  has  sung. 
The  mighty  kings  of  three  fair  realms 
are  laid— 
Scotland,   Ireland   and    Norway.      No 
trace  of  their  tombs  now  remains,  the 
oldest  monuments  left  on  the  island  be- 
ing those  of  Irish  ecclesiastics  of  the 


COL 


80 


COM 


12th  century.  Besides  these  there  are 
the  ruins  of  a  chapel  (of  the  11th  cen- 
tury), of  a  nunnery  (founded  about 
1180),  and  of  the  cathedral  church  of 
St.  Mary,  built  early  in  the  13th  cen- 
tury. Of  the  three  hundred  and  fifty 
sculptured  stone  crosses  which  formerly 
adorned  the  island,  only  two  are  still 
standing.  One  is  called  "Maclean's 
Cross,"  and  is  a  beautifully  carved 
monolith,  eleven  feet  high;  the  other, 
"  St.  Martin's  Cross,"  is  about  fourteen 
feet  high.  All  the  other  crosses  were 
thrown  into  the  sea,  about  the  year 
1560,  by  order  of  the  anti-Popish  Synod 
of  Argyll.    Rolfe. 

The  beautiful  tribute  to  the  ruins  of 
lona  by  Dr.  Johnson  must  be  fresh  in 
the  mind  of  every  cultivated  person. 
Columbine.  The  Aquilegia  vulgaris. 
This  was  termed  of  old  a  thankless 
flower — the  emblem  of  ingratitude,  and 
also  of  cuckoldom  on  account  of  the 
horns  of  its  nectaria.  It  was  also  em- 
blematical of  forsaken  lovers.  The 
name  Coi?twi6tne  originated  in  a  fancied 
resemblance  of  its  petals  and  sepals  to 
the  heads  of  pigeons  round  a  dish.  LLL. 
V,  3,  661;  Hml.  IV,  5,  180.  All  Ophe- 
lia's flowers  seem  to  be  emblematic  of 
something,  but  coms.  are  not  agreed 
as  to  what  the  columbine  signified  in 
this  case.  Perhaps  ingratitude. 
Colville,  Sir  John,  dr.p.    An  enemy  to 

Henry  IV.    2HIV. 
comart.    Bargain ;  covenant.     Hml,  1, 1, 

93.     In  most  eds.  rendered  covenant. 
combinate.  Betrothed ;  contracted  ;  prom- 
ised.    Meas.  Ill,  1,  231. 
comeddle.  In  most  modem  editions,  com- 
mingle, which  means  the  same  thing. 
Hml.  Ill,  2,  74.     cf.  meddle. 
comfect.    Comfit ;  dry  sweetmeat.     See 

Count  Comfect, 
Cominius,  dr.p.    A  Roman  general  em- 
ployed against  the  Volscians.     Cor. 
comma.    The   smallest   break   or   stop. 

Hml.  V,  2,  42. 
commandments.     My    ten    command- 
ments  =■-■  my  ten  fingers  ;  an  old  slang 
expression.    2HVI.  I,  3,  145. 


commodity.  A  quantity ;  a  parcel.  Meas. 
IV,  3,  5;  Tw.  ftl,  1,50. 

comonty.  Slv's  blunder  for  comsdy. 
Shr.  Ind.  2,  140. 

comparative,  n.  One  who  makes  com- 
parisons ;  a  scoffer.     IHIV.  Ill,  2,  67. 

comparative,  adj.  Quick  at  compari- 
sons.    IHIV.  I,  2,  90. 

compass.  The  circle  of  the  sun  through 
the  heavens  ;  a  year.     0th.  Ill,  4,  71. 

compassed  window.  A  bow  window. 
Troil.  I,  2,  120.  Perhaps  a  circular 
window. 

compassionate.  Complaining ;  asking 
for  compassion.     RII.  I,  3,  174. 

complement.  Outward  form ;  show  ; 
ceremony.     LLL.  I,  1,  169. 

complexion.  1.  Temperament;  natural 
disposition.  Merch.  Ill,  1,  32  ;  Hml.  I, 
4,  27. 

2.  General  appearance.  Tp.  I,  1,  32; 
Wiv.  V,  5,  9 ;  Hml.  II,  2,  477. 

3.  Color  of  the  skin.  Err.  111,2,  103; 
Ado.  II,  1 ,  305.  The  passage  in  As.  Ill, 
2,  204,  Good  my  complexion,  has  puz- 
zled some.  Theobald  emended  to  odd^s 
my  complexion,  and  Nares,  perhaps 
following  Ritson,  asks  if  Rosalind  does 
not  mean  to  swear  by  her  complexion, 
as  in  "Good  heavens!"  Referring 
back  to  line  192,  we  find  Celia,  after 
hinting  at  the  presence  of  Orlando, 
asking:  "Change  you  colour?"  And 
now  Rosalind  uses  to  her  complexion  a 
form  of  expression  found  in  "  Good  my 
lord,"  "  Good  my  mother,"  "  Good  my 
glass,"  etc.,  and  implies  that  her  com- 
plexion has  shown  her  sex,  and  then 
claims  that  this  is  quite  as  it  ought  to  be. 

comply  with.  To  compliment ;  to  ofl'er 
formal  courtesy.  Hml.  II,  2,  390 ;  do. 
V,  2,  195. 

compose.  To  agree ;  to  come  to  an  un- 
derstanding.   Ant.  II,  2,  15. 

composition.  Agreement  ;  compact. 
Meas.  I,  2,  2 ;  John,  II,  1,  561 ;  Mcb.  I, 
2,  59.  No  composition  in  these  news 
=  no  consistency  or  agreement  in  these 
statementr.     0th.  I,  3,  1. 

compromise.  To  agree ;  literally :  to 
promise  together.    Merch.  I,  3,  79. 


COM 


81 


CON 


comptible.    Sensitive.    Tw.  I,  5,  187. 

con.  1,  To  give  ;  to  acknowledge.  All's. 
IV,  3, 174 ;  Tim.  IV,  3,  428. 
2.  To  learn  by  heart.  Conned  them 
out  of  rings  =  learned  by  heart  the 
mottoes  or  posies  found  in  rings.  As. 
Ill,  2,  289. 

conceit.  As  found  in  As.  V,  2,  59.  Most 
commentators  give  the  meaning  as  in- 
telligence ;  wit.  Schm.  defines  it  as 
extraction,  birth,  and  says :  "  Rosalind, 
in  order  to  convince  Orlando  of  her 
pretended  knowledge  of  mysteries,  says 
to  him  :  '  I  know  you  are  a  gentleman 
of  good  conceit. '  This  cannot  be  ==  a 
gentleman  of  good  parts,  of  wit ;  '  for 
there  needs  no  magician  to  teU  him 
this.'" 

concernancy.  Relation  ;  bearing ;  im- 
port.    Hml.  V,  2,  128. 

conclusion.  1.  An  experiment.    Ant.  V, 
2,  a56 ;  Hml.  Ill,  4,  195. 
2.  Inference.    Ant.  IV,  15,  28. 

concolinel.  A  scrap  of  a  song,  but 
whether  the  beginning  or  the  burden 
has  not  been  determined.  Some  have 
claimed  that  it  is  part  of  an  Irish  song. 
LLL.  Ill,  1,  3. 

concupy.  A  contraction  of  concupiscence; 
lust.    TroU.  V,  2,  177. 

condolement.  Grief;  mourning.  Hml. 
I   2  93. 

coney,)*     A  rabbit.      As.    Ill,    2,  a57; 

cony,    f  Cor.  IV,  5,  226. 

coney-catch.    See  cony-catch. 

confirmity.  A  blunder  of  Mrs.  Quickly's 
for  infirmity.    2HIV.  II,  4,  64. 

confound.  To  consume ;  to  waste  away. 
IHIV.  I,  .3,  100. 

congrue.  To  agree;  to  mean  the  same 
thing.  HV.  I,  2,  182;  Hml.  IV,  3, 
66. 

congruent.  Fitting ;  suitable.  LLL.  I, 
2,  14,  and  V,  1,97. 

conger.  A  sea  eel.  2HIV.  II,  4,  266. 
Applied  as  a  term  of  reproach,  probably 
because  the  conger  is  known  to  be  a 
foul-feeding,  mud-loving   fish.    2HIV. 

II,  4,  58.     See  fennel. 

conjee t.    To  guess  ;  to  conjecture.    0th. 

III,  3,  149. 


conjunctive.  Closely  imited.  Hml.  IV, 
7,14;  0th.  1,3,374. 

Conrade,  di\p.  A  follower  of  Don  John. 
Ado. 

considerance.  Consideration;  reflection. 
2HIV.  V,  2,  98. 

consideration.    See  carpet. 

consign.    1.    To  agree;   to  confederate. 
2HIV.  V,  2,  143;  HV.  V,  2,  90. 
2.  To  assign ;  to  allot.    Troil.  IV,  4,  47. 

consolate.  To  console ;  to  comfort.  AU's. 
Ill,  2,  131. 

consort.  A  number  of  persons  or  a  com- 
pany, as  a  band  of  musicians.  Grent. 
Ill,  2,  84. 

conspectuity.    Sight.    Cor.  II,  1,  70. 

Constable  of  France,  The,  dv.p.  Charles 
Delabreth,  or  D'Albret.  He  was  slain 
at  the  Battle  of  Agincourt.    HV. 

Constance,  dr.p.  Mother  of  Prince  Ar- 
thur.   John. 

constancy.    Consistency.   Mids.  V,  1,  26. 

constant.  Firm ;  unshaken.  Tp.  I,  2,  207. 

constantly.   1,    With  fii-mness.    Caes.  V, 

I,  92. 

2.    Certainly ;  for  certain.    Meas.  IV,  1, 

21. 
constant-qualified.     Faithful.     Cym.  I, 

'4,  65. 
conster.  To  construe.  So  spelled  in  some 

editions. 
constringe.    To    condense ;    to    cramp. 

Troil.  V,  2,  173. 
construe.   To  interpret ;  to  explain.    Tw. 

Ill,  1,  63;  Caes.  II,  1,  307;  Oth.  IV,  1, 

102. 
consul.  A  Venetian  senator.  Oth.  1, 1,  25. 
contemptible.    Contemptuous;  scornful. 

Ado.  II,  3,  187. 
contemptuous.    Despicable;   contempti- 
ble.   2HVI.  I,  3,  86. 
continent.    1.    That  which  contains  and 

encloses  anything.    Hml.  IV,  4,  64 ;  Lr. 

Ill,  2,  58;  LLL.  IV,  1,  111.     In  ilids. 

II,  1 ,  92  =  the  banks  of  rivers. 

2.  That  which  is  contained;  contents. 
2HIV.  II,  4,  309. 
contraction.  A  contract.  Hml.  Ill,  4, 
46.  In  this  instance,  the  marriage  con- 
tract. This  form  of  the  word  is  very 
unusual,  and    has  given  occasion  for 


CON 


COB 


much  discussion,  but  the  meaning  seems 

obvious. 
contrarious.      Adverse ;    contradictory. 

IHIV.  V,  1,  52;  Meas.  IV,  1,  62. 
contrary,  v.   To  oppose.     Rom.  I,  5,  87. 
contrive.    1.   To  conspire ;  to  plot.   Hml. 

IV,  7,  136 ;  Mids.  Ill,  2,  196. 

2.  To  pass  away  the  time.  Shr.  I,  2, 
276.  Some  claim  that  in  this  passage  it 
means  to  scheme.  The  word  generally 
has  a  bad  sense,  but  not  necessarily. 
Perhaps  it  here  means  simply  to  asso- 
ciate together. 

convent,    v.    1.    To  summon.    Meas.  V, 
158 ;  H VIII,  V,  1,  52. 
2.  To  be  convenient ;  to  suit.  Tw.  V,  391. 

convertite.    A  convert.    Lucr.  743;  John, 

V,  1,  19. 

convey.  Besides  the  usual  signification 
is  cant  for  steal.  Wiv.  I,  3,  32;  Cym. 
I,  1,  63. 

conveyance.  Theft ;  fraud  ;  trickery. 
IHVI.  I,  3,  2;  3HVI.  Ill,  3,  160. 

conveyer.  A  cheater ;  a  thief.  RII.  IV, 
1,  317. 

convict.    Convicted.    RIII.  I,  4,  192. 

convicted.  Usually  defined  as  defeated  ; 
overpowered.  John,  III,  4,  2.  This 
word  is  evidently  a  misprint.  "  Con- 
vected, "  "  con  vented, "  "  collected, ' ' 
and  several  other  words  have  been  sug- 
gested as  the  true  reading. 

convince.  To  overpower ;  to  defeat. 
Mcb.  I,  7,  64,  and  IV,  3,  142;  Cym.  I, 
4,  104. 

convive.    To  feast.    Troil.  IV,  5,  272. 

coney-catch.  To  swindle;  to  steal;  the 
coney  or  rabbit  being  considered  a  very 
simple  animal.  Wiv.  I,  1,  128,  and  I, 
3,  36. 

"  It  has  been  shown,  from  Decker's 
'English  Villanies,'  that  the  system 
of  cheating,  or  as  it  is  now  called, 
swindling,  was  carried  to  a  great  length 
early  in  the  seventeenth  century  ;  that 
a  collective  society  of  sharpers  was 
called  a  warren,  and  their  dupes  rab- 
bit-suckers (that  is,  young  rabbits)  or 
conies.  One  of  their  chief  decoys  was 
the  selling  goods  or  trash  to  be  resold 
at  a  loss.    They  had  several  other  terms 


of    their   art,    all    derived    from    the 

warren."    Nares. 
In  Shr.  IV,  1,  45,  the  word  is  used 

to  express  foolery  or  trickery  ;  but  this 

is  not  the  generally  accepted  use  of  the 

term. 
cooling-card.    See  card. 
copatain  hat.    A  hat  with  a  high  and 

pointed  crown,  like  a  sugar  loaf.     Shr. 

V,  1.  69. 
cope.    V.    1.    To   reward;   to  equal;   to 

meet.     Merch.  IV,  1,  412. 
2.   To  meet  with;   to  encounter.     0th. 

IV,  1,  87. 
cope,  n.   The  firmament.   Per.  IV,  6,  132. 
copesmate.    A  companion.     Lucr.  925. 
copped.   Rising  to  a  prominent  top,  head 

or  cop.     Per.  I,  1,  101. 
copy.  Copyhold  ;  tenure.    Mcb.  Ill,  2, 38. 
coragio.    Courage.    Tp.  V,  1,  258;  All's. 

II,  5,  96. 
coram.    A  Latin  preposition,  supposed 

by  Slender  to  be  a  title.    Wiv.  I,  1,  6, 

Schm,.    Part  of  a  term  {coram  nobis) 

used  in  certain  writs. 
R.  G.  White  glosses  it  as  a  blunder 

for  quorutn.    Improbable. 
coranto.    A  quick,  lively  dance.    All's. 

II,  3,  49  ;  Tw.  I,  3,  137. 
Cordelia,  dr.p.    The  youngest  daughter 

of  King  Lear.     Lr. 
Corin,  dr.p.     A  shepherd.     As. 
Corinth.    A  cant  term  for  a  disorderly 

house.     Tim.  II,  2,  73. 
Corinthian.    A  licentious  person,  Corinth 

having  been  proverbial  for  its  immor- 

ahty.    In  IHIV.  II,  4,  13,  it  probably 

means  a  lad  of  mettle  ;  a  spirited  young 

fellow. 
Coriolanus,  Caius  Marcius,  dr.p.   A  noble 

Roman.     Cor. 
corky.    Shrivelled,  like  the  rough  and 

cleft  bark  of  the  cork  tree.    Lr.  Ill,  7, 

29. 
corn.    In   England   this   word   signifies 

wheat ;  in  some  parts  of  Ireland  and 

Scotland,  oats;  in  Arabia  the  equiva- 
lent term  signifies  barley ;  in  the  United 

States,  maize.    See  robin. 
cornuto.    A  cuckold.    Wiv.  Ill,  5,  71. 
Cornelius,  dr.p.    A  courtier.    Hml. 


COB 


COU 


Cornelius,  dr. p.    A  physician.    Cym. 

Cornwall,  Duke  of,  dr. p.  The  husband 
of  Regan.     Lr. 

corollary.    A  surplus.    Tp.  IV,  1,  57. 

coroner.  Literally  a  crowner.  An  offi- 
cer whose  original  duty  was  to  take 
charge  of  the  property  of  the  crown. 
Afterwards  this  office  was  confined  to 
holding  inquests  on  dead  bodies.  The 
word  which  is  rendered  "coroners"  in 
As.  IV,  1,  105,  is  "chronoclers  "  in  the 
Folios.  Chroniclers  is  retained  in  the 
Cambridge  ed. ,  but  coroners  is  the  read- 
ing in  the  Globe  and  many  others. 
As  Schm.  says :  "  The  Sh.  form  of  the 
word  is  crowner." 

corporal,  adj.    Corporeal.    Mcb.  I,  3,  81, 

corporal=of-the-field.  An  aide-de-camp. 
LLL.  Ill,  1,  189. 

corroborate.  A  word  used  nonsensically 
by  Pistol.     HV.  II,  1,  130. 

corrigible.   1.   Docile  ;  submissive  to  cor- 
rection.    Ant.  IV,  14,  74. 
2.  Corrective.     0th.  I,  3,  329. 

corrival.  A  companion.  IHIV.  IV,  4, 
31. 

corruption.     Perversion  ;  false  represent- . 
ation.     HVIII.  IV,  2,  71.     Hml.   I,  4, 
35. 

corsive.  Corrosive ;  irritating.  IHVI. 
Ill,  3,  3. 

Costard,  dr.p.    A  clown.     LLL. 

costard.    Slang  for  head.     Lr.  IV,  6,  247. 

costermonger,  adj.  Peddling  ;  mercen- 
ary.   2HIV.  I,  2,  191, 

cote,  n.    A  cottage.    As.  II,  4,  83. 

cote,  vh.  1.  To  overtake;  to  pass.  Hml. 
II,  2,  330. 

2.  To  quote ;  to  instance.     LLL.  IV,  3, 
87. 

cot^quean.  A  man  who  busies  himself 
with  women's  affairs  ;  a  molly-coddle  ; 
a  cot-betty.    Rom.  IV.  4,  6. 

Hunter  has  this  note  on  the  word : 
*'  A  cot-quean  is  the  wife  of  a  faithless 
husband,  and  not  as  Johnson,  who  knew 
little  of  the  language  of  Sh.  time,  ex- 
plains it,  '  a  man  who  busies  himself 
about  kitchen  affairs. '  It  occurs  twice 
in  Golding's  translation  of  the  story  of 
Tereus.    The  nurse  is  speaking  to  Lady 


Capulet,  and  the  word  calls  forth  all 
the  con\  ersation  which  follows  about 
jealousy."  But  Johnson  merely  fol- 
lowed Phillips'  "  New  World  of  Words," 
or  Bailey,  by  both  of  whom  it  is  thus 
defined.  Many  editors  give  the  speech 
in  which  it  occurs  to  Lady  Capulet  on 
the  ground  that  the  Nurse  has  been 
sent  away  for  spices.  But  in  most  eds., 
including  Fl,  the  Nurse  and  Lady  Cap- 
ulet leave  after  line  12,  and  not  before. 
Rom.  IV,  4,  7. 

Count  Comfect.  A  gallant  composed  of 
affectation.  "  A  nobleman  made  of 
sugar."  Steevens.  "My  Lord  Lolli- 
pop."   Staunton.    Ado.  IV,  1,  318. 

countenance,  n.  In  addition  to  the 
usual  significations,  it  means :  1.  Author- 
ity ;  credit.  Sonn.  LXXXVI,  13  ;  Wiv. 
II,  2,  5  ;  Lr.  V,  1,  63. 
2.  Fair  show;  specious  appearance.  Meas. 
V,  1,  118. 

countenance,  vb.  To  favor  ;  to  support. 
2HIV.  IV,  1,  35 ;  2HIV.  V,  1,  41. 

counter.  To  run  counter  is  to  mistake 
the  course  of  the  game,  or  to  turn  and 
pursue  the  backward  trail;  to  draw 
dry-foot  is  to  track  by  the  scent  of  the 
foot.  To  run  counter  and  draw  dry- 
foot  well  (Err.  IV,  2,  39)  are  therefore 
inconsistent.  The  jest  consists  in  the 
ambiguity  of  the  word  counter,  which 
means  the  wrong  way  in  the  chase  and 
also  a  prison  in  London.  The  officer  that 
arrested  Antipholus  was  a  sergeant  of 
the  counter.     See  counter-gate. 

counter.  A  round  piece  of  metal  used  in 
calculations,  and  of  little  or  no  value. 
As.  II,  7,  63. 

counter-caster.  An  accountant ;  a  busi- 
ness clerk  and  not  a  military  man. 
0th.  I,  1,  31. 

Counter-gate.  The  gate  of  the  prison  in 
London  called  Counter.    Wiv.  Ill,  3,  85. 

counterpoint.  A  counterpane.  Literally 
a  stitched  quilt.  Counterpane  is  a  cor- 
rupted form  of  the  word.  Cot.  gives, 
"  Contrepointer.  To  quilt ;  to  worke 
the  backe  stitch  or  to  work  with  the 
back  stitch."    Shr.  II.  1,  353. 

Countess  of  Auvergne,  dr.p.     IHVI. 


COTJ 


84 


coz 


Count  of  Rousillon,  dr.p.  Bertram. 
All's. 

Countess  of  Rousillon,  dr.p.  Mother  of 
Bertram.     All's. 

county.  Count :  a  title ;  originally  near- 
ly equivalent  to  earl.     Rom.  I,  2,  68. 

couplet.  A  pair.  Hml.  V,  1,  310.  The 
dove  always  lays  two  eggs  for  a  sitting, 
and  when  the  young  are  newly  hatched 
the  yellow  down  gives  them  a  golden 
hue. 

course.  In  regard  to  Tp.  I,  1,  4.5,  Holt 
says,  "  The  courses  meant  in  this  place 
are  two  of  the  three  lowest  and  largest 
sails  of  a  ship,  which  are  so  called  be- 
cause, as  largest,  they  contribute  most 
to  give  her  way  through  the  water, 
and,  consequently,  enable  her  to  feel 
her  helm,  and  stear  her  course  better 
than  when  they  are  not  set  or  spread  to 
the  wind. ' '  This  explains  the  passage  in 
Kins.  Ill,  4. 

courser's  hair.  It  was  an  old  belief 
that  a  horse  hair  when  placed  in  water 
acquired  life  and  became  a  slender 
snake.  Two  facts  contributed  to  es- 
tablish this  erroneous  belief :  1 — When 
a  horse  hair  is  placed  in  water,  the  ab- 
sorption of  moisture  causes  it  to  move, 
just  as  a  very  thin  shaving  will  curl 
and  move  when  laid  on  a  damp  sur- 
face; 2 — There  is  a  peculiar  parasite, 
the  Gordius  Aquaticus,  which  passes 
a  portion  of  its  life  in  stagnant  pools, 
and  which  in  outward  appearance  and 
size  closely  resembles  the  hair  of  a 
horse.  I  have  met  those  who  could  not 
be  convinced  that  they  had  not  seen 
hairs  turned  into  snakes.    Ant.  I,  2, 200. 

Court,  dr.p.  A  soldier  in  army  of  Henrv 
V.    HV. 

court-cupboard.  A  sort  of  movable  side- 
board, without  doors  or  drawers,  on 
which  were  displayed  the  plate  of  an 
establishment  —  the  flagons,  beakers, 
cups,  etc.    Difce.     Rom.  I,  5,  8. 

court  holy-water.  Flattery  ;  fair  words. 
Lr.  Ill,  2, 10.  Cot.  gives :  "  Eau  beniste 
de  Cour.  Court  holie  water ;  comple- 
ments, f  aire  words,  flattering  speeches. " 

courtship.    Courtly  breeding;   elegance 


of  behaviour.    LLL.  V,  2,  363  ;  0th.  II, 
1,  171. 

cousin.  Besides  the  usual  meaning,  it  often 
signifies  nephew  or  niece.  Hml.  I,  2, 
64.  Tw.  V,  1,  313.  In  I,  3,  1,  Sir  Toby 
calls  Olivia  his  niece.  Kings  and  princes 
usually  give  this  title  to  the  noblemen 
in  their  train. 

cousin -german.  A  first  cousin.  Troll. 
IV,  5,  121. 

covent.    Convent.    Meas.  IV,  3,  133. 
An  old  form  of  convent,  still  sur- 
viving in  the    name   Covent  Garden, 
London,     which    was    originally    the 
garden  of  the  convent  at  Westminster. 

cover.  To  lay  the  table  for  a  meal. 
Merch.  Ill,  5,  65. 

cowish.     Cowardly.     Lr.  IV,  2,  12. 

cowl-staff.  A  pole  on  which  a  weight  is 
borne  between  two  persons.  Wiv.  Ill, 
3,  156. 

cox.  A  minced  form  of  God.  Same  as 
cock,  q.v.  Cox  my  jjassion  =  by  God's 
passion.     All's.  V,  2,  42. 

coxcomb.  1.  A  fool's  cap.  It  was  the 
fashion  to  decorate  the  head  of  the 
domestic  fool  with  a  comb,  like  that  of 
a  cock,  and.  frequently  the  apex  of  the 
hood  took  the  foi-m  of  the  neck  and 
the  head  of  a  cock.  Shr.  II,  1,  226  ; 
Lr.  I,  4,  105.  Shall  I  hove  a  c.  of 
frize  ?  (Wiv.  V,  5,  146),  =  shall  I 
have  a  fool's  cap  of  frize  ?  meaning 
shall  I  be  made  a  fool  of  by  a  Welsh- 
man ? — Wales  being  famous  for  this 
kind  of  cloth.  Sometimes  used  for  the 
head,  as  in  Tw.  V,  1,  179,  where  Ague- 
cheek  speaks  of  a  bloody  coxcomb. 
2.  A  conceited  fool.  HV.  IV,  1,  79; 
LLL.  IV,  3,  84. 

coy.    V.    1.    To  disdain.    Cor.  V.  1,  6. 
2.    To  caress.    Mids.  IV,  1,  2. 

coystrel.  A  paltry  groom,  one  only  fit 
to  carry  arms,  not  to  use  them  ;  a  mean, 
paltry  fellow.  Tw.  I,  3,  43 ;  Per.  IV, 
6,  176. 

cozen-Qermans.  German  swindlers.  A 
word  of  Evans's  making.  Wiv.  IV,  5, 
79. 

cozier.  A  botcher;  apatcher;  a  cobbler. 
Tw.  II,  3,  97. 


CBA 


85 


CBE 


Crab.  The  dog  owned  by  Launce.  Gent. 
II,  3,  5. 

crab.  1.  The  wild  apple.  It  is  used, 
when  roasted,  to  flavor  hot  ale  and  as 
an  ingredient  in  "  Lambs- wool, "  which 
was  the  favorite  liquor  of  the  gossip's 
bowl.  Lambs-wool  consisted  of  ale, 
nutmeg,  sugar,  toast,  and  roasted  crabs. 
Mids.  II,  1,  48. 

The  crab  is  very  sour  ;  hence  used  as 
a  name  for  a  morose  person.     Shr.  II, 

1,  230  ;  Lr.  I,  5,  16. 

2.    A    well-known    animal    concerning 

which  the  popular  idea  is  that  it  walks 

backwards.  Hml.  II,  2,  206. 
crab-tree.      The   wild   apple-tree.     The 

wood  is  noted  for  its  great  weight  and 

toughness.  HVIII.  V,  4,  7. 
crack.     1.    A  flaw ;  a  breach.     Wint.  I, 

2,  322 ;  0th.  II,  3,  330. 

2.  A  pert  little  boy.  2HIV.  Ill,  2,  34  ; 
Cor.  I,  3,  74. 
cracked  within  the  ring.  A  simile  taken 
from  the  cracking  of  coin,  but  evidently 
referring  to  the  change  of  voice  which 
occurs  in  boys  at  a  certain  age.  Cal- 
decott  suggests  a  voice  broken  in  conse- 
quence of  licentious  indulgence,  but 
there  is  no  ground  for  this.  In  Sh.  time 
female  parts  were  acted  by  boys  and 
young  men  (seefe7nale),  and  Hamlet,  ac- 
costing the  boy  who  had  formerly  acted 
a  female  part,  addresses  him  as  "my 
young  lad}^  and  mistress,"  and  remarks 
that  he  has  grown  taller,  and  then 
adds  :  "  Pray  God  that  your  voice  be 
not  cracked,"  as  it  is  apt  to  be  with  the 
approach  of  manhood.  This,  of  course,  j 
would  have  injured  him  for  playirig  j 
female  parts.  In  regard  to  coin,  Gif-  j 
ford,  in  his  notes  to  Jonson's  works,  | 
explains  the  expression  thus :  "  The 
gold  coin  of  our  ancestors  was  veiy 
thin,  and  therefore  liable  to  crack.  It 
still,  however,  continued  passable  until 
the  crack  extended  beyond  the  ring — 
i.e.,  beyond  the  inmost  round  which 
circumscribed  the  inscription;  when  it 
became  xincurrent,  and  might  be  legally 
refused."  Hml.  II,  2,  448.  c.f.  The 
mannish  crack.    Gym.  IV,  2,  236. 


cracker.  A  blusterer;  swaggerer;  boaster. 

John,  II,  1,  147. 
cracks-hemp.    A  rogue  that  deserves  to 

be  hanged.     Shr.  V,  1,  46. 
crafty  -  sick.     Feigning   illness.    2HIV. 

Ind.  37. 
crank.    A  winding  passage.    Cor.  1, 1, 141. 
cranks.     Crooked  streets.     Kins.  I,  2. 
cranking.     To  run  winding.     Ven.  692; 

IHIV.  Ill,  1,  98. 
Cranmer,  Thomas,  dr.p.     Archbishop  of 

Canterbury.     HVIII. 
crants.    A  garland    carried    before  the 

bier  of  a  maiden  and  hung  over  her 

grave.     Hml.  V,  1,  255. 
crare.    A  smaU  vessel  or   skiff.     Cym. 

IV,  2,  205. 
craven,  sh.     A  dunghill  cock.     Shr.  II, 

1,  228. 
craven,  v.    To    make   cowardly.     Cym. 

Ill,  4,  80. 
craver.    A  beggar.     Per.   II,  1,  92. 
credent.     1.  Credulous.     Hml.  I,  3,  30. 

2.  Credible.     Wint.     I,  2,  142. 

3.  Creditable.     Meas.  IV,  4,  29. 
credit.    1.    Report.     Tw.  IV,  3,  6. 

2.    Credibility.     0th.  II,  1,  296. 

creek.  A  rivulet.  Cjm.  IV,  2,  151.  This 
word  has  gone  entirely  out  of  use  in 
England  in  this  sense,  but  is  common 
in  the  United  States. 

crescive.  Growing;  increasing.  HV.  I, 
1,  (36. 

cresset.  An  iron  cage  or  basket  for  hold- 
ing burning  fuel.    IHIV.  Ill,  1,  1.5. 

Cressida,  dr.p.  Daughter  of  Calchas. 
Troil. 

The  Cressida  of  Chaucer  and  of  Sh. 
play  has  no  existence  in  classic  legend, 
being  entirely  an  invention  of  the  mid- 
dle ages.  Of  the  origin  of  the  story 
Saintsbury  gives  the  following  account: 
"  As  far  as  can  be  made  out,  the  inven- 
tion of  Cressid  (called  by  him  and  for 
some  time  afterwards,  Briseida,  and  so 
identified  with  Homer's  Briseis)  belongs 
to  Benoist  de  Ste.  More,  a  trouvere  of 
the  12th  century,  who  wrote  a  Roman  , 
de  Troie  of  great  length,  as  well  as  a 
verse  chronicle  of  Normandy.  The 
story  is  told  by  Benoist  in  no  small  de- 


CBE 


86 


CSI 


tail,  and  the  character  of  Briseida  (which 
Dryden  has  entirely  spoiled  by  making 
her  faithful)  is  well  indicated.  After 
Benoist,  Guido  delle  Colonne  reproduced 
the  story  in  a  very  popular  Latin  work, 
"The  Historia  Trojana."  Cressid  is 
here  still  Briseida,  or  rather  Briseis. 
From  Guido  the  story  passed  to  Boccac- 
cio, who  seems  himself  to  be  responsible 
for  the  character  of  Pandarus,  and  from 
Boccaccio  to  Chaucer.     See  Calchas. 

crestless.  Of  low  birth ;  not  dignified 
with  a  crest.     IHVI.  II,  4,  85. 

crewel.  Worsted.  Crewel  or  worsted 
garters  were  a  cheap  and  common  kind. 
Lr.  II,  4,  7.     See  cruel. 

crib.    A  hovel.    2HIV.  Ill,  1,  9. 

cribbed.  Confined  to  a  small  hut.  Mcb. 
Ill,  4,  24. 

cride-game,  \     The  expression,  cry  aim, 

cried  game,  las  it  occurs  in  Wiv.  Ill,  2, 

cried  I  aim.  )  45,  and  John,  II,  1,  196, 
means  to  encourage,  to  applaud  (see 
aim) ;  but  the  words,  cried  I  aim,  as 
found  in  Wiv.  II,  3,  93,  are  cride-game 
in  Fl,  and  no  quite  satisfactory  explan- 
ation of  them  has  yet  been  given.  Ver- 
planck,  in  discussing  this  passage,  says : 
"  Halliwell,  one  of  the  most  learned 
old-English  scholars  of  his  day,  con- 
fesses, in  his  late  curious  edition  of  the 
original  sketch  of  this  play,  that  he  can- 
not clear  up  the  obscurity.  The  fact 
seems  to  be  that  the  phrase  having  been 
merely  colloquial,  and  not  preserved  in 
books,  is  so  obsolete  that  the  meaning 
can  only  be  guessed  at." 

Various  emendations  have  been  pro- 
posed, such  as,  Tried  game ;  Cock  'o  the 
game  ;  Cry  aim, ;  Curds  and  cream, 
and  others.  Cried  I  aim.  =  do  I  en- 
courage you  ?  seems  as  good  as  any. 
Ingleby  thinks  that  it  is  a  phrase  bor- 
rowed from  hare-coursing,  and  means : 
*'  Did  I  find  the  game  ?  "  which,  in  this 
case,  is,  of  course,  Anne  Page.  But 
this  requires  an  emendation,  and  if  we 
emend  at  all  we  may  as  well  do  it  thor- 
oughly. On  this  passage  poor  old  Jack- 
son, whose  ideas,  though  often  wild, 
were  frequently  original,  has  the  fol- 


lowing note,  which  is  worth  reproduc- 
ing: "Let  it  be  considered,  that  the 
Host  avails  himself  of  Caius's  ignorance 
of  the  English  language,  and  conveys 
gross  abuse  under  the  mask  of  friend- 
ship. In  one  place  he  calls  him  Heart 
of  Elder,  which  means  a  spiritless  fel- 
low— the  elder  tree  having  no  heart,  its 
interior  being  all  pulp.  In  another 
place,  he  gives  him  the  genteel  name  of 
Monsieur  Muck-water,  which  he  in- 
terprets, valour,  bully :  again,  — He 
will  clapper-claw  thee  tightly,  bully : 
which  he  interprets — He  will  make  thee 
amends.  But  the  epithet  which  he 
gives  him  at  present  is  even  worse  than 
these :  the  grossest  he  could  use  to  a 
man  going  to  court  a  young  and  beauti- 
ful damsel ;  yet,  for  this,  Caius's  ignor- 
ance of  what  the  other  says,  is  such 
that  he  promises  to  procure  him  guests 
of  the  first  distinction : — de  good  guest, 
de  earl,  de  knight,  de  lords,  de  gentle- 
tnen,  etc. ,  and  all  this  for  being  called 
Dry'd  game,  i.e.,  an  old,  sapless  fellow, 
in  whom  the  animal  juices  that  could 
create  passion  are  extinct."  And  so  he 
would  read  :  /  will  bring  thee  where 
Mistris  Anne  Page  is,  at  a  Farm-house 
a  Feasting :  and  thou  shalt  wooe  her  : 
Dride-game,  said  I  well  f  (Copied  from 
Fl,  with  the  change  of  a  single  letter). 
crisp.  Curled.  Tp.  IV,  1,  130;  Tim.  IV, 
3,  183.  Crisp  heaven,  alluding  to  the 
curled  clouds.  Tim.  IV,  3,  183. 
Crispian,  [  Crispin  and  Crispinian  were 
Crispin.  \  natives  of  Rome,  and  becom- 
ing converted  to  Christianity,  travelled 
to  Soissons,  in  France,  in  order  to  preach 
the  gospel.  Desiring  to  be  independent, 
they  worked  at  their  trade  of  shoemak- 
ing  and  furnished  shoes  to  the  poor  at 
extremely  low  prices.  When  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  town  learned  that  they 
maintained  their  Christian  faith  and 
tried  to  make  proselytes,  he  caused  them 
to  be  beheaded.  They  were  canonized, 
and  the  25th  of  October  was  set  apart 
as  their  festival.  The  shoemakers  adopt- 
ed them  as  their  patron  saints.  The 
battle  of  Agincourt  was  fought  on  this 


CRI 


87 


CBO 


day 
40. 


hence  the  allusion  in  HV.  IV,  3, 


critic.  A  cynic  ;  a  carper.  Troil.  V,  2, 
128. 

Cromwell,  Thomas,  dr.p.  Servant  to 
Wolsey.     HVIII. 

Wolsey's  advice  to  Cromwell  (HVIII. 
Ill,  2,  429)  is  known  to  every  reader  of 
Sh.  The  king  made  him  Earl  of  Essex, 
and  he  became  chancellor  and  vicar- 
general.  He  so  far  gained  the  confidence 
of  the  king  that  he  became  the  monarch 's 
chief  advisor,  and  it  was  mainly  through 
his  influence  that  the  Church  of  England 
separated  from  the  Papacy.  He  brought 
about  the  marriage  of  Henry  with 
Anne  of  Cleves,  but  after  that  he  fell 
into  disfavour,  was  accused  of  treason, 
and  beheaded  July  28,  1540. 

cross.  A  piece  of  money.  In  old  times 
most  money  had  a  cross  deeply  stamped 
into  it  so  that  it  could  be  broken  into 
two  or  four  pieces,  each  of  a  propoi-tion- 
ate  value.  This  fact  gave  rise  to  many 
puns  or  quibbles.  LLL,  I,  2,  36;  As. 
II,  4,  12 ;  2HIV.  I,  2,  253. 

cross.  Of  the  passage  in  Hml.  I,  1,  127, 
two  explanations  have  been  given  :  1 — 
It  was  a  prevalent  notion  that  a  person 
who  crossed  the  spot  on  which  a  spectre 
or  ghost  was  seen,  became  subject  to 
its  malign  influence;  2 — That  Horatio 
expressed  his  intention  of  summoning  it 
by  the  sign  of  the  cross.  The  first  is 
that  which  is  generally  accepted. 

crosses,  lioly.  In  reference  to  Merch. 
V,  1,  31,  Knight  tells  us  that  "  Crosses 
by  the  wayside  still,  as  of  old,  bristle 
the  land  in  Italy  and  sanctify  the  sea. 
Besides  those  contained  in  churches, 
they  mark  the  spot  where  heroes  were 
born,  where  saints  rested,  where  travel- 
lers died.  They  rise  on  the  summits  of 
hills,  and  at  the  intersections  of  roads  ; 
and  there  is  now  a  shrine  of  Madonna 
del  Mare  in  the  midst  of  the  sea  between 
Mestre  and  Venice,  and  another  between 
Venice  and  Palestrina,  where  the  gon- 
dolier and  the  mariner  cross  themselves 
in  passing,  and  whose  lamp  nightly 
gleams  over  the  waters,  in  moonlight 


or  storm.  The  days  are  past  when 
pilgrims  of  all  ranks,  from  the  queen 
to  the  beggar  maid,  might  be  seen 
kneeling  and  praying  '  for  happy  wed- 
lock hours,'  or  for  whatever  else  lay 
nearest  their  hearts  ;  and  the  reverence 
of  the  passing  traveller  is  now  nearly 
all  the  homage  that  is  paid  at  those 
shrines." 

crossways.  The  bodies  of  suicides  not 
being  admitted  to  burial  in  sanctified 
ground,  were  buried  in  crossroads  as 
being  a  place  generally  marked  with 
a  cross  and  the  next  best  place  to  a 
churchyard.  Mids.  Ill,  2,  383.  See 
floods. 

cross-gartered.  Wearing  the  garters 
crossed  on  the  leg.  The  garters  were 
often  highly  ornamented,  and  were 
worn  in  sight.  Tw.  II,  5,  167.  See 
caddis-garter. 

cross-row.  The  alphabet.  The  alphabet 
was  called  the  Christ-cross  row,  some 
say  because  a  cross  was  prefixed  to 
the  alphabet  in  the  old  primers.  Others 
derive  the  name  from  a  superstitious 
custom  of  writing  the  alphabet  in  the 
form  of  a  cross,  by  way  of  a  charm. 
RIII.  I,  1,  55. 

crow -keeper.  Either  a  scarecrow  (a 
stuffed  figure)  or  a  person  employed  to 
keep  crows  away  from  a  newly-planted 
field.     Lr.  IV,  6,  88 ;  Rom.  I,  4,  6. 

crown.  It  has  been  suggested  that  the 
reference  to  a  red-hot  crown  of  steel  in 
RIII.  IV,  1,  61,  may  be  an  allusion  to 
the  red-hot  crown  sometimes  employed 
as  a  punishment  for  rebels  and  usurpers, 
but  the  general  trend  of  the  passage 
does  not  seem  to  warrant  this  conclu- 
sion. 

crowner.    See  coroner. 

crownet.  Coronet.  Troil.  Prol.  6,  Ant. 
V,  2,  91. 

crown  imperial.  The  Frltillaria  im- 
perialis.  A  well-known  liliaceous  gar- 
den plant,  noted  for  its  beautiful  flowers. 
Also  called  the  crown  thistle.  Wint. 
IV,  3,  126. 

Of  this  beautiful  flower  the  following 
jiretty  German  legend  is  told:   "The 


CEU 


cue 


flower  was  originally  white  and  erect, 
and  grew  in  its  full  beauty  in  the  garden 
of  Gethsemane,  where  it  was  often 
noticed  and  admii'ed  by  our  Lord  ;  but 
in  the  night  of  agony,  as  He  passed 
through  the  garden,  all  the  other  flowers 
bowed  their  heads  in  sorrowful  adora- 
tion, the  Crown  Imperial  alone  remain- 
ing with  its  head  unbowed — but  not  for 
long  ;  sorrow  and  shame  took  the  place 
of  pride  ;  she  bent  her  proud  head,  and 
blushes  of  shame  and  tears  of  sorrow 
soon  followed  ;  and  so  she  has  ever  con- 
tinued, with  bent  head,  blushing  color, 
and  ever-flowing  tears." 

Gerard  tells  us  that  "  in  the  bottome 
of  each  of  the  bells  there  is  placed  six 
drops  of  most  clear,  shining,  sweet 
water,  in  taste  like  sugar,  resembling 
in  shew  faire  Orient  pearles,  the  which 
drops,  if  you  take  away,  there  do 
immediately  appear  the  like  ;  notwith- 
standing, if  they  may  be  suffered  to 
stand  still  in  the  floure  according  to  his 
owne  nature,  they  will  never  fall  away, 
no,  not  if  you  strike  the  plant  until  it 
be  broken." 

The  crown  imperial  is  easily  culti- 
vated in  any  rich  soil,  and  not  only 
makes  a  fine  show,  but  is  interesting 
from  its  associations. 

cruel.  Hard-hearted.  As.  IV,  3,  31. 
The  passage  in  Lr.  Ill,  7,  65,  all  cruels 
else  subscribe,  is  acknowledged  to  be 
inexplicable.  Page  upon  page  of  at- 
tempted explanations  have  been  offered, 
but  none  that  is  satisfactory. 

In  Lr.  II,  4, 7,  he  wears  cruel  garters, 
there  is  a  quibble  on  the  words  crewel 
(worsted)  and  cruel,  alluding  to  the 
stocks  in  which  Kent's  legs  were  placed. 
See  crewel  and  caddis-garter. 

crusado,  |^       A    Portuguese   gold    coin 

cruzado.  )  worth  about  $2.50.  It  was 
so  called  because  it  had  a  cross  stamped 
Upon  it.    0th.  Ill,  4,  26. 

crush  a  cup.  To  take  a  drink.  Rom. 
I,  2,  85.  A  common  expression  in  the 
old  plays.  We  still  say  "crack  a 
bottle. ' '    Steevens. 

crusty.    See  curst  and  batch. 


cry,  n.  A  company,  or  pack  ;  as  a  cry 
of  players.  Hml.  Ill,  2,  289.  A  cry  of 
curs.     Cor.  Ill,  3,  120. 

cry,  vb.    1.   To  weep.    Troil.  II,  2,  101. 
2.  To  shout ;  to  utter  in  a  loud  voice. 
Mcb.  II,  2,  22. 

To    cry    aim.     See  aim  and   cride- 
gam,e. 

crystals.    Eyes.    HV.  II,  3,  .56. 

cub-drawn.  Sucked  by  cubs  until  hungry 
and  ravenous.    Lr.  Ill,  1,  12. 

cubiculo.  Apartment  ;  lodging.  Tw. 
Ill,  2,  .56. 

cuckold,  n.  A  man  whose  wife  is  false 
to  him.     Hml.  IV,  5,  118.     See  Wittol. 

cuckold,  vb.  To  treat  in  the  same  way 
that  the  cuckoo  serves  other  birds,  viz., 
by  laying  an  egg  in  their  nest.  Wiv. 
Ill,  5,  140. 

cuckoo.  1 .  A  bird  well  known  in  Europe ; 
the  cuculus  canorus.  The  name  is 
derived  from  its  cry,  which,  as  O.  W. 
Holmes  jokingly  says,  is  an  exact  imi- 
tation of  the  sound  made  by  the  ordi- 
nary cuckoo-clock.  The  chief  peculiar- 
ity which  makes  the  bird  interesting  to 
readers  of  Sh.  is  its  habit  of  laying  its 
eggs  in  the  nests  of  other  birds,  gener- 
ally smaller  than  itself.  When  the 
cuckoo  eggs  hatch  out,  the  young 
cuckoo  usually  manages  to  throw  out 
the  young  of  the  owner  of  the  nest  so 
that  it  may  obtain  all  the  food  brought 
by  its  foster-parents.  In  Lr.  I,  4,  236, 
the  fool  speaks  of  the  hedge-sparrow 
having  "it  head  bit  off  by  it  young," 
but  this  never  occurs.  The  young 
cuckoo  destroys  the  nestlings  of  its 
foster-parents  by  pressing  them  to  death 
by  its  greater  bulk  and  weight ;  IHIV. 
V,  1 ,  60.  From  this  habit  of  the  cuckoo, 
the  bird  is  the  symbol  of  cuckoldom, 
and,  indeed,  the  source  of  that  word. 
LLL.  V,  2,  910.  Hence  the  term  slan- 
derous cuckoo.  Kin§.  1, 1.  The  cuckoo 
was  one  of  the  birds  of  ill-omen. 
2.  A  fool;  a  simpleton.  IHIV.  II,  4, 
387. 

cucullus  non  facit  monachum.  A  hood 
does  not  make  a  monk  ;  and  the  clown 
would  infer  that  motley  does  not  make 


CUE 


CUR 


a  fool.    Tw.  I,  5,  62.    Also  Meas.  V,  1, 
263. 

cue.  The  last  words  of  an  actor's  speech 
which  is  the  signal  for  the  next  actor 
to  begin.  Wiv.  Ill,  3,  39;  Ado.  II,  1, 
316;  Lr.  I,  2,  147.  Hence  it  sometimes 
means  sign,  hint,  motive.  Hml.  II,  2, 
587 ;  0th.  I,  2,  83. 

cuisses.  Armour  for  the  thighs.  IHIV. 
IV,  1,  105. 

cullion.    A  mean  wretch.    Shr.  IV,  2,  20. 

culverin,  A  kind  of  cannon;  the  early 
cannon  bore  representations  of  snakes 
(old  French  couleuvres)  and  other  ven- 
omous reptiles,  and  this  was  probably 
the  origin  of  the  name.  Some  say  be- 
cause it  was  long,  like  a  snake,  cf.  bas- 
ilisk.    IHIV.  II,  3,  56. 

cunning,  n.  Skill,  without  the  suggestion 
of  slyness.     Hml.  II,  2,  461 . 

cunning,  adj.  Skilful;  knowing.  Ven. 
686;  Ado.  V,  1,  234. 

Cupid.  The  god  of  love.  A  favorite 
deity  with  the  poets.  Referred  to  fifty- 
one  times  in  the  plays  of  Sh. 

Cupid  is  usually  described  as  the  son 
of  Venus  (Aphrodite),  but  various 
fathers  have  been  assigned  to  him 
(Mars,  Jupitei-,  Mercury),  and  some- 
times it  is  claimed  that  he  had  no  father 
at  all.  He  was  first  represented  as  a 
handsome  youth,  but  in  later  times  as 
a  wanton  boy  of  whom  a  thousand 
cruel  tricks  were  related,  and  from 
whom  neither  gods  nor  men  were  safe. 
He  is  generally  represented  with  golden 
wings,  and  his  eyes  are  sometimes 
covered  so  that  he  acts  blindly.  Hence 
the  allusions  to  bli^id  Cupid;  Mids.  I, 
1,  2.35 ;  Lr.  IV,  6,  141,  and  elsewhere. 
By  the  earlier  poets,  however,  he  is  not 
described  as  blind ;  this  was  a  later 
thought.  His  arms  consist  of  a  bow 
and  arrows,  which  he  carries  in  a  golden 
quiver.  He  also  bears  torches  which 
no  one  can  touch  with  impunity.  His 
arrows  are  of  diff'erent  powers ;  some 
are  golden  and  kindle  love  in  the  heart 
they  wound  ;  others  are  blunt  and  heavy 
with  lead,  and  produce  aversion  to  a 
lover.    This   explains   the   passage  in 


Mids.  I,  1,  169.  Cupid''s  flower  = 
heartsease.  Mids.  IV,  1,  78.  See  Dan; 
Dianas  bud  and  hare-finder. 

Curan,  dr. p.    A  courtier.     Lr. 

curb.  To  bend.  Hml.  Ill,  4,  155.  In 
Fl.  this  passage  reads,  courb  and  woe 
for  leave;  in  the  "Globe"  and  most 
other  eds.  the  reading  is  curb  and  woo. 
The  original  meaning  of  curb  is  to  bend, 
the  Middle  English  being  courben,  to 
bend;  but  the  word  curb  has  now 
changed  its  meaning  to  such  an  extent 
that  it  might  be  well  to  retain  the  old 
spelling  courb  whenever  the  old  idea  is 
to  be  conveyed. 

curdy.    To  congeal.    Cor.  V,  3,  66. 

Curio,  dr.p.  An  attendant  on  the  Duke 
of  lUyria.     Tw. 

curious.     1.    Elegant.    Cym.  V,  5,  362. 
2.  Careful ;  anxious.     Cym.  I,  6, 191. 

curiosity.  Scrupulosity  ;  exactest  scru- 
tiny.    Lr.  I,  1,  6. 

currance.     Current ;  flow.     HV,  I,  1,  34. 

currents.    Occurrences.     IHIV.  II,  3,  58. 

curst.  Cross ;  ill-tempered.  Ado.  II,  1, 
22;  Mids.  Ill,  2,  300;  Shr.  I,  2,  128. 

The  word  crusty  as  applied  to  a  per- 
son who  has  a  bad  temper,  is  simply  a 
variant,  by  metathesis,  of  curst.  The 
letter  r  is  peculiarly  liable  to  this 
change.  Crusty  =  ill-tempered  ;  and 
crusty  =  covered  with  crust,  as  bread, 
are  two  entirely  different  words.  See 
batch. 

curstness.  Quarrelsomeness ;  shrewish- 
ness.    Ant.  II,  2,  25. 

curtal.  Having  the  tail  cut  short,  as  in 
dogs,  or  "  docked,"  as  in  horses.  Nares 
defines  a  "curtal  dog"  as  "originally 
the  dog  of  an  unqualified  person,  which 
by  the  forest  laws  must  have  its  tail 
cut  short,  partly  as  a  mark,  and  partly 
from  a  notion  that  the  tail  of  a  dog  is 
necessary  in  running.  [Not  in  running, 
but  in  turning.  A  greyhound  could 
not  course  if  his  tail  were  cut  off,  and 
one  with  a  weak  or  light  tail  is  sure  to 
fail  at  the  turn.]  In  later  usage,  curtal 
dog  means  either  a  common  dog,  not 
meant  for  sport,  or  a  dog  that  missed 
his  game.  "    It  has  the   latter  sense  in 


CUR 


90 


CTM 


Wiv.  II,  1,  114.     Used  of  a  horse  in 
All's.  II,  3,  65. 

curtail.    Same  as  curtal. 

Curtis,  dr. 2).    Servant  to  Petruchio.    Shr. 

curtle-axe.  A  cutlass  ;  a  short,  slightly- 
curved  sword.     As.  I,  3,  119. 

The  word  is  a  corruption  of  cutlass, 
French  coutelas.  The  weapon  was  not 
an  axe,  and  had  no  relation  to  that 
implement.  In  Fl,  the  word  is  cur- 
telax. 

cushes.    The  old  fomi  of  cuisses.     q.v. 

cushion.  A  kind  of  sack  or  bag  stuffed 
for  a  seat.  From  the  casque  to  the 
cushion  =  from  war  to  peace.  Cor, 
IV,  7,  43. 

custalorum.  Shallow's  corruption  of 
Oust  OS  Rotulorum,  the  Keeper  of  the 
Rolls  or  records  of  the  session,  and  the 
chief  civil  officer  of  the  county.  Wiv. 
1,1,7. 

custard.  Like  him  that  leaped  into  the 
custard.  All's.  II,  5,  41.  "  It  ^vas  a 
foolery  practised  at  city  entertainments, 
while  the  jester  or  zany  was  in  vogue, 
for  him  to  jump  into  a  large  deep 
custard,  set  for  the  purpose,  '  to  set  on 
a  quantity  of  barren  spectators  to 
laugh,'  as  our  poet  says  in  his  Hamlet." 
Theobald. 

custard-coffin.  The  upper  crust  covering 
a  custard-pie.     Shr.  IV,  3,  82. 

customer.  A  prostitute.  All's.  V,  3, 
287  ;  Oth.  IV,  1,  123. 

cut.  A  horse.  IHIV.  II,  1,  6 ;  Tw.  II, 
3,  203 ;  Kins.  Ill,  4. 

That  the  word  was  a  common  name 
for  a  horse  is  very  evident.  In  the  old 
ballad,  "The  Pynning  of  the  Basket," 
we  read  :  "  He  spurred  his  cutte."  As 
to  whether  the  word  had  reference  to 
the  docking  of  the  tail  or  to  gelding,  the 
coms.  are  not  agreed.  Sir  Toby's  re- 
mark may  mean  merely ' '  call  me  horse, ' ' 
or  it  may  have  had  a  more  offensive 
intimation. 

cut  and  longtail.  All  kinds.  Dogs  with 
cut  tails  (see  curtal)  were  of  the  lowest 
degree  ;  long  tail  dogs,  used  for  hunting, 
were  the  first  ofi  their  kind,  and  the 
expression  as  a  whole  includes  all  kinds 


of  dogs.    Used  metaphorically  of  men. 
Wiv.  Ill,  4,  47. 

cuttle.  Evidently  means  a  swaggerer  or 
swash-buckler.  Perhaps  a  misprint  for 
cutter,  or  perhaps  a  specimen  of  Doll's 
"  frittering "  of  English.  Cot.  has 
"  taille-bras :  a  hackster,  arme-slasher, 
cutter,  swaggerer,  swash  -  buckler. " 
Sometimes  defined  as  the  slang  name 
for  the  knife  used  by  cut-purses,  but 
this  does  not  seem  quite  appropriate  in 
the  only  passage  in  which  it  occurs  in 
Sh.     2HIV.  II,  4,  139. 

Halliwell  tells  us  that  a  foul-mouthed 
fellow  was  called  a  cuttle,  in  reference 
to  the  habit  of  the  cuttle-fish  which, 
when  pursued,  ejects  an  inky  and  black 
juice  that  fouls  the  water.  But  this,  I 
am  afraid,  is  too  far-fetched  to  be 
accurate. 

Cyclopes.  The  meaning  of  this  name  is 
"round-eyed,"  and  they  were  said  to 
be  of  gigantic  size,  and  to  have  a  single, 
large,  round  eye  in  the  center  of  the 
forehead.  Various  accounts  are  given 
of  their  origin  and  habits,  but  the  story 
to  which  Sh.  refers  in  Hml.  II,  2,  511, 
is  the  later  tradition,  in  which  they  are 
represented  as  the  assistants  of  Vulcan 
who  used  the  principal  volcanoes  as 
their  workshops.  They  made  the 
metal  armour  and  arms  for  gods  and 
heroes.  According  to  the  earlier  tra- 
dition, they  were  three  in  number, 
and  were  killed  by  Apollo  because  they 
supplied  Jupiter  with  the  thunderbolts 
with  which  he  killed  ^sculapius. 

Cymbeline,  dr.p.  King  of  Britain. 
Cym. 

cyme.  The  identity  of  this  purgative 
drug  has  never  been  fully  decided.  The 
word  is  cyme  in  Fl.  and  in  most  edi- 
tions, but  in  F4.  the  reading  is  senna^ 
and  this  has  been  followed  by  many. 
The  old  spelling  of  senna  was  sene  or 
scene.  Ingleby,  in  his  "  Hermeneutics," 
p.  35,  thinks  that  by  cyme  is  meant  the 
sprouts  of  the  colewort,  of  which  an  old 
name  is  cyma,  and  which  was  known 
to  be  a  gentle  laxative.  But  what  Mcb. 
wanted  was  a  violent  cathartic   that 


CYK 


91 


D^D 


would   "scour    these    English  hence," 
not  a  mild  laxative.     Mcb.  V,  3,  55. 

cynic.  A  snarler ;  so  called  after  the 
Greek  word  for  a  dog.  The  term  is 
applied  not  only  to  a  follower  of  Antis- 
thenes  and  his  pupil  Diogenes,  but  to 
any  habitual  sna  rling  fault-finder.  Caes. 
IV,  3,  133. 

Cynthia.  A  poetical  name  of  Diana,  the 
goddess  of  the  moon  and  of  chastity. 
Hence  used  as  a  name  for  the  moon 
itself.  The  names  Cynthia  (Diana)  and 
Cynthius  (Apollo)  are  derived  from 
Mount  Cynthus  in  the  island  of  Delos, 
which  was  their  birthplace. 

cypress,  )       Crape.    Wint.    IV,   4,  221. 

Cyprus,    f   Tw.  Ill,  1,  132. 

It  is  claimed  with  much  reason  that 
in  Tw.  II,  4,  53,  cypress  means  a  coffin 
made  of  cypress  M'ood,  and  not  a  shroud 
or  wrapping  of  crape.  A  few  lines 
lower  down,  the  shroud  is  expressly 
mentioned  by  itself.  Cypress  wood 
was  a  favourite  material  for  coffins 
owing  to  its  durability  when  laid  in  the 
ground,  and  it  is  very  likely  that 
cypress  here  means  wood,  while  in  other 
passages  it  means  crape,  as  certainly  in 
Wint.  IV,  4,  221. 

Cyrus.    The  Cyrus  referred  to  in  HVI. 


II,  3,  6,  was  Cyrus,  the  elder,  the  son 
of  Cambyses,  and  King  of  Persia.  His 
grandfather,  Astyages,  having  dreamed 
that  his  unborn  grandson  should  be 
ruler  of  Asia,  gave  the  child,  as  soon  as 
born,  to  his  confidential  attendant, 
Harpagus,  with  orders  to  kill  it.  Instead, 
however,  he  was  reared  as  the  son  of 
a  herdsman,  and  the  story  of  the  re- 
velation of  his  real  parentage  is  deeply 
interesting,  but  too  long  for  our  pages. 
He  dethroned  his  grandfather,  con- 
quered the  Babylonians,  and  attempted 
the  subjugation  of  the  Massagetae,  a 
Scythian  people,  who  defeated  and  slew 
him.  Their  queen,  Tomyris,  cut  off  his 
head  and  threw  it  into  a  bag  filled  with 
human  blood  so  that  he  might  satiate 
himself  (as  she  said)  with  gore. 
Cytherea.  Venus  or  Aphrodite.  She 
was  so  called  after  a  mountainous 
island  off  the  south-western  point  of 
Laconia.  Into  this  island  the  Phoeni- 
cians introduced  her  worship,  and  for 
this  it  became  celebrated.  According 
to  some  traditions  it  was  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  this  island  that  she  first 
rose  from  the  foam  of  the  sea.  Shr. 
Ind.  II,  53 ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  122  ;  Cym.  II, 
2,  14. 


/4EDALUS.  A  mythical  person- 
age, under  whose  name  the 
Greek  writers  personified  the 
earliest  development  of  the 
arts.  The  name  itself  implies  skill, 
and  the  earliest  works  of  art  which 
were  attributed  to  the  gods  were  called 
daidala.  Daedalus  was  the  reputed 
inventor  of  the  saw,  the  axe,  the  plumb- 
line,  the  augur  or  gimlet  and  glue.  He 
was  said  to  have  been  taught  the  art  of 
carpentry  by  Minerva.  He  instructed 
his  sister's  son,  Calos,  Talus,  or  Perdrix, 


who  soon  came  to  surpass  him  in  skill 
and  ingenuity,  and  Daedalus  killed  him 
through  envy.  Being  condemned  to 
death  for  this  murder  he  fled  to  Crete, 
where  the  fame  of  his  skill  obtained  for 
him  the  friendship  of  Minos,  but  when 
Pasiphae,  the  wife  of  Minos,  gave  birth 
to  a  monster  (the  Minotaur)  Daedalus, 
who  aided  Pasiphae,  was  imprisoned. 
Pasiphae  released  him,  and  as  Minos 
had  seized  all  the  ships  on  the  coast  of 
Crete,  Daedalus  made  wings  for  himself 
and  his  son  Icarus,  fastening  them  on 


SAF 


93 


DAB 


with  wax.  Daedalus  himself  flew  safely 
over  the  ^gean,  but  as  Icarus  flew 
.  too  near  the  sun,  the  wax  by  which  his 
wings  were  fastened  on  was  melted, 
and  he  dropped  down  and  was  drowned 
in  that  part  of  the  ^gean  which  was 
called  after  him  the  Icarian  Sea.  3H VI. 
V,  6,  21 ;  IHVI.  IV,  6,  54. 

daff.    1.  To  put  off.    A  variant  of  doff. 
0th.  IV,  2,  176;  Compl.  297. 
2.  To  push ;  to  turn  aside.    Ado.  II,  3, 
176  ;  IHIV.  IV,  1,  96. 

dagger  of  lath.    See  Vice. 

Dagonet,  Sir.  A  fool  at  the  court  of 
King  Arthur.    2HIV.  Ill,  2,  303. 

Arthur  "  loved  him  passing  well,  and 
made  him  knight  with  his  own  hands." 
The  courtiers  played  all  manner  of 
tricks  on  him.  On  one  occasion  they 
persuaded  him  to  attack  Mark,  King 
of  Cornwall,  who  was  in  reality  an 
arrant  coward.  Mark,  supposing  him 
to  be  Lancelot  of  the  Lake,  ran  away, 
but  met  another  knight,  who  at  once 
attacked  Dagonet  and  tumbled  him 
from  his  horse.  For  other  tricks  and  a 
full  discussion  of  the  Arthur's  show  see 
Dyce's  "  Glossary. "  See  also  Arthur'' s 
Show,  ante,  p.  45. 

damask.    1.  Of  a  pink   color,  like   the 
damask  rose.     Cor.  II,  1,  282. 
2.  Having  the   colors   mingled.     LLL. 
V,  2,  296;  Tw.  11,4,  115. 

Damascus.  Damascus  was  supposed  to 
be  the  place  where  Cain  slew  Abel. 
Hence  the  allusion  in  IHVI.  1,  3,  39.  In 
regard  to  this  passage  Ritson  quotes 
"Polychronicon,"  Fol.  XII:  "Damas- 
cus is  as  moche  to  say  as  shedynge  of 
blood.  For  there  Chaym  slowe  Abell 
and  hidde  hym  in  the  sonde." 

damn.    To  condemn.    Caes.  IV,  1,  6. 

Dan.  Lord ;  master.  A  corruption  of 
Dominus.  (Dyce.)  Dan  Cupid  =  Master 
Cupid.    LLL.  Ill,  1, 182. 

Daniel.  The  allusion  in  Merch.  IV,  1, 
223,  is  to  the  story  of  Susannah  and  the 
elders  in  "The  Apocrypha."  She  was 
the  wife  of  Joiachim,  and  being  accused 
of  adultery  was  condemned  to  death. 
*'  But  the  Lord  raised  up  the  holy  spirit 


of  a  young  youth,  whose  name  was 
Daniel,"  who  proved  her  innocence 
and  turned  the  tables  on  her  accusers, 
who  were  put  to  death  instead. 

dancing  horse.  A  performing  horse 
belonging  to  one  Bankes,  a  Scotchman. 
LLL.  I,  2,  .58.     See  horse. 

dancing  rapier.  A  sword  worn  only  for 
dress  occasions.     Tit,  II,  1,  39. 

danger.    1.   Power;   reach.    Merch.  IV, 

1,  180.  You  stand  within  his  danger 
=  under  obligation  to  him. 

2.  Peril ;  hazard.     Tw.  V,  1,  87. 

dank.    Damp.    IHIV.  II,  1,  9. 

Dansker.    A  Dane.     Hml.  II,  1,  7. 

Daphne.  A  beautiful  maiden  beloved  by 
Apollo  and  Leucippus,  both  of  whose 
suits  she  rejected.  In  order  to  win 
her,  Leucippus  disguised  himself  as  a 
maiden,  but  Apollo's  jealousy  caused 
his  discovery,  and  he  was  killed  by  the 
companions  of  Daphne.  Apollo  now 
pursued  Daphne,  and  she  was  on  the 
point  of  being  overtaken  by  him  when 
she  prayed  for  aid  and  was  metamor- 
phosed into  a  laurel-tree,  which  became, 
in  consequence,  the  favourite  tree  of 
Apollo,  and  of  the  boughs  of  which  he 
made  himself  a  wreath.  Shr.  Ind.  II, 
59 ;  Mids.  II,  1,  231 ;  TroH.  I,  1,  101. 

Dardanian.  Trojan,  the  name  being 
derived  from  Dardanus,  the  mythical 
ancestor  of  the  Trojans  and  through 
them  of  the  Romans.  Merch.  Ill,  2,  58. 
cf.  Lucr.  1428-1436. 

Dardanius,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Brutus. 
Caes. 

dare,ti.    Boldness.    IHIV.  IV,  1,  78. 

dare.  To  terrify.  In  this  sense  it  is  a 
term  in  falconry  where  the  game  is 
afraid  to  rise  for  fear  of  the  hawk.  H  V. 
IV,  2,  36.  For  larks  and  small  birds 
mirrors  and  pieces  of  scarlet  cloth  were 
used.   This  is  referred  to  in  HVIII.  Ill, 

2,  282,  where  the  allusion  evidently  is 
to  the  scarlet  hat  of  the  cardinal. 

The  passage  in  Meas.  IV,  4,  26,  has 
given  rise  to  much  discussion. 

But  that  her  tender  shame 
Will  not  proclaim  against  her  maiden 
loss 


DAE 


DAY 


How   she   might  tongue  me  1     Yet 

reason  dares  her  no  ; 
For  my  authority  bears  of  a  credent 

bulk,  etc.,  etc. 
It  is  impossible  to  make  sense  of  these 
lines,  punctuate  them  how  you  will, 
and  all  ways  have  been  tried,  as  well 
as  other  conjectural  emendations. 
White  suggests  dares  her  on,  but  this 
does  not  quite  meet  the  case.  But  if 
we  change  the  letter  n  in  no  to  a  iall 
difficulty  vanishes.  Yet  reason  dares 
her  to,  i.e.,  to  tongue  me.  As  the  box 
containing  the  n's  in  the  printer's  case 
is  just  above  that  containing  the  Ts,  it 
was  easy  for  an  n  to  slip  into  the  t  box 
and  so  cause  this  confusion. 
Darius.  The  rich-jeweWd  coffer  of  Da- 
rius. IHVI.  I,  6,  25.  "  When  Alexan- 
der the  Great  took  the  city  Gaza,  the 
metropolis  of  Syria,  amidst  the  other 
spoils  and  wealth  of  Darius  treasured 
up  there,  he  found  an  exceeding  rich 
and  beautiful  little  chest  or  casket. 
Having  surveyed  the  singular  rarity  of 
it,  and  asked  those  about  him  what  they 
thought  fittest  to  be  laid  up  in  it ;  when 
they  had  severally  delivered  their  opin- 
ions, he  told  them,  he  esteemed  nothing 
so  worthy  to  be  preserved  in  it  as  Ho- 
mer's Iliads."  Malone.  By  day  this 
casket  and  its  contents  were  carried 
with  him,  and  at  night  the  poems  were 
laid  under  his  pillow. 
darker.    More  secret;  less  known.    Lr. 

I,  1,  37. 
dark  house.    A  mad  house ;  sometimes  a 
darkened  room  for  confining  madmen. 
Err.  IV,  4,  97  ;  As.  Ill,  2,  421 ;  Tw.  Ill, 
4,  148 ;  AU's.  II,  3,  309. 
darkling.    In  the  dark.     Mids.  II,  2,  86 ; 

Lr.  I,  4,  237. 
darnel.  This  name  seems  to  have  been 
applied  to  any  hurtful  weed  especially 
to  those  growing  amongst  corn.  HV. 
V,  2,  45;  Lr.  IV,  4,  50.  By  darnel,  bot- 
anists generally  understand  Lolium  Te- 
mulentum.  According  to  the  old  herb- 
alists, darnel,  when  it  got  into  bread  or 
drink,  was  injurious  to  the  eyes,  caus- 
ing temporary  blindness.    Steevens  sug- 


gests that  this  is  alluded  to  in  IHVI. 
Ill,  2,  44,  where  La  Pucelle  intimates 
that  the  corn  she  carried  with  her  had 
produced  this  effect  on  the  guards  of 
Rouen,  otherwise  they  would  have  seen 
through  her  disguise  and  defeated  her 
stratagem. 

darraign.  To  set  in  array;  to  range. 
3HVI.  II,  2,  72. 

dash.  n.  A  stigma;  mark  of  infamy. 
Wint.  V,  2,  127 ;  Lucr.  206. 

"  In  the  books  of  heraldry  a  particular 
mark  of  disgrace  is  mentioned,  by  which 
the  escutcheons  of  those  persons  were 
anciently  distinguished  who  discourt- 
eously used  a  widow,  maid  or  wife 
against  her  will."     Malone. 

dash.  vb.  To  frustrate;  to  set  aside. 
LLL.  V,  2,  462;  3HVI.  II,  1,  118. 

daub.  1.  To  smear  ;  to  color.  IHIV.  I, 
1,6. 

2.  To  disguise ;  to  counterfeit.  Lr.  IV, 
1,  54. 

daubery.  Imposition ;  a  crude,  but  art- 
ful trick.     Wiv.  IV,  2,  186. 

daughter-beamed.  A  quibble  on  sun- 
beamed  (son-beamed).  LLL.  V,  2,  171. 
c/.  3HVI.  II,  1,  41. 

Dauphin.  The  eldest  son  of  the  King  of 
France,  and  heir  -  apparent  to  the 
crown.  He  bore  on  his  crest  three 
dolphins,  and  in  Sh.  time  the  word  was 
generally  spelled  Dolphin.    In  IHVI. 

I,  4,  107,  there  is  a  pun  on  the  word 
as  meaning  both  the  prince  and  a  fish. 
See  dolphin. 

Dauphin,  Louis,  the,  dr. p.    John.    See 

Melun. 
Davy,  dr.p.    Servant  to  Shallow.   2HIV. 
day-bed.    A   sofa ;   a   lounge.    Tw.  II, 

5,  54. 
daylight,  to  burn.   To  waste  time.    Wiv. 

II,  1,  54  ;  Rom.  I,  4,  43. 
day-woman.    A  dairy-maid.    LLL.  I,  2, 

136.  Schm.  defines  the  word  as  "a 
woman  hired  by  the  day,"  which  is 
clearly  wrong.  The  word  is  weU  known, 
and  is  used  by  Scott  as  =  dairy-maid  in 
"  The  Fair  Maid  of  Perth." 

Our  word  dairy  "is   hybrid,  being 
made  by  suffixing  the  French  erie  to 


DBA 


94 


DEL 


to  the  Middle  English  deye,  a  maid,  a 
female    servant,    especially   a    dairy- 
maid."   Skeat. 
dead-killing.    Deadly.    Lucr.  540 ;  RIII. 

IV,  1,  36. 

dear.  In  Sh.  time  this  word  not  only 
had  the  sense  of  highly-esteemed,  as 
IHIV.  V,  4,  108;  beloved,  as  in  Tp.  I, 
3,  17 ;  of  great  price  as  in  RII.  V,  5, 
68 ;  and  Hml.  II,  2,  382  ;  but  of  intense, 
excessive,  superlative,  whether  used  in 
a  good  or  a  bad  sense.  Thus  dearest 
foe  =  bitterest  foe  (Hml.  I,  2,  183)  ; 
dearest  speed  =  greatest  speed  (IHIV. 

V,  5,  36) ;  dear  peril  =  great  peril 
(Tim.  V,  3,  331).  The  same  is  true  in 
regard  to  dearly,  q.v.  The  origin  of 
these  various  meanings  has  given  rise 
to  much  discussion.  The  reader  who 
desires  to  study  the  subject  thoroughly 
would  do  well  to  consult  Dr.  Furness's 
Var.  ed.  of  Romeo  and  Juliet  under  the 
sentence,  /  must  use  In  dear  employ- 
ment.    Act  V.  3,  33. 

dearly.    Grievously;  bitterly.    Err.   II, 

3,  133  ;  Hml.  IV,  3,  43 ;  As.  I,  3,  35. 

How    dearly  ever  parted  =  however 

.     excellently  endowed.    Troil.  Ill,  3,  96. 

See  dear  and  painted. 

dearn.  1.  Lonely.    Per.  III. ,  Prol.  15. 
2.  Dreadful.    Lr.  Ill,  7.  63. 

death.    See  funeral. 

death-tokens.  Plague  spots.  Troil.  II, 
3,  189.     See  tokened. 

debile.    Weak.    All's.  II,  3,  39. 

Deborah.  A  Jewish  heroine.  In  regard 
to  the  sword  of  Deborah  (IHVI.  I,  3, 
105)  there  is  no  record  of  her  ever  hav- 
ing used  a  sword. 

decent.    Becoming.    HVIII.  IV,  3,  14i). 

Decius  Brutus.    See  Brutus,  Decius. 

deck.  A  pack  of  cards.  3HVI.  V,  1,  44. 
This  word  was  in  use  in  England  in 
Sh.  time,  but  became  obsolete  except  as 
slang.  It  was  undoubtedly  brought  to 
this  country  by  the  first  settlers,  and 
like  many  others  which  have  gone  out 
of  use  in  England  it  still  survives  here, 
and  is  called  "an  Americanism!  "  See 
Bartlett's  "  Dictionary. " 

deck.    To  bedew.    Probably  a  form  of  the 


verb  to  dag  or  deg,  now  a  provincial 
word  meaning  to  sprinkle.  Tp.  1, 3, 155. 
decline.  To  consider ;  to  recount ;  to  go 
over  carefully.  The  word  is  still  used 
in  this  sense  in  grammar  as  in  going 
through  the  cases  of  a  noun.    RIII.  IV, 

4,  97 ;  Troil.  II,  3,  55. 

deedless.    Inactive.    Troil.  IV,  4,  59. 
deem.    Idea ;  thought.    Troil.  IV,  4,  61. 
deep-fet.   Deep-fetched.    3HVI.  II,  4,  33. 
defeat.    1.    To  disfigure.  0th.  I,  3,  346. 
2.    To  destroy.    Hml.  I,  2,  10 ;  0th.  IV, 

3,  160. 
defeature.    Disfigurement.     Err.   II,  1, 

98  ;  do.  V,  1,  399. 
defence.    The  art  of  fencing.    Hml.  IV, 

7,98. 
defend.  To  prohibit ;  to  forbid.  Ado.  IV, 

3,  31 ;  IHIV.  IV,  3,  38. 
In  Sh.  time  this  word  had  the  double 

meaning  of  protecting  and  prohibiting, 

as  is  now  the  case  with  the  French  word 

defendre. 
defensible.     Able  to  fight;  having  the 

power  to  defend.    3HIV.  II,  3,  38. 
defunction.    Death.    HV.  I,  3,  58. 
defunctive.    Funereal.    Phoen.  14. 
defuse.    To  make  uncouth  or  irregular. 

Lr.  I,  4,  3. 
In  some  of  the  old  copies  defuse  is 

used  instead  of  di/f  use  in  some  passages. 

See  diffused. 
defused.     Deformed ;   shapeless.     RIII. 

I,  3,  78. 
defy.    To  renounce;  to  despise.    Tw.  I, 

5,  133;  IHIV.  IV,  1,  6. 

degree.  A  step  or  round  of  a  staircase  or 
ladder.    Caes.  II,  1,  36. 

Deiphobus,  dr. p.    Son  of  Priam.    TroiL 

delation.  A  conveying ;  imparting.  Close 
delations  ==  hidden  intimations.  Oth. 
Ill  3  133 

delighted.  1.  Delightful.  Oth.  1, 3, 391; 
Gym.  V,  4,  103. 

2.  As  it  occurs  in  Meas.  Ill,  1,  119,  the 
word  has  given  rise  to  considerable  dis- 
cussion. The  usual  meanings  fit  so 
poorly  with  the  general  sense  of  the 
passage  that  various  words  have  been 
suggested  as  the  correct  reading :  be- 
nighted,    dilated,     delinquent,     etc. 


DEL 


DEN 


Schm.  interprets  it  as  "having  the 
power  of  giving  delight ;"  others, 
"  framed  for  delight,"  which  meets  the 
sense.  It  has  also  been  suggested  that 
Sh.  used  the  word  in  its  etymological 
sense  (as  he  does  many  other  words),  and 
that  in  this  instance  it  is  de-lighted  = 
deprived  of  light. 

deliverly.  Neatly ;  adroitly.  Kins.  Ill,  5. 

Delphos  or  Delphi.  A  small  town  in 
Greece,  but  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
on  account  of  its  being  the  seat  of  the 
oracle  of  Apollo.  The  modern  name  is 
Kastri.  It  is  situated  six  miles  from 
the  Corinthian  Gulf,  at  the  foot  of 
Mount  Parnassus.  Sh.  evidently  sup- 
posed that  it  was  an  island.  Wint.  Ill, 
1, 2.  In  this  he  followed  Greene,  in  whose 
novel,  "Pandosto,  the  Triumph  of 
Time"  (1588),  afterwards  published 
mider  the  title  of  "  The  Pleasaunt  and 
Delightful  History  of  Dorastus  and 
Fawnia"  (1588),  the  queen  desires  the 
king  to  send  six  of  his  noblemen,  whom 
he  best  trusted,  to  the  isle  of  Delphos." 
It  has  been  suggested  that  Greene 
confounded  Delphi  ("Delphos")  with 
Delos,  the  island  which  was  the  birth- 
place of  Apollo  and  his  sister  Artemis 
or  Diana.  In  "Pandosto"  Sh.  found 
the  plot  of  "The  Winter's  Tale." 
Delphi  was  regarded  as  the  central 
point  of  the  whole  earth  and  hence  was 
called  "the  navel  of  the  earth."  It 
was  said  that  two  eagles  sent  forth  by 
Jupiter,  one  from  the  east  and  one  from 
the  west,  met  at  Delphi  at  exactly  the 
same  time.  Besides  the  great  temple 
of  Apollo,  it  contained  numerous  sanc- 
tuaries, statues,  and  other  works  of 
art.  The  temple  contained  immense 
treasures  ;  for  not  only  were  rich  offer- 
ings presented  to  it  by  kings  and  private 
persons,  who  had  received  favorable 
replies  from  the  oracle,  but  many  of 
the  Greek  states  had  in  the  temple 
separate  thesauri^  in  which  they  de- 
posited, for  the  sake  of  security,  many 
of  theii"  valuable  treasures.  Xerxes 
attempted  to  take  possession  of  these 
treasures,  and  was  defeated,  but  they 


were  ultimately  seized  by  various  suc- 
cessful robbers.  In  1893  the  French 
began  to  excavate  the  site  of  the  temple 
and  its  surroundings,  and  great  hopes 
are  entertained  that  important  dis- 
coveries will  soon  be  made.  See  Oracle. 
demerit.  This  word  "  was  formerly 
synonymous  with  merit  and  that  sense 
was  more  classical  than  the  contrary, 
which  has  since  prevailed,  demereo 
being  even  stronger  than  mereo.'''' 
Nares.  It  is  used  in  the  sense  of 
"merits"  or  "deservings"  in  Cor.  I, 

I,  276;  Oth.  I,  2,  22,  and  elsewhere. 
Our  present  sense  of  the  word  comes 
from  the  French,  and  both  appear  to 
have  been  upon  the  change  about  the 
time  of  Elizabeth. 

Demetrius,  dr. p.  A  friend  of  Anthony. 
Ant. 

Demetrius,  dr. p.   Hermia's  lover.    Mids. 

Demetrius,  dr. p.   A  son  of  Tamora.    Tit. 

demi-Atlas.  Half  an  Atlas,  bearing  half 
the  world.     Ant.  I,  5,  23.     See  Atlas. 

demi-cannon.  A  kind  of  ordnance.  Shr. 
IV,  3,  88. 

demi-natured.  Sharing  the  nature  of  ; 
half  grown  together.     Hml.  IV,  7,  88. 

demi-puppets.  In  regard  to  this  expres- 
sion Furness  says:  "There  must  have 
been  some  reason  for  the  use  of  '  demy,' 
but  what  it  is  I  cannot  say."  To  define 
it  as  "  half  a  puppet "  throws  no  light 
whatever  on  the  meaning.  The  only 
idea  that  suggests  itself  to  me  is  that 
Sh.  meant  to  indicate  the  very  small 
size  of  the  fairies  that  dance  in  these 
fairy  rings  (see  Mids.  Ill,  1),  demi  be- 
ing used  in  a  general  sense  for  small. 

demi-wolves.  A  cross  between  dogs  and 
wolves,  like  the  Latin  lycisci.  John- 
son.   Mcb.  Ill,  1,  94. 

demurely.    Solemnly.    Ant.  IV,  9,  31. 

demuring.  Looking  demurely.  Ant.  IV, 
15,  29, 

den.  An  abbreviation  for  evening.  Rom. 

II,  4,  116. 

denay.    Denial.    Tw.  II,  4,  127. 
denier.    A  very  small  piece  of  money; 
the  12th  part  of  a  French  sol.    RIII.  I, 


DEN 


96 


Dlk 


Dennis,  dr.p.    Servant  to  Oliver.     As. 

Denny,  Sir  Anthony,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

depart,  n.    Death.    3HVI.  II,  1,  110. 

depart,  vb.  To  part ;  to  separate.  3HVI. 
II,  6,  43 ;  Tim.  I,  1,  263. 

depend.    To  be  in  service.   Lr.  I,  4,  271. 

depending.    See  brands. 

depose.   To  put  under  oath.  RII.  I,  3,  30. 

deprave.  To  slander;  to  detract  from. 
Tim.  I,  2,  145. 

depravation.  Detraction.  Troil.  V,  2, 
132. 

deputation.  That  to  which  one  has  been 
deputed  or  appointed.  Thy  topless 
deputation  he  puts  on  (Troil.  I,  3, 
1.52)  means  that  he  imitates  you  in  the 
supreme  position  to  which  you  have 
been  deputed  or  appointed.  See  topless. 

deracinate.    To  extirpate.    HV.  V,  2,  47. 

Dercetas,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Anthony. 
Ant. 

derogate.  Corrupt ;  depraved.  Lr.  I,  4, 
302. 

dern.    See  dearn. 

descending.    Lineage.     Per.  V,  1,  130. 

Desdemona,  dr.p.  Daughter  of  Braban- 
tio  and  wife  to  Othello.     0th. 

despatcli,  )     To  deprive ;  to  rob.    Hml. 

dispatcii.  il,  5,  78. 

despised  time.  My  despised  time  =  my 
miserable  old  age.    0th.  I,  1,  162. 

detect.  To  charge ;  to  blame.  Meas.  Ill, 
2,  130;  3HVI.  II,  2,  143. 

determine.  To  end;  to  conclude.  Cor. 
111,3,43;  do.  V,  3,  120. 

Deucalion.  The  Noah  of  the  Greeks.  He 
was  the  son  of  Prometheus  and  Cly- 
mene,  and  when  Zeus,  after  the  treat- 
ment he  had  received  from  Lycaon,  had 
resolved  to  destroy  the  human  race, 
Deucalion,  on  the  advice  of  his  father, 
built  a  ship  and  stored  it  with  provi- 
sions, so  that  when  Zeus  sent  a  flood  all 
over  Hellas,  which  destroyed  its  in- 
habitants, Deucalion  and  Pyrrha,  his 
wife,  alone  were  saved.  After  floating 
about  for  nine  days,  the  ship  landed  on 
Mount  Parnassus.  Wint.  IV,  4,  442; 
Cor.  II,  1,  102. 

deuce-ace.  One  and  two  thrown  at  dice. 
LLL.  I,  2,  49. 


devest.    To  undress.    0th.  II,  3,  183. 

dewberry.  The  fruit  of  the  Rubus 
Coisius.  This  plant  grows  on  the 
borders  of  fields  and  on  the  banks  of 
hedges  and  ditches.  It  generally  grows 
close  to  the  ground  ;  the  fruit  is  ripe  in 
September,  and  is  very  pleasant  to  the 
taste.    Mids.  Ill,  1,  173. 

dew<lap.  Flesh  or  skin  hanging  loosely 
from  the  throat.  Mids.  IV,  1,  127  ;  do. 
II,  1, 50.  Schm, ,  in  the  latter  quotation, 
explains  the  word  as  "  hanging  breasts," 
which  is  certainly  wrong.  It  means 
simply  a  double  chin. 

In  Tp.  Ill,  3,  46,  the  passage,  mount- 
aineers Dew-lapp''d  like  bulls,  evidently 
refers  to  persons  afflicted  with  goitre, 
a  disease  common  in  Switzerland  and 
some  other  mountainous  countries. 

Diana,  dr.p.  Daughter  of  a  widow  in 
Florence.    AU's. 

Diana,  dr.p.  The  goddess ;  she  appears 
in  a  vision.    Per. 

Diana  was  an  ancient  Italian  divinity, 
whom  the  Romans  identified  with  the 
Greek  Artemis.  Hence  she  was  said  to 
be  the  daughter  of  Jupiter  and  Latona, 
and  the  twin  sister  of  Apollo,  and  as 
Apollo  was  the  god  of  the  sun,  so  Diana 
represented  the  moon.  As  sister  of 
Apollo,  Diana  is  armed  with  bow, 
arrows  and  quiver,  and  is  the  goddess 
of  hunting.  In  the  Trojan  war  she 
sided  with  the  Trojans.  She  is  the 
virgin  goddess,  never  conquered  by 
love.  She  slew  Orion  because  he  made 
an  attempt  upon  her  chastity,  and 
she  changed  Actseon  into  a  stag  and 
had  him  torn  to  pieces  with  his  own 
hounds,  merely  because  he  accidentally 
obtained  a  view  of  her  while  she  was 
bathing. 

Diana,  being  goddess  of  the  moon, 
has  also  been  identified  with  Selene, 
but  the  two  characters  do  not  harmonize 
very  well  together.  See  Endymion.  At 
a  later  period  she  was  identified  with 
Hecate  (q.v.),  a  mysterious  divinity, 
whose  threefold  character  has  led  some 
to  suppose  that  it  was  to  this  that  Sh. 
referred  in  the  passage :    And    thou. 


DIA 


97 


DIE 


thrice- crowned  queen  of  night,  As. 
Ill,  2,  2.  In  the  classics  she  is  often 
spoken  of  as  "triple."  Johnson  ex- 
plains the  expression  as  "alluding  to 
the  triple  character  of  Proserpine, 
Cynthia,  and  Diana,  given  by  some 
mjiihologists  to  the  same  Goddress." 
Dian's  buds.  The  buds  of  Agnus  Castus, 
or  Chaste  Tree.     Mids.  IV,  1,  78. 

An  old  herbal  tells  us  that  "the 
vertue  of  this  herbe  is  that  he  wyll 
kepe  man  and  woman  chaste. ' '  Chaucer, 
in  "  The  Flower  and  the  Leaf,"  has  the 
following  lines : 
"  See  ye  not  her  that  crowned  is," 

quoth  she, 
"All  in  white  ?"—"  Madame,"  quoth 

I,  "yes," 
"  That  is  Diane,  goddess  of  chastite, 
And  for  because  that  she  a  maiden  is. 
In  her  hond  the  braunch  she  beareth 

this, 
That  agnus  castus  men  call  properly  ; 
And  all  the  ladies  in  her  company, 

Which  ye  se  of  that  hearbe  chaplets 

weare. 
Be  such  as  ban  kept  alway  hir  maiden- 


dich.   A  corruption  of  do  it.    Tim.  1, 2, 73, 

Dick,  dr. p.  A  butcher;  a  follower  of 
Jack  Cade.    2HVI. 

dickens.  A  mincing  word  for  devil. 
Wiv.  Ill,  2,  19. 

Dido.  The  reputed  founder  of  the  ancient 
city  of  Carthage,  built  where  Tunis 
now  stands.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Belus,  King  of  Tyre,  and  the  sister  of 
Pygmalion,  who  succeeded  to  the  crown 
after  the  death  of  his  father.  She 
was  married  to  her  uncle,  Acerbas  or 
Sicha^us,  a  priest  of  Hercules,  who  was 
very  wealthy.  Pygmalion,  coveting 
his  wealth,  murdered  him.  Dido  then 
secretly  fled  to  the  north  coast  of  Africa, 
where  she  purchased  as  much  land  as 
could  be  encircled  by  a  bull's  hide.  By 
cutting  the  hide  into  exceedingly  thin 
strips,  she  surrounded  a  space  on  which 
she  was  able  to  build  a  strong  citadel, 
which  was  called  Byrsa — the  Greek 
name  for  a  bull's  hide.  Here  she 
reigned  for  some  years  until  a  neigh- 


bouring king  demanded  her  hand  in 
marriage,  and  on  her  refusal  threat- 
ened war.  To  escape  a  fate  which  was 
odious  to  her,  she  erected  a  funeral  pile 
on  which  she  stabbed  herself  in  the 
presence  of  her  people. 

All  this  occurred  three  hundred  years 
after  the  capture  of  Troy,  but  Virgil 
makes  ^neas  contemporary  with  Dido, 
who  falls  in  love  with  him  under  the 
influence  of  Cupid,  who  assumed  the 
form  of  Ascanius  (q.v.)  for  th\s  pur- 
pose. Tp.  II,  1,  76 ;  Merch.  V,  1,  9  ;  Tit. 
V,  3,  82. 

die.    To  kiU.    As.  Ill,  5,  7. 

diet.  The  usual  meaning  is  food  ;  and  in 
most  cases  it  refers  to  the  restricted 
quantity  and  kind  of  food  given  in 
sickness  and  convalescence.  A  popu- 
lar, though  erroneous,  etymology  of 
the  word  connected  it  with  the  Latin 
dies,  a  day,  especially  a  set  day, 
and  it  may  be  that  this  idea  con- 
trolled its  use  in  All's.  IV,  3,  35, 
where  Parolles  is  said  to  be  dieted  to 
his  hour,  i.e.,  strictly  bound  to  his 
appointment.  In  the  same  play,  V,  3, 
221,  You,  that  have  turned  off  a  first 
so  noble  wife,  May  justly  diet  me,  is  a 
passage  that  has  puzzled  the  coms. 
Malone  explains  it  thus:  "may  justly 
loathe  or  be  weary  of  me,  as  people 
generally  are  of  a  regimen  or  prescribed 
and  scanty  diet."  Steevens  thinks  diet 
me  =  deny  me  the  rights  of  a  wife. 
Marshall,  the  ed.  of  "The  Henry  Ir- 
ving Shakespeare,"  explained  it  thus: 
"  You  may  prescribe  rules  for  me  and 
give  me  just  as  much  or  as  little  as  you 
please."  None  of  these  explanations  is 
very  satisfactory,  and  while  I  dislike 
conjectural  emendations,  may  not  diet 
be  a  misprint  for  do  it  f  The  reading 
then  would  be  :  You  that  have  turned 
off  a  first  so  noble  wife,  may  justly 
do  it  me.  That  is :  May  serve  me  in 
just  the  same  manner,  the  to  being 
omitted,  as  it  frequently  is  in  similar 
passages  in  Shakespeare. 

Dieu.  French  for  God.  Occurs  in  vari- 
ous passages.    See  niort. 


DIE 


08 


BIS 


Dieu  de  batailles.  God  of  battles.  (Fr.) 
Not  quoted  f  roui  the  scriptures  as  some 
would  have  us  believe.     HV.  Ill,  5,  15. 

diffuse.    To  confuse.     Lr.  I,  4,  2. 

diffused.  Wild ;  confused ;  uncouth.  Wiv. 

IV,  4,  54;  HV.  V,  2,  61.     See  defuse. 
difference.    A  term  in  heraldry.     Clark, 

in  his  "Introduction  to  Heraldry," 
defines  it  as  "  certain  figures  added  to 
coats  of  arms,  to  distinguish  one  branch 
of  a  family  from  another,  and  how 
distant  younger  branches  are  from  the 
elder."  Ado.  I,  1,  69 ;  Hml.  IV,  5,  183. 
See  rue. 
digress.    To  transgress ;  to  offend.    RII. 

V,  3,  66. 

digression.  Transgression.  LLL.  I,  2, 
121. 

dig-you-den.  Give  you  [good]  evening. 
LLL.  IV,  1,  42. 

dildo.  The  chorus  or  burden  of  a  song. 
Wint.  IV,  4,  195. 

diluculo  surgere.  Part  of  a  sentence 
from  Lilly's  Grammar.  The  rest  is : 
saluherrmiuni  est.,  and  the  whole  is 
Latin  for  "to  rise  early  is  most  health- 
ful."    Tw.  II,  3,  3. 

dint.  Stroke.  Cses.  Ill,  2, 198.  cf.  2HIV, 
IV,  1,  128. 

Diomedes,  dr.p.  A  Greek  general  for 
whose  sake  Cressida  deserted  Troilus. 
Troil. 

Diomede,  3HVI.  IV,  2,  19,  or  Dio- 
medes, Troil.,  was,  next  to  Achilles,  the 
bravest  hero  in  the  Greek  army.  He 
went  to  the  Trojan  war  with  eighty 
ships  and  fought  the  best  of  the  Trojans 
— Hector,  ^neas,  and  others.  He  and 
Ulysses  carried  off  the  palladium  from 
the  city  of  Troy,  as  it  was  believed  that 
Troy  could  not  be  taken  so  long  as  the 
palladium  was  within  its  walls.  Homer 
tells  how  he  and  Ulysses  acted  as  scouts 
against  the  Trojan  army.  When  on 
their  way  they  met  Dolon,  a  Trojan 
scout,  and  compelled  him  to  describe  to 
them  the  plan  of  the  Trojan  camp. 
Amongst  other  things,  Dolon  pointed 
out  the  camp  of  the  Thracians,  who 
had  just  come  to  the  help  of  the  Trojans, 
bringing  with  them  much  wealth  and 


several  magnificent  white  horses  of 
wonderful  swiftness.  They  then  slew 
their  guide,  Dolon,  and  fell  upon  the 
Thracians  whom  they  found  fast  asleep. 
They  killed  the  Thracian  king,  Rhesus, 
and  eleven  of  his  followers,  and  carried 
off  the  horses.  It  is  to  this  incident 
that  Warwick  alludes  in  3HVI.  IV,  3. 

Diomedes,  dr.p.  An  attendant  on  Cleo- 
patra.    Ant. 

Dion,  dr.p.    A  Sicilian  lord.    Wint. 

Dionyza,  dr.p.    Wife  to  Cleon.     Per. 

direction.  Judgment;  skill.  RIII.  V, 
3,  16. 

directitude.  A  word  coined  by  a  ser- 
vant and  not  understood  by  his  fellow 
servant.  He  probably  meant  undeter- 
mined.    Cor.  IV,  5,  222. 

disable.  To  disparage.  Merch.  II,  7, 30 ; 
As.  V,  4,  80. 

Dis.  The  god  Pluto.  Tp.  IV,  1,  89; 
Wint.  IV,  4,  118.  See  Pluto  and  Pro- 
serpine. 

disannul.  To  annul  completely  ;  to  can- 
cel. Err.  I,  1,  145;  3HVI.  Ill,  3,  81. 
"From  Latin  dis,  apart,  here  used  in- 
tensively." Skeat.  A  somewhat  rare 
use  of  this  prefix  and  one  that  seems  to 
have  escaped  Prof.  Abbott.  See  his 
"  Shakespearian  Grammar,"  §  439. 

disappointed.  Unprepared ;  unready. 
Hml.  I,  5,  77.    See  appointment. 

disbench.  To  drive  from  one's  seat. 
Cor.  II,  2,  75. 

discandy.  To  melt;  to  dissolve.  Ant. 
IV,  12,  23. 

disease.   To  undress.    Tp.  V,  1, 85 ;  Wint. 

IV,  4,  648. 

disclose,  v.    To  hatch.    Hml.  V,  1,  309. 

disclose,  n.  The  coming  forth  of  the 
young  bird  from  the  shell.  Used  metar 
phorically  in  Hml.  Ill,  1,  175. 

discomfit,  n.     Discouragement.     3HVL 

V,  2,  86. 

discomfit,  v.     1.    To  defeat.     IHIV.  I, 

1,67. 

2.  To  discourage.    Shr.  II,  1,  164. 
discontent.    A   malcontent.    IHIV.  V, 

1,  76  ;  Ant.  I,  4,  39. 
discourse.    Power  of  reasoning.     HmL 

IV,  4,  36. 


DIS 


HOG 


discoverer.    A  scout.    2HIV.  IV,  1,  3. 
disdained.    Disdainful.    IHIV.  I,  3,  183. 
dis-eate.    A  word  found  in  Fl.  in  the 
passage  (Mcb.  V,  3,  20)  : 

this  push 
Will  cheere  me  euer  or  dis-eate  me 

now. 
The  words  cheer  and  dis-eate  have 
greatly  puzzled  the  corns.,  although  the 
general  meaning  of  the  passage  is  quite 
obvious.  Indeed,  this  is  a  marked 
feature  of  Sh.  writings  ;  in  many  pass- 
ages particular  words  may  be  difficult 
to  explain,  while  the  general  meaning 
does  not  admit  of  doubt. 

Two  meanings  have  been  attached  to 
these  words.  Some  say  that  cheer 
means  to  encourage ;  to  make  happy ; 
and  that  dis-eate  is  a  misprint  for  dis- 
ease, of  which  one  of  the  old  meanings 
is  to  annoy,  to  make  unhappy.  To 
others  this  does  not  seem  quite  forceful 
enough,  and  they  give  another  inter- 
pretation, according  to  which  cheer  = 
chair,  and  dis-eate  =  disseat,  the  mean- 
ing being  that  this  push  or  effort  will 
either  place  him  firmly  in  the  chair, 
i.e.,  on  the  throne,  or  will  for  ever 
unseat  him.  I  confess  that  on  account 
of  its  more  decisive  character  the  latter 
seems  to  me  the  true  gloss.  The  fact 
that  Sh.  nowhere  else  uses  these  words 
with  precisely  these  meanings,  has,  with 
me,  very  little  weight.  Sh.  frequently 
gives  special  meanings  to  words,  and 
uses  words  of  special  meaning  only  once. 

disedge.  To  surfeit ;  to  take  the  edge 
off  appetite.     Cym.  Ill,  4,  96. 

dislimn.  To  disfigure ;  to  efface.  Ant. 
IV,  14,  10. 

disme.    A  tithe  or  tenth.    Troil.  II,  2, 19. 

dispark.  To  convert  a  private  park  into 
public  commons  by  destroying  fences, 
etc.     RII.  Ill,  1,  23. 

disponge,  i       To   let    drop   as   from   a 

dispunge.  )    sponge.     Ant.  IV,  9,  13. 

dispose,  n.     1.    Disposal.     Gent.   II,  7, 
86;  Err.  I,  1,  21. 
2.  Disposition ;  temper.     0th.  I,  3,  403. 

dispose,  V.  To  conspire.  Ant.  IV,  14, 
123. 


disputable.    Disputatious.    As.  II,  5,  36. 

dissembly.  Dogberry's  word  for  as- 
sembly.    Ado.  IV,  2,  1. 

distain.  To  soil ;  defile ;  to  stain.  RIII. 
V,  3,  322. 

distance.     Hostilitv ;    alienation.     Mcb. 

III,  1,  116. 

distaste.    To  render  unsavoury.     Troil. 

IV,  4,  50. 

distil.  To  melt ;  to  dissolve.  Hml.  I,  2, 
204. 

distraction.  Detachment;  division.  Ant. 
Ill,  7,  77. 

distraught.  Distracted ;  mad.  RIII.  Ill, 
5,  4 ;  Rom.  IV,  3,  49. 

disvouch.    To  contradict.    Meas.  IV,  4, 1. 

dividual.  Different ;  separate.  More  than 
in  sex  dividual,  i.e.,  where  the  sex  of 
the  parties  is  different.     Kins.  I,  3. 

diverted.  Turned  from  the  course  of 
nature.     As.  II,  3,  37. 

division.  A  passage  in  a  melody.  Rom. 
Ill,  5,  29. 

Doctor,  dr.p.    Kins. 

Doctor,  dr.p.    Mcb. 

Two  doctors,  one  English  and  one 
Scotch  appear  in  Macbeth. 

It  is  the  Scotch  doctor,  attendant  on 
Lady  Macbeth  to  whom  reference  is 
generally  made. 

Doctor  Butts,  dr.p.  Physician  to  Henry 
VIII.     HVIII. 

Doctor  Caius,  dr.p.  A  French  physician 
in  love  with  Anne  Page.     Wiv. 

document.  Instruction.  Hml.  IV,  5, 177. 
This  word  is  an  interesting  and  striking 
example  of  the  change  from  the  etymo- 
logical meaning  to  a  meaning  which 
must  be  regarded  as  chiefly  conven- 
tional. The  word  occurs  but  once  in 
Sh.,  and  in  his  time  it  had  the  meaning 
given  to  the  French  word  document  by 
Cot.  in  his  ' '  Dictionarie. ' '  He  defines  it 
as :  precept ;  instruction  ;  admonition. 
It  now  means  written  or  printed  matter. 

doff.    To  put  off  ;  to  evade.    0th.  IV,  2, 

176. 
dog-ape.    A  male  ape.    As.  II,  5,  26. 

Much  learning  has  been  wasted  on 
this  term.  Thus,  Dyce  suggests  that 
by    dog-ape    is    meant    the   dog-faced 


DOG 


100 


DOT! 


baboon,  and  most  annotated  editions 
have  much  to  say  about  cenophes  and 
cenocephales,  forgetting  that  Jaques  is 
not  talking  of  dog-faced  or  dog-headed 
apes,  but  of  dog-apes,  i.e.,  male  apes 
that,  like  most  males  of  the  lower 
animals,  quarrel  and  fight  when  brought 
together;  e.g.,  two  bulls,  or  two  rams 
(cf.  As.  V,  2,  34),  or  two  stallions.  And 
the  apes  would  chatter,  and  grin,  and 
claw,  so  as  to  be  the  best  illustration 
Jaques  could  have  chosen  in  this  par- 
ticular case.  Even  the  acute  and 
judicious  Dr.  Furness  seems  to  accept 
the  dog-faced  gloss  which  to  my  mind 
is  certainly  wrong.  The  prefix  dog  is 
frequently  used  to  indicate  male.  See 
dog-fox. 

Dogberry,  dr. p.  A  blundering,  con- 
ceited constable.     Ado. 

dog-fish.  This  is  a  true  fish,  a  species  of 
shark,  the  squalus  acanthius.  It  is 
not  at  all  related  to  the  dolphin.    IH  VI. 

I,  4,  107. 

dog-fox.  A  male  fox.  A  common  ex- 
pression amongst  hunters.  The  prefix 
dog  is  also  applied  to  other  animals, 
indicating  the  male,  as,  for  example, 
dog-wolf.  Thersites  speaks  of  that  same 
dog-fox  Ulysses,  because  the  recognised 
characteristic  of  Ulysses  was  craftiness 
or  foxiness.  Troil.  V,  4,  12.  Schm. 
suggests  that  dog  here  =="  bloody- 
minded,  cruel,"  but  Thersites,  three 
lines  above,  calls  him  crafty,  and  says 
nothing  of  cruelty. 

dog-hearted.  Unfeeling ;  inhuman.  Lr. 
IV,  3,  47. 

dog-hole.    A  kennel.     All's.  II,  3,  291. 

dog-weary.  Extremely  weary.  Shr. 
IV,  2,  60. 

doit.    A  very  small  coin  ;  a  trifle.     Tp. 

II,  2,  33. 

Dolabella,  dr.p.    A  friend  to  Octavius 

Caesar.     Ant. 
dole.     1.    Share;  portion,    Wiv.  Ill,  4, 

68 ;  All's.  II,  3,  170 ;  IHIV.  II,  2,  81. 
2.  Grief ;  sorrow ;   dolour.     Hml.  I,  2, 

13;  Per.  Ill,  Prol.  42;  Kins.  I,  5. 
Doll  Tearsheet,  dr.p.    2H1V.    See  road. 
dolphin.    1.    The  Delphinus  delphis,  a 


mammal  allied  to  the  whales.  It  is  not 
a  fish,  as  Schm.  states.  It  abounds  in 
the  Mediterranean  and  the  temperate 
parts  of  the  Atlantic,  and  is  also  known 
as  the  porpoise  or  as  Sh.  spells  it,  por- 
pus^  q.v.  The  dolphin  or  porpoise  is 
exceedingly  active,  tumbling  about  in 
the  waves  and  catching  fish  upon  which 
it  feeds.  Hence  the  allusion  in  All's. 
II,  3,  31.  For  the  story  of  Arion  and 
the  dolphin,  see  Arion.  A  viermaid 
071  a  dolphin^ s  hack  (Mids.  II,  1,  150). 
See  mermaid. 

2.  The  word  dauphin  was  formerly 
spelled  daulphin,  and  in  the  older 
editions  of  Sh.  is  generally  spelled  dol- 
phin.    See  dauphin. 

3.  Dolphin  chamber.     See  tavern. 
dominical.  The  red  letter  which  in  church 

almanacs  was  used  to  denote  Sunday. 
LLL.  V,  2,  44. 

Rosaline  here  twits  Katherine  with 
having  her  face  marked  with  the  small- 
pox and  consequently  of  a  redder 
complexion  than  usual.  See  letters  B 
and  O. 

Domitius  Enobarbus,  dr.p.    Ant. 

Don  Adriano  de  Armado,  dr.p.  A  fan- 
tastical Spaniard.     LLL. 

Donalbain,  dr.p.  Son  of  King  Duncan. 
Mcb. 

Don  John,  dr.p.  Bastard  brother  to  Don 
Pedro.    Ado. 

doom.    1.   Judgment.    2HVI.  I,  3,  214. 
2.  The  day  of  judgment;  the  last  day. 
Hml.  HI,  4,  50;  Mcb.  IV,  1,  117. 

Dorcas,  dr.p.    A  shepherdess.     Wint. 

Doric  les.  The  name  assumed  by  Prince 
Florizel  when  he  visited  the  shepherd's 
cottage.     Wint  IV,  4,  146,  etc. 

Dorset,  Marquis  of,  dr.p.    RIII. 

Thomas  Grey,  first  Marquis  of  Dor- 
set, joined  Buckingham's  rebellion, 
and  on  its  failure  escaped  to  Brittany. 
Lady  Jane  Grey  was  his  great-grand- 
daughter. 

double.  It  should  be  observed  that  dou- 
ble and  single  anciently  signified  strong 
and  weak  when  applied  to  liquors  and 
to  other  objects.  In  this  sense  the  for- 
mer word  may  be  employed  by  lago  in 


DOIT 


101 


DEU 


0th.  I,  2,14:  A  voice  potential  As  dou- 
ble the  Duke''s.  And  the  latter,  by  the 
Chief  Justice,  speaking  to  Falstaff  in 
'  2HIV.  I,  2,  207 :  Is  not  your  wit  single? 
So,  too,  in  Mcb.  I,  8,  140,  his  single 
state  may  mean  his  weak  and  debile 
state  of  mind. 

double-fatal.    See  yew. 

double^henned.  This  phrase  appears  to 
have  caused  some  confusion.  Schm., 
followed  by  Rolfe,  explains  as  a  spar- 
row with  a  double  hen,  i.e.,  with  a  fe- 
male married  to  two  cocks,  and  hence 
false  to  both.  This  does  not  sound  En- 
glish, and  hence  not  Shakespearean. 
The  plain  meaning  of  the  words  is,  a 
man  doubly  married.  Thersites  is 
hounding  Paris  against  Menelaus — the 
cuckold-maker  against  the  cuckold — 
and  calls  him  a  double-henned  sparrow, 
because  he  had  two  wives,  the  first, 
CEnone,  who  was  still  alive,  and  the 
second,  Helen,  whom  he  stole  from 
Menelaus.    Troil.  V,  7,  11. 

doucets.  Correspond  to  lambs'  fries  or 
"mountain  oysters."    Kins.  Ill,  5. 

Douglas,  Archibald,  Earl  of,  dr. p.  IHIV, 

dout.  To  do  out ;  to  quench.  HV.  IV, 
2,  11;  Hml.  IV,  7,  192. 

dove.  This  bird  was  sacred  to  Venus,  and 
was  employed  to  draw  her  chariot.  Tp. 
IV,  1,  94.  In  Raleigh's  "History  of  the 
World  "  we  are  told  that  Mahomet  had 
a  dove  "which  he  used  to  feed  with 
wheat  out  of  his  ear ;  which  dove,  when 
it  was  hungry,  lighted  on  Mahomet's 
shoulder,  and  thrust  its  bill  in  to  find 
its  breakfast ;  Mahomet  persuading  the 
rude  and  simple  Arabians  that  it  was 
the  Holy  Ghost  that  gave  him  advice." 
It  is  to  this  that  allusion  is  made  in 
IHVI.  T,  2,  140. 

dowlas.  A  kind  of  coarse  towelling. 
IHIV.  Ill,  3,  79. 

dowle.  One  of  the  fibers  which  go  to 
make  up  a  feather.     Tp.  Ill,  3,  65. 

down=gyved.  Fallen  down  to  the  ankle, 
after  the  fashion  of  gyves  or  fetters. 
Heath.     Hml.  II,  1,  80. 

down  sleeves.    Hanging  sleeves.    Ado. 


down-roping.  Hanging  down  in  glutin- 
ous strings.     HV.  IV,  2,  48. 

Dowsabel.  A  nickname  jocularly  applied 
to  a  very  fat  servant.  Err.  IV,  1,  110. 
Her  real  name  was  Nell.     Err.  Ill,  2, 

III.  The  name  means  sweet  and  beau- 
tiful (French  douce  et  belle),  and  was  a 
favorite  with  a  certain  class  of  poets. 
Here  used  ironically. 

doxy.    A  mistress.     A  cant  word.    Wint. 

IV,  2,  2. 

drabb.    A  loose  woman.    Meas.  II,  1, 247  ; 

Mcb.  IV,  1,  81. 
drabbing.   Following  loose  women.    Hml. 

II,  1,  26. 
draff.    Dregs  ;  refuse.     Wiv.  IV,  2,  112. 
dram.    1.    The  eighth  part  of  an  ounce ; 

a  very  small  quantity.     Merch.  IV,  1, 

6 ;  Hml.  I,  4,  36. 
2.  Poison;  a  poisonous  draught.     Wint 

I,  2,  320 ;  0th.  I,  3,  105  ;  Cym.  V,  5, 
381 ;  Kins.  I,  1. 

draw  dry-foot.    To  follow  game  by  scent. 

Err.  IV,  2,  39.     See  counter. 
drawer.    A   tapster.     Wiv.    II,  2,   167; 

IHIV.  II,  4,  7. 
drawn.   Having  their  swords  drawn.    Tp. 

II,  1,  308. 

drawn  fox.  A  fox  turned  out  of  his 
earth.     IHIV.  Ill,  3,  128. 

dresser.  A  table  or  sideboard  on  which 
meat  was  carved  and  dishes  prepared 
for  guests.     Shr.  IV,  1,  166. 

dribbling.  Falling  weakly  like  a  drop. 
Meas.  I,  3,  2.  It  has  been  suggested 
that  the  word  is  a  misprint  for  drib- 
bing,  dribber  and  dribbed  being  terms 
in  archery  signifying  a  bad  shot. 

drollery.  A  humorous  picture.  2HIV. 
II,  1,  156. 

Dromio  of  Ephesus,    [  dr. p.  Twin  broth- 

Dromio  of  Syracuse.  )  ers,  attendants  on 
the  twins  Antipholus.     Err. 

drug.  A  drudge  according  to  most  coms. 
Tim.  IV,  3,  254.  Sometimes  spelled 
drugge,  as  in  Fl.  That  drug  is  an  old 
mode  of  spelling  drudge  there  is  abund- 
ant evidence.  Schm.  suggests  that  in 
the  passage  cited  it  may  mean,  "all 
things  in  passive  subserviency  to  salu- 
tary as  well  as  pernicious  purposes," 


DBTT 


103 


DtTN 


but  English-speaking  readers  will  hardly 
accept  this  gloss. 

drum.  A  well-known  musical  (?)  instru- 
ment. In  order  to  understand  ParoUes' 
distress  at  the  loss  of  the  drum,  we 
must  "  remember  that  the  drums  of  the 
regiments  of  his  day  were  decorated 
with  the  coloi'S  of  the  battalion.  It  was 
therefore  equivalent  to  the  loss  of  the 
flag  of  the  regiment— a  disgrace  all  good 
soldiers  deeply  feel. ' '    Fairholt. 

Has  led  the  drum  before  the  En- 
glish tragedians.  It  was  the  custom 
in  England  for  players  to  have  a  drum 
beaten  so  as  to  give  notice  of  their  ar- 
rival in  any  town  where  they  intended 
to  perform.     All's.  IV,  3,  298. 

Drum,  Jack.  The  old  joke,  "  Jack  Drum's 
entertainment,"  which  meant  a  sound 
threshing,  is  obvious  enough.  The 
drum  gets  a  beating  and  so  does  Jack. 
It  is  like  "hickory  oil,"  "strap  oil," 
and  sundry  other  euphemisms  for  a 
beating.  Sometimes  called  "  Tom 
Drum's  entertainment."  All's.  Ill,  6, 
41 ;  also  322.  There  was  a  play  pub- 
lished in  1601,  the  title  of  which  was 
Jack  Drunri^s  Entertainment.  It  is 
republished  in  Simpson's  "  The  School 
of  Shakspere,"  vol.  II. 

drumble.  To  dawdle;  to  be  sluggish. 
Wiv.  Ill,  3,  156. 

dry-beat.  To  thresh ;  to  cudgel.  LLL. 
V,  2,  264. 

dry-foot.  Hunting  by  scent.  Err.  IV, 
2,  39.    See  counter. 

dub  me  knight.  This  refers  to  the  cus- 
tom of  persons  drinking,  on  their  knees, 
a  large  draught  of  wine  or  other  liquor, 
in  consequence  of  which  they  were  said 
to  be  dubbed  knights,  and  retained  the 
title  for  the  evening.  Dyce.  2HIV.  V, 
3,78. 

ducat.  A  silver  coin.  The  Venetian  du- 
cat was  nearly  equal  in  value  to  a  United 
States  doUar.    Merch.  I,  3,  1. 

ducdame.  Undoubtedly  a  meaningless 
word,  coined  by  Jaquesforthe  occasion. 
As.  II,  5,  56.  It  has  served  admirably 
the  purpose  for  which  he  claims  that  it 
was  intended  and  has  called  a  multitude 


of  "fools  into  a  circle"  to  discuss  its 
meaning,  their  lucubrations  filling  three 
solid  pages  of  small  type  in  the  New 
Variorum  ed.  That  it  is  not  a  misprint 
like  larmen  and  Ullorxa  is  evident. 
Hanmer  tells  us  that  it  is  Latin,  modi- 
fied from  due  ad  me  (bring  him  to  me). 
But  Jaques  himself  tells  us  that  it  is 
Greek,  which  is  defined  in  the  old  slang 
dictionaries  as  "lingo,  cant,  or  gibber- 
ish." See  "Lexicon  Balatronicum,"s.r. 
Greek.  Others  say  that  it  is  the  cry 
used  by  farmers'  wives  to  call  their 
poultry.  Others,  again,  make  it  out  to 
be  Gaelic,  Welsh,  Italian,  French,  etc. 
In  coining  this  word  and  calling  it  "a 
Greek  invocation  to  call  fools  into  a 
circle,"  Jaques  evidently  "builded 
better  than  he  knew." 

dudgeon.  The  handle  of  a  dagger.  Mcb. 
II,  1,  46. 

due.  To  endue.    IHVI.  IV,  2,  34. 

Duke,  the  banished,  dr. p.  Living  in  the 
Forest  of  Arden.     As. 

Duke,  the  usurper,  dr. p.  Brother  to  the 
banished  duke.     As. 

Duke.  For  the  various  dukes  who  appear 
as  dr. p..,  see  Albany,  Alencjon,  Aumerle, 
Bedford,  Buckingham  (3),  Burgundy  (2), 
Clarence  (2),  Cornwall,  Exeter  (2), 
Florence,  Gloucester  (3),  Lancaster, 
Milan  (2),  Norfolk  (3),  Orleans,  Oxford, 
Somerset,  Suffolk  (2),  Surrey,  Venice 
(2),  York  (3). 

Dull,  dr. p.  A  constable  characterised  by 
his  name.    LLL. 

Dumain,  dr. p.  A  lord  attendant  on  the 
King  of  Navarre.    LLL. 

dumb.    To  put  to  silence.    Ant.  I,  5,  50. 

dump.  A  melancholy  strain  in  music. 
Gent.  Ill,  2,  85;  Rom.  IV,  5,  108.  (Pe- 
ter's absurd  speech.) 

dun.  1.  A  color  of  no  very  certain  shade. 
The  colors  of  the  mouse  and  of  the  deer 
are  said  to  be  dun.  In  Rom.  I,  4,  40, 
there  is  a  quibble  between  done  and 
dun,  and  this  seems  to  be  the  only 
meaning  to  be  drawn  from  the  saying 
of  Mercutio,  in  reply  to  Romeo's  "  I 
am  done"  —  "Tut,  dun's  the  mouse." 
But  why  this  should  be    "the  eonstar 


DUN 


108 


EAL 


ble's  ovvn  word"  has  never  been  ex- 
plained. Some  say  that  it  is  a  slang 
phrase  meaning  "keep  quiet,"  "be 
still,"  like  the  modern  slang,  "cheese 
it."  And  in  "Patient  Grissil,"  a  com- 
edy by  Dekker,  Chettle  and  Houghton 
(1603),  we  find  "yet  don  is  the  mouse, 
lie  still." 

2.  A  name  for  an  old  cart-horse,  corre- 
sponding to  Dobbin ;  hence  applied  to  an 
old  game  called  "  Drawing  Dun  out  of 
the  mire,"  which  is  thus  described  by 
Gilford :  "  A  log  of  wood  is  brought  into 
the  midst  of  the  room :  this  is  Dun  (the 
cart  horse),  and  a  cry  is  raised  that  he 
is  stuck  in  the  mire.  Two  of  the  com- 
pany advance,  either  with  or  without 
ropes,  to  di-aw  him  out.  After  repeated 
attempts,  they  find  themselves  unable 
to  do  it,  and  call  for  more  assistance. 
The  game  continues  till  all  the  company 
take  part  in  it,  when  Dun  is  extricated, 
of  course;  and  the  merriment  arises 
from  the  awkward  and  affected  efforts 
of  the  rustics  to  lift  the  log,  and  from 
sundry  arch  contrivances  to  let  the  ends 
of  it  fall  on  one  another's  toes."  It 
would  seem  that  it  is  to  this  that  Mer- 
cutio  refers  in  Rom.  I,  4,  41. 


Duncan,  dr. p.    King  of  Scotland.    Mcb. 
:    dungy.    Coarse ;  filthy.    Ant.  I,  1,  35. 
I   dunghill,  ad.    Costard's  blunder  for  ad 
I       unguent,  at  the  nail,  or,  as  he  expresses 
I       it,  at  the  fingers'  ends.     LLL.  V,  1,  80. 
\   dup.    To  open.     Hml.  IV,  5,  53. 
!   durance.    A  very  durable  material  made 
!       to  imitate  the  buff  leather  which  in  for- 
i       mer  days  was  used   for   making   the 
1       clothing  of  the  lower  classes.    Hence  a 
i       name  for  a  prison  dress.    Err.  IV,  3, 
27.     '^  Durance  is  still  familiarly  used 
for  confinement,  especially  in  the  phrase 
durance  vile  for  imprisonment. ' '   In  the 
use  of  the  word  there  seems  to  be  a  hint 
of  a  pun  between  the  two  meanings, 
durability   and   sufferance  (enduring). 
cf.  IHIV.  I,  2,  49. 
Dictynna.    One  of  the  names  of  Diana. 
LLL.   IV,  2,  38.    So  called  from  the 
legend  that  Minos  had  loved  and  pur- 
sued  her  till  she  leapt  into  the   sea, 
and  was  saved  by  being  caught  in  a 
fisherman's  net.    In  this  character  she 
was  chiefly  the  goddess  of  seafarers,  and 
as  such  was  widely  worshipped  on  the 
islands  and  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean. 
duties.    Compliments;  homage.    IHIV. 
V,  2,  56. 


ACH,  AT,  This  phrase,  as  found 
in  Lr.  IV,  6, 53,  has  occasioned 
needless  trouble  to  the  Pris- 
cians.  Ten  masts  at  each 
(So  in  Fl.)  evidently  means  arranged 
separately,  i.e.,  end  to  end,  and  not  in 
a  bundle.  Warburton  called  it  non- 
sense ;  Johnson  would  accept  it  only  if 
some  precedent  could  be  found  ;  R.  G. 
White,  so  censorious  in  regard  toemend- 
dations  by  others,  says:  "Evidently, 
we  should  read  *  *  *  reach'''';  Singer 
reads  at  eche,  for  which  he  suggests  an 
Anglo-saxon derivation ;  "at eke;"  "a- 
stretch ;"  "at  least ;"  "at  length, ' ' 
etc.,    etc.,    ad   nauseam.     All   which 


affords  another  good  illustration  of  the 
truth  that  while  it  may  frequently  be 
difficult  to  give  a  technical  explanation 
of  the  words  in  many  passages  of  Sh., 
the  general  meaning  admits  of  no 
doubt. 

eager.    1.    Sharp;  sour.    Hml.  I,  5,69. 
See  aigre. 
2.  Keen  ;  biting.     Hml.  I,  4,  2. 

eale.  A  combination  of  letters  for  which, 
so  far  as  we  know,  no  meaning  has  yet 
been  found.  The  passage  in  which  it 
occurs,  Hml.  I,  4,  36 : 

the  dram  of  eale 
Doth  all  the  noble  substance  of  a  doubt 
To  his  own  scandal, 


EAN 


104 


EAV 


has  thus  far  defied  the  corns. ,  although 
the  general  meaning  is  obvious  and  may 
bei  paralleled  by  Ecclesiastes  x,  1.     The 
two  words  which  cause  the  difficulty 
are  eale  and  doubt,  and  the  number  of 
emendations  which  have  been  proposed 
is  quite  large.    The  new  Var.  gives  six 
solid  pages  to  a  discussion  of  the  various 
readings  that  have  been  suggested.    The 
most  plausible  changes,  and  those  that 
seem  to  meet  the  sense  most  closely,  are 
the  substitution  of  ill  or  evil  for  eale, 
and  dout  (=  do  out,  or  extinguish,  as  in 
HV.  IV,  2,  11,  and  Hml.  IV,  7,  192)  for 
doubt.     The  reading  then  would  be  : 
the  dram  of  ill  [evil] 
Doth  all  the  noble  substance  often  dout 
To  his  own  scandal. 
This  meets  the  required  sense. 

ean.  To  yean;  to  bring  forth  young. 
Merch.  I,  3,  88 ;  Per.  Ill,  4,  6. 

From  the  Anglo-saxon  ednian,  to 
bring  forth  young.  In  yean  the  pre- 
fixed y  represents  the  very  common 
Anglo-saxon  prefix  ge,  readily  added  to 
any  verb  without  afl:ecting  the  sense. 
This  prefix  ge  was  very  common  both 
as  applied  to  substantives  and  verbs. 
Is  this  the  origin  of  the  i/  so  frequently 
prefixed  to  Scottish  and  early  English 
words  ?    See  Yedward. 

eanling.  A  young  lamb,  just  bom. 
Merch.  I,  3,  80. 

ear,  n.  The  organ  of  hearing.  You  may 
prove  it  by  tny  long  ears  (Err.  IV,  4, 
29),  meaning  that  his  master  had 
lengthened  his  ears  by  frequently  pull- 
ing them.  Steevens.  I  will  bite  thee 
by  the  ear  (Rom.  II,  4,  81).  To  bite 
the  ear  was  once  an  expression  of  en- 
dearment. Gifl:'ord,  in  his  edition  of 
Jonson's  works,  has  the  following  note  : 
"  This  odd  mode  of  expressing  pleasure, 
which  seems  to  be  taken  from  the  prac- 
tice of  animals,  who,  in  a  playful  mood, 
bite  each  other's  ears,  etc. ,  is  very  com- 
mon in  our  old  dramatists. " 

ear,  v.  To  till;  to  cultivate.  All's.  I, 
3,47. 

ear-kissing.  Confidential ;  private.  Lr. 
II,  1,  9.    In  some  eds.  ear-bussing. 


Earl  Berkeley,  dr.p.    A  follower  of  the 

Duke  of  York.     RII. 
Earl  of  Cambridge,  dr.p.   A  conspirator 

against  Henry  V.     HV. 
Earl   of    Douglas,  Archibald,   dr.p.    A 

Scottish  noble.     IHIV. 
Earl  of  Essex,  Geoffrey  Fitz-Peter,  dr.p. 

John. 
Earl  of  Gloucester,  dr.p.     Lr. 
Earl  of  Kent,  dr.p.    Lr. 
Earl  of  March,  Edward  Mortimer,  dr.p. 

IHIV. 
Earl  of  March,  dr.p.     Afterwards  Ed- 
ward IV.     3HVI. 
Earl  of  Northumberland,  dr.p.    RII. 
Earl  of  Northumberland,  Henry  Percy, 

dr.p.     IHIV.  and  2HIV. 
Earl  of  Northumberland,  dr.p.    A  Lan- 
castrian.   3HVI. 
Earl  of  Oxford,  dr.p.    RIII. 
Earl  of  Pembroke,  William  MareschaU, 

dr.p.    John. 
Earl  of  Pembroke,    dr.p.     A    Yorkist. 

3HVI. 
Earl   of    Richmond,    dr.p.    3HVI.    and 

RIII. 
Earl  Rivers,  dr.p.    RIII. 
Earl  of  Salisbury,  WiUiam  Longsword, 

dr.p.    John. 
Earl  of  Salisbury,  dr.p.    RII. 
Earl   of    Salisbury,    dr.p,     A    Yorkist. 

IHVI.  and  2HVI. 
Earl  of  Suffolk,  dr.p.    IHVI. 
Earl  of  Surrey,  dr.p.    Son  to  Duke  of 

Norfolk.     RIII.  and  HVIII. 
Earl  of  Warwick,  dr.p.    2HIV. 
Earl  of  Warwick,  dr.p.    HV. 
Earl    of   Warwick,    dr.p.    A    Yorliist. 

IHVI.,  2HVI.  and  3HVL 
Earl  of  Westmoreland,  dr.p.    Friend  to 

Henry  IV.  and  V.     IHIV.  2HIV.,  and 

HV. 
Earl  of  Westmoreland,  dr.p.    A  Lan- 
castrian.   3HVI. 
Earl  of  Worcester,  Thomas  Percy,  dr.p. 

IHIV.  and  2HIV. 
eaves.    The  dipt  edge  of  a  thatched  roof. 

The  word  is  singular,  and  the  plural 

should  be  eaveses.     Skeat.     Tp.  V,   1, 

17.     cf.  reed. 
eaves-dropper.    One  who  stands  under 


ECH 


105 


EGY 


and  catches  the  drippings  from  the 
eaves  ;  hence,  metaphorically,  a  secret 
listener.    RIII.  V,  3,  221. 

eche.  To  piece  out.  Merch.  Ill,  2,  23. 
In  modem  eds.  generally  spelled  eke. 

ecstasy.  Any  state  of  being  beside  one- 
self ;  extreme  delight ;  madness.  Merch. 
Ill,  2,  112  ;  Hml.  Ill,  4,  138. 

In  the  usage  of  Sh.  and  writers  of 
that  time,  it  stood  for  every  species  of 
alienation  of  mind,  whether  temporary 
or  permanent,  proceeding  from  joy, 
sorrow,  wonder,  or  any  other  exciting 
cause.  And  this  certainly  suits  the 
etymology.    Nares. 

Edgar,  dr. p.  Son  to  Earl  of  Gloucester. 
Lr. 

Edmund,  dr. p.    Earl  of  Rutland.    3HVI. 

Edmund,  dr.p.  Bastard  son  to  Earl  of 
Gloucester.     Lr. 

Edmund  Mortimer,  dr.p.  Earl  of  March. 
IHIV. 

Edmund  Mortimer,  dr.p.  Earl  of  March. 
IHVI. 

Edmund  of  Langley,  dr.p.  Duke  of 
York.    RII. 

Edward  IV.,  dr.p.    RIII. 

Edward,  dr.p.  Son  to  Plantagenet. 
2HVI. 

Edward,  Prince  of  Wales,  dr.p.    RIII. 

Edward,  Prince  of  Wales,  dr.p.  Son 
to  Henry  VI.    3HVI. 

Edward,  Earl  of  March,  dr.p.  After- 
wards Edward  IV.    3HVI. 

Edward  shovel-boards.  The  broad  shil- 
lings of  Edward  VI,  used  for  playing 
at  the  game  of  shovel-board.  Wiv.  I, 
1,  159.  See  shovel-board  and  shove 
groat. 

effect.  Expression;  intimation.  2HIV. 
I,  2,  183.  Answer  in  the  effect  of  your 
reputation  (2HIV.  II,  1,  142)  =  answer 
in  a  manner  suitable  to  your  character. 
Johnson. 

eft.   Convenient ;  ready.     Ado.  IV,  2,  38. 

eftsoons.  By  and  by ;  after  a  while.  Per. 
V,  1,  256. 

egal.    Equal.    Tit.  IV,  4,  4. 

Egeus,  dr.p.    Father  to  Hermia.     Mids. 

egg,  ill-roasted.  Roasting  seems  to  have 
been  a  popular  mode  of  cooking  eggs  in 


the  olden  time,  if  we  may  judge  by  the 
number  of  proverbs  relating  to  the  pro- 
cess. They  required  constant  turning 
during  the  operation.  Steevens  says 
there  is  a  proverb  that  a  fool  is  the  best 
roaster  of  eggs  because  he  is  always 
tunaing  them.  But  Skeat  gives  an- 
other proverb  with  an  opposite  trend : 
"  There  goes  some  reason  to  the  roast- 
ing of  eggs."  As.  Ill,  2,  38;  Kins.  II,  3. 

eggs  for  money.  The  proverbial  expres- 
sion :  Will  you  take  eggs  for  money  f 
Wint.  I,  2,  161,  seems  to  be  rightly  ex- 
plained, "  Will  you  suffer  yourself  to 
be  buUied  or  imposed  upon."  Dyce. 
cf.  Cor.  IV,  4,  21,  not  worth  an  egg. 
He  will  steal  an  egg  out  of  a  cloister^ 
(AU's.  IV,  3,  280)  =--  he  will  steal  any- 
thing, however  trifling,  from  any  place, 
however  holy.    Johnson. 

Eglamour,  dr.p.  Agent  for  Silvia  in  her 
escape.    Gent. 

egma.  Costard's  blunder  for  enigma. 
LLL.  Ill,  1,  73. 

Egyptian  thief.  The  allusion  in  Tw.  V, 
1,  121,  is  to  "  Thyamis,  who  was  a  native 
of  Memphis,  and  at  the  head  of  a  band 
of  robbers.  Theagenes  and  Chariclea 
falling  into  their  hands,  Thyamis  fell 
desperately  in  love  with  the  lady,  and 
would  have  married  her.  Soon  after, 
a  stronger  body  of  robbers  coming  down 
upon  Thyamis's  party,  he  was  in  such 
fear  for  his  mistress  that  he  had  her 
shut  into  a  cave  with  his  treasure.  It 
was  customary  with  those  barbarians, 
when  they  despaired  of  their  own  safe- 
ty, first  to  make  away  with  those  whom 
they  held  dear,  and  desired  for  com- 
panions in  the  next  life.  Thyamis, 
therefore,  benetted  round  with  his  ene- 
mies, raging  with  love,  jealousy  and 
anger,  went  to  his  cave ;  and  calling 
aloud  in  the  Egyptian  tongue,  so  soon 
as  he  heard  himself  answered  towards 
the  cave's  mouth  by  a  Grecian,  making 
to  the  person  by  the  direction  of  her 
voice,  he  caught  her  by  the  hair  with  his 
left  hand,  and  (supposing  her  to  be 
Chariclea,)  with  his  right  hand  plunged 
his  sword  into  her  breast."     Theobald. 


£18 


106 


ELD 


eisel.  Vinegar.  So  defined  in  most  of 
the  glossaries.  In  Sonn.  CXI,  10,  it 
certainly  means  vinegar.  But  in  regard 
to  this  word  as  it  occurs  in  Hml.  V,  1, 
299,  Dr.  Furness  says:  "With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  dram  of  eale,  no  word 
or  phrase  in  this  tragedy  has  occasioned 
more  discussion  than  this  Esill  or  Esile, 
which  as  it  stands  represents  nothing  in 
the  heavens  above,  or  the  earth  be- 
neath, or  the  wat«rs  under  the  earth." 

While  some  suppose  that  Hamlet 
challenges  Laertes  to  drink  vinegar  (a 
most  puerile  idea)  others  suggest  that 
he  refers  to  a  river  Oesil,  which  is  said 
to  be  in  Denmark,  or  if  not,  Sh.  might 
have  thought  there  was.  The  question 
was  much  disputed  between  Steevens 
and  Malone,  the  former  being  for  the 
river  and  the  latter  for  vinegar.  Nares 
says :  "  The  challenge  to  drink  vinegar, 
in  such  a  rant,  is  so  inconsistent,  and 
even  ridiculous,  that  we  must  decide 
for  the  river,  whether  its  name  can  be 
exactly  found  or  not.  To  drink  up  a 
river,  and  eat  a  crocodile  with  his 
impenetrable  scales,  are  two  things 
equally  impossible.  There  is  no  kind  of 
comparison  between  the  others."  In 
attempting  to  form  an  opinion,  we 
should  bear  in  mind  that  Hamlet's 
challenge  to  feats  impossible  of  execu- 
tion is  but  a  reply  to  the  equally  im- 
possible deeds  which  Laertes  has  just 
ordered  the  gra\  e-diggers  to  perform, 
viz.,  to  make  a  mountain  that  would 
o'er-top  old  Pelion,  or  the  skyish  head 

Of  blue  Olympus. 

For  a  man  so  deeply  in  earnest  as  was 
Hamlet,  to  match  such  a  piece  of  bom- 
bast by  a  suggestion  to  drink  vinegar, 
"In  order  to  produce  'a  vinegar  as- 
pect,' "  as  suggested  by  Dr.  Schmidt  in 
his  "Lexicon,"  or  to  eat  the  dried  or 
pickled  crocodile  of  the  apothecary's 
shop,  as  some  coms.  would  have  it, 
seems  to  me  entirely  inappropriate,  to 
say  the  least.  In  Fl  the  word  is  spelled 
Esile,  and  in  italics.  Capitals  did  not 
count  for  very  much  with  the  printers 
of  1623,  but  throughout  the  play  proper 


names  are  capitalized,  and  this  at  least 
indicates  a  suggestion  of  Esile 's  being  a 
proper  name.  Strange  to  say,  the  Globe 
edition,  which  claims  to  follow  the  old 
copies  so  closely,  does  not  use  a  capital 
letter  here.  Dr.  Furness  "  believes  jPsiW 
and  Esile  to  be  misprints  for  Eysell." 
New  Var.,  Hamlet.  Vol.  I,  p.  409. 

eke.    1.   Also.    Wiv.  1,  3,  105. 
2.   To  add  to ;  to  piece  out.     As.  I,  2,  208. 

Elbow,  dr. p.    A  constable.     Meas. 

eld.    Old  age.    Wiv.  IV,  4,  36. 

elder.  A  shrub  or  small  tree,  the  Satn- 
bucus  nigra.  Our  American  elder  (the 
Sambucus  Canadense)  is  a  closely  al- 
lied species.  Both  are  well  known  from 
the  peculiarity  of  the  wood  and  fruit, 
the  latter  being  a  favorite  for  the  mak- 
ing of  spiced  wine.  The  wood  is  fre- 
quently used  as  a  substitute  for  box- 
wood in  the  manufacture  of  the  cheaper 
rules  and  straight-edges.  The  young 
trees  and  shoots  have  a  very  large, 
pithy  center.  Hence  heart  of  elder, 
Wiv.  II,  3,  30,  means  a  weak,  spiritless 
creature;  opposed  to  the  familiar 
phrase,  "heart  of  oak."  See  cride- 
game.  The  leaves  of  the  elder  have  a 
strong  and  disagreeable  odor;  hence 
called  stinking  elder,  Cym.  IV,  2,  59. 
The  elder  has,  from  time  immemorial, 
possessed  a  bad  reputation,  and  has  been 
regarded  as  a  plant  of  ill  omen.  One 
of  the  traditions  connected  with  it  is 
that  Judas  was  hanged  on  an  elder, 
LLL.  V,  2,  610.  This  legend  is  found 
scattered  through  all  the  literature  of 
the  time  of  Sh.  and  that  immediately 
preceding.  Sir  John  Mandeville  (1364) 
tells  us  in  his  "  Travels  "  that  at  Jeru- 
salem he  was  shown  the  identical  ' '  tree 
of  Elder  that  Judas  hange  himself  up- 
on, for  despeyr  that  he  hadde  when  he 
yolde  and  betrayed  owre  Lord." 

Concerning  another  species,  the  Sam- 
bucus Ebulus,  or  Dwarf  Elder,  the 
tradition  runs  that  it  grows  most  where 
blood  has  been  shed  either  in  battle  or 
murder.  In  Welsh  it  is  called  "plant 
of  the  blood  of  man,"  and  Sh.  may 
have  had   this  piece  of   plant-lore  in 


ELD 


107 


ENO 


mind  when  he  represents  Bassanius  as 
killed  at  a  pit  beneath  an  elder  tree. 
This  is  the  pit  and  this  the  elder  tree. 
Tit.  II,  3,  277. 

elder-gun.  A  pop-gun.  So  called  be- 
cause usually  made  by  boys  out  of  a 
branch  of  elder  fiom  which  the  pith 
has  been  removed.  It  was  capable  of 
inflicting  a  sharp  stinging  blow  with  its 
pellets  of  moistened  tow,  but  could  not 
cause  any  serious  injury.  Hence  the  al- 
lusion in  HV.  IV,  1,  210. 

Eleanor,  Duchess  of  Gloucester,  dr.p. 
2HVI. 

eleven  and  twenty.  That  teacheth  tricks 
eleven  and  twenty  long.  Shr.  IV,  2, 
57.  A  phrase  of  which  the  origin  is 
unknown.  Probably  similar  to  the 
American  phrase  forty  -  eleven.  See 
' '  The  Professor  at  the  Breakfast  Table. ' ' 

elf.  To  mat  the  hair  together.  The  elves 
or  fairies  were  supposed  to  tangle  the 
hair  for  mischief.  Lr.  II,  3,  10. 

elf-lock.  A  lock  of  hair  tangled  or  matted 
together  by  the  fairies.     Rom.  I,  4,  90. 

Elinor,  Queen,  dr.p.  Mother  of  King 
John.     John. 

Elizabeth  Woodville,  dr.p.  Lady  Grey 
and  queen  to  Edward  IV.  3HVI.  and 
RIII. 

Ely,  Bishop  of,  dr.p.  John  Morton. 
RIII. 

Ely,  Bishop  of,  dr.p.    HV. 

emballing.  The  ceremony  of  carrying  the 
ball,  as  queen,  at  a  coronation.  The 
word  is  one  of  Sh.  manufacture,  and 
has  given  some  trouble  to  the  coms. 
The  above  is  Johnson's  explanation, 
and  is  clearly  the  best  out  of  many. 
Some  are  offensive  and  improbable. 

emboss.  To  hunt  to  death.  All's.  Ill, 
6,  106. 

embossed.    1.    SwoUen.    As.  II,  7,  67. 
2.    Foaming  at  the  mouth  from  hard 
running.     Shr.  Ind.,  I,  17;    Ant.    IV, 
11,3. 

embarguement.  Hindrances ;  impedi- 
ments. A  word  of  doubtful  origin  and 
significance.    Cor.  I,  10,  22. 

embrasure.    Embrace.    Troil.  IV,  4,  39. 

Emilia,  dr.p.   Sister  to  Hippolyta.  Kins. 


Emilia,  dr.p.    Wife  to  lago.     0th. 
Emilia,  dr.p.    A  lady  attending  on  Her- 

mione.    Wint. 
emmew.   A  term  in  falconry,  signifying 

to  cause  the  game  to  lie  close  for  fear. 

Meas.  Ill,  1,  91. 
empery.    1.    Empire;  dominion.    HV.  I, 

2,  226. 

2.    Country  over  which  sway  is  held. 

RIII.  Ill,  7,  136. 
empiricutic.    Quackish.    Undoubtedly  a 

coined  word.     Cor.  II,  1,  128. 
emulous.     Jealous;   envious.     Troil.   II, 

3,  242. 

enactures.  Action;  representation.  Schm. 
Hml.  Ill,  2,  207.  Johnson  gives  "re- 
solutions "  as  the  meaning.  In  the 
Folio  of  1623  the  word  is  ennectors ; 
enactures  is  the  word  in  the  Quarto. 

end.  Still  an  end  ==  ever  and  anon. 
Gent.  IV,  4,  67.  Qu.  Corrupted  from 
"still  and  anon." 

endart.    To  shoot  forth.    Rom.  I,  3,  98. 

endeared.  Bound.   2HIV.  II,  3,  11 ;  Tim. 

1,  2,  236. 

Endymion.  A  beautiful  youth,  said  to 
have  been  a  hunter  or  shepherd  who 
fell  asleep  in  a  cave  of  Mount  Latmus, 
and  while  there  was  visited  by  Selene 
(the  moon,  Luna)  who  fell  in  love  with 
him,  and  kept  him  in  a  perpetual  slum- 
ber so  that  she  might  be  able  to  kiss 
him  without  his  knowledge.  By  him 
she  is  said  to  have  had  fifty  daughters. 
Such  is  the  generally  accepted  story, 
but  there  are  various  poetical  versions 
of  the  legend.  Merch.  V,  1,  109.  See 
Diana. 

enfeoff.  To  give  in  vassalage ;  to  grant 
out  as  a  feoff  or  estate.  IHIV.  Ill, 
2,-  69. 

enforce.  To  exaggerate ;  to  lay  stress 
upon.     Caes.  Ill,  2,  42 ;  Ant.  V,  2,  125. 

englut.    To  swallow  at  a  gulp.    Tim.  II, 

2,  175. 

engraffed.    Deep-fixed.    Kins.  IV,  3. 
engross.    1.    To  make  fat.    RIII.  7,  76. 

2.  To  amass.    IHIV.  Ill,  2,  148  ;  2HIV. 
IV,  5,  71. 

3.  Seizing  the  whole  of.  All's.  Ill,  2, 
68;  Rom.  V,  3,  115. 


ENK 


108 


ETE 


enkindle.    To  incite;  to  make  keen.   Mcb. 

1,  3,  121. 

Enobarbus,  Domitius,  dr.p.    A  friend  to 

Anthony.     Ant. 
enseamed.    Gross  :  defiled ;  filthy.    Hml. 

Ill,  4,  92.     See  seam. 
ensear.    To  dry  up.    Tim.  IV,  3,  187. 
ensconce.    To  hide ;  to  cover.     Wiv.  II, 

2,  27 ;  do.  Ill,  3,  96. 

cjnskyed.  Heavenly ;  raised  above  earthly 
things.     Meas.  I,  4,  84. 

ensteeped.  Lying  under  water.  0th. 
II,  1,  70. 

entail.  Hereditary  right  to  property. 
All's.  IV,  3,  343. 

entertain.    Encounter.    HV.  I,  2,  111. 

entreatments.  Interviews ;  entertain- 
ments.    Hml.  I,  3,  122. 

Ephesian.  A  cant  term  for  jolly  com- 
panion; a  toper.  Wiv.  IV,  .5,  19. 
Ephesians  ^  ^  *  of  the  old  church 
=  companions  of  the  old  sort.  2HIV. 
II,  2,  164. 

equipage.  A  word  of  equivocal  meaning 
as  it  occurs  in  Wiv.  II,  2,  3.  Schm. 
notes  it  "  quite  unintelligible ;  "  War- 
burton  says  it  is  a  cant  term  for  stolen 
goods;  Farmer  is  certain  that  it  is  a 
cant  word,  but  of  unascertained  mean- 
ing. (It  is  not  found  in  modern 
slang  dictionaries.)  Steevens  thinks  it 
means  attendance. 

Ercles.  A  contraction  of  Hercules.  Mids. 
I,  2,  31. 

erewliile.  A  short  time  since.  LLL.  IV, 
1,  99 ;  As.  II,  4,  89. 

eringo.  Sea-holly,  much  used  as  a  deli- 
cacy and  believed  to  be  a  powerful 
aphrodisiac.    Wiv.  V,  5,  33. 

Eros,  dr.p.     A  friend  to  Antony.     Ant. 

Erpingham,  Sir  Thomas,  dr.p.  An  oflScer 
in  the  English  army.     HV. 

err.  Besides  the  usual  meaning,  this 
word  in  Sh.  time  signified  wandering 
(without  any  suggestion  of  evil) .  Hml.  I, 
1 , 1 54 ;  0th.  1, 3,  362.     See  extravagan  t 

Escalus,  dr.p.    A  lord  of  Vienna.    Meas. 

Escalus,  dr.p.     Prince  of  Verona.    Rom. 

Escanes,  dr.p.    A  lord  of  Tjn-e.     Per. 

escape.    A  freak  ;  an  escapade.    Tit.  IV, 


escape.    Escapes  of  wit  =  sallies  of  wit. 

Meas.  IV,  1,  63. 
escapen.    The  old  form  of  escaped.     Per. 

II,  Prol.  36. 
escot.    To  pay  for ;  to  maintain.     Hml. 

II,  2,  362.     Cot.  gives  "  disner  d  escot 

=  a  dinner  at  an  ordinarie ;  or  where 

every  guest  payes  his  part." 
Esile.    See  eisel. 
esperance.     Hope.     The  motto   of   the 

Percies.     IHIV.  II,  3,  74. 
espial.    A  spy.    Hml.  Ill,  1,  32. 
Essex,  Earl  of,  Geoffrey  Fitz-Peter,  dr.p. 

John. 
estimation.     Conjecture.     IHIV.    I,    3, 

272. 
estridge.    An  ostrich.    IHIV.  IV,  1,  98. 

By  some  =  goshawk.     Ant.  Ill,  13,  197. 
eternal.    In  many  passages  this  word  is 

evidently    not   used   in    the   sense   of 

"  without  end. "    Mrs.  Ford  (Wivs.  II, 

1,  50)  speaks  of  an  eternal  moment; 
Emilia  of  an  eternal  villain  (0th.  IV, 

2,  130),  and  Cassius  of  the  eternal  devil 
(Caes.  I,  2,  160).  The  expression  eternal 
blazon  (Hml.  I,  5,  21,)  has  given  rise  to 
considerable  discussion.  Schm.  gives 
the  meaning  as  "this  account  of  the 
things  of  eternity  "  ;  others  suggest  that 
it  is  a  misprint  for  infernal.  It  is 
probable  that  it  here  means  simply 
great,  tremendous.  As  it  occurs  in 
some  passages  Schm.  explains  the  word 
as  "  used  to  express  extreme  abhor- 
ence ; "  but  this  does  not  apply  in  many 
cases  where  it  evidently  does  not  mean 
' '  without  end. ' '  Thus  ' '  the  propitiatory 
address  to  the  reader  in  the  ante-natal 
edition  of  Troilus  and  Cresida,  1609, 
begins :  '  Eternall  reader,  you  have 
here  a  new  play,  never  staled  with  the 
stage,  etc.  I  remember  other  like 
sentences,  but  have  not  time  to  look 
them  up ;  nor  is  thei'e  any  need ;  one 
such  example  is  as  good  as  forty.  Mani- 
festly, this  writer  did  not  intend  to 
open  his  address  in  favor  of  his  new 
play  by  '  expressing  extreme  abhorence ' 
of  his  reader  with  Dr.  Schmidt,  or  by 
calling  him  '  infernal  reader, '  with  Mr. 
Walker.    And  yet  the  word  is  useti  just 


ET£ 


109 


EXP 


as  it  is  in  the  passages  quoted  above 
from  Sh.,  and  as  the  rustic  Yankee 
uses  it  in  '  tarnal. '  In  all  these  cases 
the  word  is  used  merely  as  an  expletive 
of  excess.  It  means  simply  boundless, 
immeasurable,  and  corresponds  very 
nearly  in  its  purport  to  the  word 
egregious,  as  it  is  used  by  some  of  our 
elder  writers,  and  nowadays  in  Spanish, 
egregio  autore.''^    R.  G.  White. 

eterne.  Eternal.  Mcb.  Ill,  2,  38  ;  Hml. 
II,  2,  512. 

eternize.  To  immortalise.  2HVI.  V,  3, 
31. 

Europa.  According  to  common  tradition, 
the  daughter  of  the  Phoenician  king 
Agenor.  Her  surpassing  beauty  charmed 
Jupiter,  who  assumed  the  form  of  a 
bull  (Wiv.  V,  .5,  4)  and  mingled  with 
the  herd  as  Europa  and  her  maidens 
were  sporting  on  the  seashore.  En- 
couraged by  the  tameness  of  the  animal, 
Europa  ventured  to  mount  upon  his 
back,  whereupon  Jupiter  rushed  into 
the  sea  and  swam  with  her  in  safety  to 
Crete.  Here  she  became,  by  Jupiter, 
the  mother  of  Minos,  Radamanthys, 
and  Sarpedon.  She  afterwards  married 
Asterion,  King  of  Crete,  who  brought 
up  the  children  whom  she  had  had  by 
the  King  of  the  Gods.  Referred  to  in 
Shr.  I,  1,  173. 

Europe,  as  a  division  of  the  world, 
was  believed  to  ha\  e  derived  its  name 
from  this  fabulous  Phoenician  princess. 

Euphronius,  dr.p.   An  ambassador.  Ant. 

Evans,  Sir  Hugh,  dr.p.  A  Welsh  parson 
famous  for  his  "frittering  "  of  English. 
Wiv. 

even-Christian.  FeUow  Christian.  Hml. 
V,  1,  32. 

even-pleaclied.  Hedges  so  interwoven 
and  trimmed  as  to  have  an  even  sur- 
face.   HV.  V,  2,  42. 

evil.  1.  A  privy.  Meas.  II,  2, 172 ;  HVIII. 
II,  1,  67. 

2.  The  king's  evil.  Mcb.  IV,  3,  148.  A 
scrofulous  disease  which  was  so  called 
because  the  kings  and  queens  of  Eng- 
land were  supposed  to  have  the  power 
of  curing  it  by  a  touch.     Many  of  our 


readers  will  remember  that  Dr.  Johnson, 
when  a  child,  was  carried  to  London 
by  his  mother  so  that  he  might  be 
touched  by  Queen  Anne  and  cured. 

evitate.    To  avoid.    Wiv.  V,  5,  241. 

examine.  To  doubt ;  to  call  in  question. 
All's.  Ill,  5,  66. 

excrement.  Hair,  beard  and  other  things 
growing  out  of  the  body.  Merch.  Ill, 
2,  87 ;  Err.  II,  2,  79.  The  etymological 
meaning  of  excitement  is  something 
which  grows  out,  and  it  is  in  this  sense 
that  it  is  used  in  Sh. ,  with,  perhaps,  a 
single  exception  (Tim.  IV,  3,  445).  It 
is  doubtful  if  even  this  passage  furnishes 
an  exception. 

exercise.  Religious  services.  RIII.  Ill, 
2,  112. 

Exeter,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Uncle  to  Henry 
V.     HV.  and3HVI. 

exliale.  To  draw  out.  In  Pistol's  speech 
(HV,  II,  1,  66)  he  means  "draw  your 
sword," 

exiiibition.    Pension ;  allowance,     Gent. 

1,  3,  69 ;  Lr.  I,  2,  25 ;  0th,  I,  3,  238. 
Used  blunderingly  in  Ado.  IV,  2,  5. 
We  have  the  exhibition  to  examine  = 
we  have  the  examination  to  exhibit, 
Steevens. 

exigent.    1.   Decisive  moment;  pressing 
necessity.     Caes.  V,  1,  19.     Ant.  IV,  14, 
63. 
2.  The  end  ;  death.     IHVI.  II,  5,  9. 

exion.  Mrs.  Quickly's  blunder  for  action. 
2HIV.  II,  1,  32, 

exorcise.  This  word  (and  words  formed 
from  it — exorcism,  exorcist,  etc.)  was 
employed  by  Sh.  in  the  sense  of  raising 
spirits,  not  laying  them,  as  is  the 
modern  use.    2HVI.  1,  4,  5 ;  Cym.  IV, 

2,  276. 

expedience.    1.    Haste.    RII.  II,  1,  287. 
2.  Campaign;  expedition.     IHIV.  I,  1, 
33 ;  Ant.  I,  2,  185. 

expedient.  Expeditious ;  swift.  John,  II, 
1,  60;  2HVI.  Ill,  1,  288.  This  is  the 
etymological  meaning  of  the  word. 
The  meaning  was  about  to  change  at 
this  time,  and  the  word  does  not  appear 
in  Sh.  in  plays  wiitten  after  1596. 
Fleay. 


EXP 


110 


ET8 


expediently.  Quickly;  expeditiously.  As. 
Ill,  1,  18.     See  expedient. 

expiate.  Completed :  brought  to  a  close. 
Sonn.  XXII,  4;  RIII.  Ill,  3,  23. 

expire.  To  bring  to  an  end ;  to  conclude. 
Rom.  I,  4, 109. 

expostulate.  To  expound ;  to  explain. 
Hml.  II,  2,  86. 

exposture.  Exposure  ;  the  state  of  being 
exposed.  Cor.  IV,  1,  36.  It  has  been 
suspected  that  this  word  is  an  error  of 
the  press,  as  it  has  not  been  found  any- 
where else  except  in  this  passage. 

expulse.  To  expel;  to  drive  out.  IHVI. 
Ill,  3,  25. 

exsufflicate.  Contemptible ;  abomina- 
able.    0th.  Ill,  3,  182. 

This  word  is  found  nowhere  else,  and 
the  meaning  is  rather  uncertain.  Some 
explain  it  as  blown  up,  but  this  would 
be  tautology.  Nares,  following  Du 
Cange,  derives  it  from  low  Latin  ex- 
sufflare^  used  in  an  old  ecclesiastical 
form  of  renouncing  the  devil. 

extend.  A  law  term  meaning  to  seize 
upon.    Ant.  I,  2.  105. 

extent.    Seizure.    As.  Ill,  1,  17. 

Lord  Campbell  regards  Sh.  use  of  ^his 
term  as  indicating  a  deeper  technical 
knowledge  of  law  than  could  be  ob- 
tained by  mere  ordinary  observation. 
"  The  usurping  Duke,  Frederick,  wish- 
ing all  the  real  property  of  Oliver  to  be 
seized,  awards  a  suit  of  extent  against 
him,  in  the  language  which  would  be 
used  by  the  Lord  Chief  Baron  of  the 
Court  of  Exchequer.  Make  an  extent 
upon  his  house  and  lands — an  extendi 
facias  applying  to  houses  and  lands,  as 
&  fieri  facias  would  apply  to  goods  and 
chattek,  or  a  capias  ad  satisfaciendum 
to  the  person." 

extenuate.  To  undervalue;  to  detract 
from.     Cses.  Ill,  2,  42. 

extirp.  To  extirpate ;  to  root  out.  Meas, 
III,  2,  110. 

extracting.    Distracting.     Tw.  V,  1,  288. 

extraught.  Extracted;  descended.  3HVI. 
II,  2,  142. 

extravagancy.  Wandering ;  v^agrancy. 
Tw.  II,  1,  12. 


extravagant.  "Wandering ;  straying  be- 
yond bounds.    LLL.  IV,  2,  68 ;  Hml.  I. 

1,  154;  0th.  1, 1, 137.  The  word  occurs 
but  three  times  in  Sh.,  and  is  always 
used  in  the  old  and  strictly  etymological 
sense.  Never  with  the  meaning  which 
now  attaches  to  it. 

extreme.    1.    Extravagance  of  conduct. 
Wint.  IV,  4,  6. 
2.  Extremity.    Rom.  IV,  1,  62. 

extremity,  in.  Extremely.  Mids.  Ill, 
2,3. 

eyas.  A  nestling ;  a  young  hawk.  Hml. 
II,  2,  855.  "  Niais :  a  nestling  ;  a  young 
bird  taken  out  of  a  neast. "  Also,  under 
niez :  • '  a  niais  hawke. ' '    Cot. 

eyas  musket.  A  young  male  sparrow- 
hawk.    Wiv.  Ill,  3,  22. 

eye.  1.  Aglance  ;  anceilliade.   g.r.  Tp.  I, 

2,  44L 

2.  A  shade  of  color,  as  in  shot  silk.  Tp. 
II,  1,  55.  Phillpotts  suggests  that  "  the 
jesting  pair  mean  that  the  grass  is 
really  tawny  (tanned,  dried  up),  and 
that  the  only  '  green '  spot  in  it  is  Gon- 
zalo  himself. 

In  the  passage  in  Hml.  I,  3,  128,  the 
reading  in  many  eds.  is  dye ;  in  the 
folios,  eye.  Eye  formerly  signified  a 
shade  of  colour,  and  it  was  also  said  to 
mean  a  very  small  quantity  of  any- 
thing, in  proof  of  which  Malone  quotes 
from  an  old  work  on  Virginia,  "not  an 
eye  of  sturgeon  has  yet  appeared  in  the 
river."  But  may  not  eye  here  mean  a 
single  sturgeon,  just  as  we  might  say 
of  fish,  "not  a  fin,"  and  of  cattle, 
"notahoof  "? 

The  expression,  an  eye  of  death,  IHIV. 
I,  3,  143,  is  explained  by  Johnson  and 
Steevens  as  "  an  eye  menacing  death," 
but  Mason's  gloss,  "an  eye  expressing 
deadly  fear,"  seems  better.     See  /. 

eye-beam.  A  glance ;  a  look.  LLL.  IV, 
3,28. 

eye-glass.  The  lens  of  the  eye.  (Not  the 
retina,  as  Schm.  has  it.)   Wint.  I,  2, 268. 

eyliad.    See  oeilliade. 

eyne.  The  old  form  of  the  plural  of  eye. 
LLL,  V,  2,  206. 

eysell.    See  eisel. 


FA 


III 


FAD 


A.  R.  G.  White  notes  that  Sh. 
often  shows  that  he  was  a 
musician  as  well  as  a  lover  of 
music,  and  the  frequent  refer- 
ences to  the  notes  of  the  gamut  show 
this.  See  LLL.  IV,  2,  103;  Shr.  Ill,  1, 
76,  as  well  as  the  jocular  reference  in 
Rom.  IV,  5,  121.  The  use  of  fa,  sol,  la, 
mi  in  Lr.  I,  2,  149,  has  been  the  occasion 
of  some  display  of  musical  learning. 
Dr.  Bumey,  as  quoted  by  Furness, 
says:  "Sh.  shows  by  the  context  that 
he  was  well  acquainted  with  the  pro- 
perty of  these  syllables  in  solmization, 
which  imply  a  series  of  sounds  so  un- 
natural that  ancient  musicians  pro- 
hibited their  use.  The  monkish  writers 
on  music  say :  mi  contra  fa  est  dia- 
bolus  :  the  interval  fa  'mi,  including  a 
tritonus,  or  sharp  4th,  consisting  of 
three  tones  without  the  intervention  of 
a  semitone,  expressed  in  the  modern 
scale  by  the  letters  F,  G,  A,  B,  would 
form  a  musical  phrase  extremely  dis- 
agreeable to  the  ear.  Edmund,  speak- 
ing of  eclipses  as  portents  and  pro- 
digies, compares  the  dislocation  of 
events,  the  times  being  out  of  joint,  to 
the  unnatural  and  offensive  sounds,  fa 
sol  la  mi.    See  gamut. 

On  the  other  hand  it  is  claimed  that 
the  humming  of  these  notes  by  Edmund 
is  merely  the  act  of  one  who  wishes  to 
seem  not  to  observe  the  approach  of 
another.  Moberly  suggests  that  "the 
sequence  '  fa  sol  la  mi '  (with  '  mi '  des- 
cending) is  like  a  deep  sigh,  as  may  be 
easily  heard  by  trial." 
Fabian,  dr. p.  Servant  to  Olivia.  Tw. 
face.  1.  To  bully  ;  to  lie  with  effrontery. 
Faced  it  with  a  card  of  ten  (Shr.  II,  1, 
407)  is,  according  to  Nares,  "  a  common 
phrase,  originally  expressing  the  confi- 
dence or  impudence  of  one  who  with  a 
ten,  as  at  brag,  faced  or  outfaced  one 
who  had  really  a  faced  card. " 
2.  To  trim  with  facings.  IHIV.  V,  1,  74 ; 
Shr.  IV,  3,  123.    In  the  latter  quotation 


there  is  a  quibble  between /ace,  to  trim, 
and /ace,  to  bully.  Also  between  brave, 
to  defy,  and  brave,  to  make  fine  or 
well-dressed.     See  brave. 

3.  To  carry  a  false  appearance ;  to  play 
the  hypocrite.  Johnson.  IHVI.  V,  3, 
142. 

4.  To  patch.  IHIV.  IV,  2,  34.  See 
ancient. 

In  regard  to  the  passage  in  Caes.  II, 
1, 114,  if  not  the  face  of  men,  the  coms. 
are,  as  Craik  says,  "all  alive  here." 
For  face  it  has  been  proposed  to  read 
fate,  faiths,  etc.  "  It  is  difficult  to  see 
much  difficulty  in  the  old  reading, 
understood  as  meaning  the  looks  of 
men.  It  is  preferable,  at  any  rate,  to 
anything  which  has  been  proposed." 
Craik. 

face  royal.  A  pun  upon  a  royal  face 
and  the  face  upon  a  royal  or  ten-shilling 
piece  of  gold.  2HIV.  I,  2,  26.  See 
royal. 

facinerious.  Claimed  by  some  to  be  a 
word  coined  by  Parolles,  and  without 
meaning.  All's.  II,  3,  35.  But  Parolles 
was  a  linguist,  and  did  not  make  blun- 
ders of  this  kind  like  Pistol  and  Quickly. 
Steevens  therefore  corrected  it  to  faci- 
norus,  a  well-established  word  which 
signifies  atrociously  wicked.  And  this 
meaning  fits  very  well.  Facinerious 
is  probably  a  printer's  error. 

fact.  Something  done ;  deed.  Meas.  IV, 
2,  141 ;  All's.  Ill,  7,  47 ;  Wint.  Ill,  2,  86. 
Schm.  defines  it  as  =  evil  deed,  crime. 
This  word  does  not  of  itself  imply  evil, 
but  in  Sh.  it  seems  to  be  always  used  in 
connection  with  crime. 

factious.  Active ;  urgent.  Cses.  I,  3, 118. 
This  is  the  etymological  meaning  of  the 
word,  and  in  this  passage  it  conveys  no 
hint  of  wrong,  but  elsewhere  in  Sh.  it 
has  the  usual  evil  sense. 

factionary.  Taking  part  in  a  quarrel  or 
dissension.     Cor.  V,  2,  30. 

fadge.  To  suit ;  to  fit ;  to  succeed.  LLL. 
V,  1,154;  Tw.  11,2,34. 


FAD 


112 


7A8 


fading.  A  kind  of  burden  or  ending  to  a 
song.    Wint.  IV,  4,  195. 

fail.  FaUure.  Wint.  II,  3,  170 ;  HVIII. 
II,  4,  198. 

fair.  Beauty.  As.  Ill,  2,  99.  An  adjec- 
tive used  as  a  substantive. 

fairing.  A  present.  LLL.  V,  2,  2.  A 
word  still  used  in  Scotland  in  this  sense, 
as  in  Burns's  "  Tarn  O'Shanter :  " 

Ah  Tam  !   ah  Tarn  !   thouU  get  thy 
fairin'. 

"When  lads  and  lasses,  who  are  friends, 
meet  at  a  fair,  the  lad  is  in  duty  bound 
to  give  the  girl  "her  fairing."  The 
word  occurs  but  once  in  Sh.,  and  has 
been  erroneously  explained  by  some  as 
"making  fair."  I  am  told  that  the 
word  is  in  use  to-day  all  over  England 
ia  the  sense  that  I  have  given. 

fairy.    An  enchantress.    Ant.  IV,  8,  12. 

faithed.    Credited.    Lr.  II,  1,  72. 

faitor.  Evil-doer ;  deceiver ;  rogue ;  vaga- 
bond.   2HIV.  II,  4,  173. 

fall.    1.   To  let  fall ;  to  drop.    As.  Ill,  5, 5. 

2.  To  befall;  to  happen  to.  Ven.  472; 
John  I,  1,  78. 

Still  used  in  Scotland  in  this  sense. 
See  Burns's  "Address  to  a  Haggis": 
Fair  fa'  [fall]  your  honest  sonsie  face. 

3.  To  bring  forth;  to  give  birth  to. 
Merch.  I,  3,  89. 

fallible.  Liable  to  error.  Used  impro- 
perly by  the  clown  in  Ant.  V,  2,  258. 
In  the  First  Folio  it  is  printed  falliable, 
which  may  possibly  be  an  intentional 
vulgarism. 

fallow.    Fawn  colored.    Wiv.  I,  1,  91. 

false,  V.  To  perjure ;  to  falsify.  Cym. 
II,  3,  74. 

falsing.    Deceptive.    Err.  II,  95. 

Falstaff,  Sir  John,  dr. p.  IHIV;  2HIV 
and  Wiv. 

fame.  To  make  famous.  Sonn.  LXXXIV, 
11. 

familiar.    1.    A  particular  friend.    LLL. 
V,  1,  101 ;  Tim.  IV,  2,  10. 
2.  A  familiar  spirit ;  usually  one  attend- 
ant on  a  sorcerer.    LLL.  1, 2, 177 ;  2HVI. 
IV,  7,  114. 

fancies.    Love  songs  :  a  name  for  a  sort 


of  light  ballads  or  airs.  Nares.  2HIV. 
Ill,  2,  342 ;  Shr.  Ill,  2,  70. 

fancy.  Love.  Lucr.  200 ;  Wint.  IV,  4, 
493  ;  0th.  Ill,  4,  63. 

fancy-free.  Untouched  by  love.  Mids. 
II,  1,  164. 

fancy-monger.  A  love-monger  ;  one  who 
makes  love  his  business.  As.  Ill,  2, 
382. 

fancy-sick.    Love-sick.    Mids.  Ill,  2,  96. 

Fang,  dr.p.    A  sheriff's  officer.    2HIV. 

fang.  To  seize  with  the  teeth  or  fangs ; 
to  tear.     Tim.  IV,  3,  23. 

fangled.  Fond  of  finery.  Cyifa.  V,  4, 
134. 

fantasied.  Filled  with  fancies  or  imagin- 
ation.    John  IV,  2,  144. 

fap.    Drunk.    Wiv.  I,  1,  183. 

farced.  Stuffed  ;  extended.  HV.  IV,  1, 
280. 

fardel.  A  pack  ;  a  burden.  Hml.  Ill,  1, 
76. 

far-fet.  Literally,  far-fetched;  full  of 
deep  stratagems.     2HVI.  Ill,  1,  293. 

farrow.  A  litter  of  pigs.  Mcb.  IV,  1, 
65. 

farthingale.  A  hooped  petticoat.  Grent. 
II,  7,  51 ;  Wiv.  Ill,  3,  69. 

fartuous.  Mrs.  Quickly's  form  of  virtu- 
ous.   Wiv.  II,  2,  100. 

fashions.  A  skin  disease  in  horses ;  now 
called  farcy.    Shr.  Ill,  2,  54. 

fast  and  loose.  This  was  a  cheating 
game  much  practised  in  Sh.  time,  where- 
by gipsies  and  other  vagrants  beguiled 
the  common  peoj^e  of  their  money,  and 
hence  very  often  seen  at  fairs.  Its  other 
name  was  "pricking  at  the  belt  or 
girdle ;"  and  it  is  thus  described  by  Sir  J. 
Hawkins:  "A  leathern  belt  was  made 
up  into  a  number  of  intricate  folds  and 
placed  edgewise  upon  a  table.  One  of 
the  folds  was  made  to  resemble  the 
middle  of  the  girdle,  so  that  whoever 
could  thrust  a  skewer  into  it  would 
think  he  held  it  fast  to  the  table; 
whereas,  when  he  had  so  done,  the 
person  with  whom  he  plays  may  take 
hold  of  both  ends,  and  di-aw  it  away." 
It  was  an  easy  matter  for  a  juggler  to 
make  the  belt  either  fast  or  loose  at  his 


FAS 


113 


FEA 


option  after  the  skewer  had  been  in- 
serted. It  is  frequently  alluded  to  by 
old  writers.  Thus  Drayton,  in  his 
"  Mooncalf,"  tells  us : 

He  like  a  gypsy  oftentimes  would  go, 
All  kinds  of  gibberish  he  hath  learned 

to  know  ; 
And  with  a  stick,  a  shortstring,  and  a 

noose. 
Would  show  the  people  tricks  at  fast 

and  loose. 

This  is  what  is  referred  to  in  Ant.  IV, 
11,  28,  and  Nares  thinks  that  it  is  this 
trick  of  the  sharper's  trade  that  Falstaff 
recommends  to  Pistol  (Wiv.  II.  2,  19) 
when  he  says :  "  Go.  A  short  knife 
and  a  throng.  To  your  manor  of  Pickt- 
hatch  !  Go."  It  is  throng  in  Fl,  but 
Pope  emended  to  thong.  The  usual 
interpretation  of  this  passage  is  that 
Falstaff  recommends  the  cutting  of 
purses  in  a  throng,  and  for  this  advises 
him  to  get  a  short  knife.  At  that  time 
purses  were  usually  carried  suspended 
from  the  girdle.  Hence  the  term  cxit- 
purse.  This  seems  to  be  the  most 
natural  explanation  of  the  passage. 

Fastolfe,  Sir  John,  dr. p.     IHVI. 

fat.  Dull.  LLL.  Ill,  1,  105 ;  Tw.  V,  1, 
112. 

fat.  It  is  generally  believed  that  the  de- 
scription of  Hamlet— /a ^  and  scant  of 
breath — applied  to  Burbage,  the  famous 
actor  of  Sh.  time,  who  was  the  first  im- 
personator of  Hamlet. 

Fates,  The.  The  three  sisters  who  pre- 
sided over  the  destinies  of  men.  Their 
names  were  Clotho,  Lachesis  and  Atro- 
pos.  According  to  Hesiod,  it  is  Clotho 
who  spins  the  web  of  man's  destiny ; 
Lachesis  who  assigns  to  man  his  fate, 
and  Atropos  who  cuts  the  thread  of  life. 
Hence  Pistol's  saying  Come,  Atropos,  I 
saij!  2HIV.  II,  4,  213.  In  works  of 
art  they  are  represented  as  grave 
maidens,  with  different  attributes,  viz., 
Clotho  with  a  spindle  or  a  roll  (the  book 
of  fate)  ;  Lachesis  pointing  with  a  staff 
to  the  horoscope  on  the  globe,  and 
Atropos  with  a  pair  of  scales,  or  a  sun- 
dial, or  a  pair  of  shears. 


father.    The  passage  in  As.  I,  3,  11,  my 

child'' s  father,  is  by  many  regarded  as 
corrupt,  the  claim  being  that  the  proper 
•  reading  is  my  father''  s  child.  The  usual 
argument  in  favor  of  the  latter  reading 
is  the  indelicacy  of  the  former  one ;  but 
this  does  not  count  for  much  in  Sh.,  the 
manners  and  habits  of  those  times  being 
so  different  from  what  they  are  now. 
I  think,  however,  that  a  careful  read- 
ing of  the  whole  passage  shows  that  it  is 
for  herself,  i.e.,  her  father''  s  child,  and 
"  for  the  burs  in  her  heart "  that  Rosa- 
lind is  depressed.    The  thought  embod- 
ied in  the  reading  of  the  Fl  is  so  far- 
fetched and,  under  the  circumstances, 
so  strained,  that  it  points  with  almost 
certainty  to  a  typographical  error. 
fathered.    See  childed. 
fatigate.    Fatigued.    Cor.  II,  2,  121. 
Faulconbridge,  Lady,  dr. p.    Mother  to 
Robert  and  Philip  Faulconbridge.  John. 
Faulconbridge,    Philip,  dr.p.      Bastard 

son  to  Richard  I.    John. 
Faulconbridge,  Robert,  dr.p.  Son  of  Sir 

Robert  Faulconbridge.    John. 

favour.    Countenance;   feature;   aspect. 

IHIV.  Ill,  2,  136.     Defeat  thy  favour 

with  a  usurped  heard  (0th.  I,  3,  846) 

=  disguise  yourself  with  a  false  beard. 

fay.    Faith.    Rom.  I,  5,  128. 

fear,  v.    To  affright;  to  terrify.    Meas. 

II,  1,  2  ;  2HIV.  IV,  4,  121. 
fearful.    1.    Timorous.    As.  Ill,  3, 49. 
2.  Terrible ;  inspiring  fear.    Lucr.  1741 ; 
Tp.  V,  1,  106. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  (1  and 
2)  that  this  word  is  used  to  convey  two 
very  different  meanings.  Just  which 
of  these  meanings  it  should  carry  in  the 
passage  found  in  Tp.  I,  2,  470,  he''s  gen- 
tle and  not  fear  fid,  has  caused  some 
discussion.  Furness  favors  the  inter- 
pretation given  by  Ritson  :  "  Do  not 
rashly  determine  to  treat  him  with  se- 
verity, he  is  mild  and  harmless  and  not 
in  the  least  terrible  or  dangerous.'''' 
Others  would  accept  that  of  Smollett, 
quoted  by  Reed  from  Humphrey  Clink- 
er: "How  have  your  commentators 
been  puzzled  by  [this  passage]  as  if  it 


F£A 


114 


FEB 


was  a  paralogism  to  say  that  being  gen- 
tle, he  must  of  course  be  courageous  ; 
but  the  truth  is,  one  of  the  original 
meanings,  if  not  the  sole  meaning,  of 
that  word  was  noble,  high-minded ;  and 
to  this  day  a  Scotch  woman  in  the 
situation  of  the  young  lady  in  The 
Tempest  would  express  herself  in  nearly 
the  same  terms.  Don't  provoke  him  ; 
for,  being  gentle,  that  is,  high-spirited, 
he  won't  tamely  bear  an  insult,  Spen- 
ser, in  the  very  first  stanza  of  the  Faierie 
Queene,  says :  '  A  gentle  knight  was 
pricking  o'er  the  plain, '  which  knight, 
far  from  being  tayne  and  fearful,  was 
so  stout  that  '  Nothing  did  he  dread, 
but  ever  was  ydrad. '  "    See  gentle. 

feat,  V.    To  make  neat.    Cym.  I,  1,  49. 

feat,  adj.  Neat ;  handy ;  dextrous.  Cym. 
V,  5,  88;  Tp.  11,1,273. 

feather.  A  forest  of  feathers,  referring 
to  the  extravagant  use  of  feathers  as 
an  ornament  to  the  hat  at  one  time. 
Hml.  Ill,  2,  286. 

featly.    Nimbly ;  daintily,    Tp.  I,  2,  380. 

feature.    Beauty.     Cym.  V,  5,  163. 

Feeble,  dr.p.  One  of  Falstaff 's  recruits. 
2HIV. 

feeder.  1.  One  who  feeds  and  cares  for 
animals,  as  sheep  in  As.  II,  4,  99.  Cer- 
tainly not  an  idler  in  this  case,  as  de- 
fined in  a  recent  glossary. 

2.  One  who  eats  ravenously ;  a  servant 
or  perhaps  a  parasite.     Tim.  II,  2,  168. 

3.  One    who    encourages.     2HIV.    V, 
5,66. 

fee-farm.  A  kiss  in  fee-farm  (Troil. 
Ill,  2,  53)  "is  a  kiss  of  a  duration  that 
has  no  bounds,  a  fee-farm  being  a  grant 
of  lands  in  fee,"  that  is  for  ever,  re- 
serving a  certain  rent. "    Malone. 

fee-grief.  A  grief  peculiar  to  one  person  ; 
literally,  the  peculiar  property  of  one. 
Mcb.  IV,  3,  196. 

fee-simple.  Absolute  fee  ;  a  fee  that  is 
not  qualified ;  absolute  property  in. 
Compl.  144;  Wiv.  IV,  2,  225;  All's.  IV, 
3,  312. 

fedary.    Accomplice.    Meas.  II,  4,  122. 

federary.  Same  as  fedary;  an  accom- 
pUce.    Wint.  II,  1,  90. 


fehememtly.  Evans's  blunder  for  ve- 
hemently.   Wiv.  Ill,  1,  7. 

felicitate.    Made  happy.    Lr.  I,  1,  76. 

fell,  n.  Hide ;  the  entire  skin  and  wool  or 
hair  of  an  animal.  As.  Ill,  2,  55 ;  Mcb. 
V,  5,  11. 

fell,  adj.  Fierce ;  savage  ;  cruel.  Mids. 
II,  1,  20 ;  0th.  V,  2,  362. 

fell-lurking.  Lurking  to  do  mischief. 
2HVI.  V,  1,  146. 

fellowly.    Sympathetic.    Tp.  V,  1,  64. 

female  actors.  In  the  early  dramas  all 
female  characters  were  acted  by  boys 
or  men.  If  the  face  did  not  exactly 
suit,  they  took  advantage  of  the  fashion 
of  wearing  masks,  and  then  the  actor 
had  only  his  voice  to  modulate.  Thus 
in  Mids.  I,  2,  50,  Flute  objects  to  play- 
ing a  woman  because  he  has  a  beard 
coming,  and  is  told  that  he  may  play  it 
in  a  mask  and  speak  as  small  as  he  will. 
See  cracked  within  the  ring  and  hoy. 
This  frequently  gave  rise  to  the  most 
absurd  situations.  Thus  Jordan,  writ- 
ing in  1662,  says : 

For  to  speak  truth,  men  act,  that  are  be- 
tween 

Forty  and  fifty,  wenches  of  fifteen  ; 

With  bone  so  large,  and  nerve  so  incom- 
pliant. 

When  you  call  Desdemona — enter  Giant ! 

According  to  Collier,  the  first  attempt 
to  introduce  women  as  actors  on  the 
English  stage  occurred  in  1629,  when  a 
company  of  French  comedians  per- 
formed at  the  Blackfriars  Theatre. 
Malone  tells  us  that  it  is  the  received 
tradition  that  Mrs.  Saunderson,  who 
afterwards  married  Betterton,  was  the 
first  English  actress. 

These  facts  explain  many  passages  in 
Sh.,  especially  Hml.  II,  2,  449,  and  As. 
Epilogue. 

fence.     Art  or  skill  in  defence.     2HVI. 
II,  1,  52 ;  Tw.  Ill,  4,  312. 

Fenton,  dr. p.  Lover  and  finally  husband 
of  Anne  Page.     Wiv. 

Ferdinand,  dr.p.  King  of  Navarre. 
LLL. 

Ferdinand,  dr.p.  Son  to  the  King  of 
Naples.    Tp. 


FEB 


115 


m 


feodary.  One  who  holds  an  estate  by  suit 
or  service  to  a  superior  or  lord ;  hence 
one  who  acts  under  the  direction  of 
another.    Cym.  Ill,  2,  21. 

fere.  A  companion;  a  mate  (husband 
or  wife).    Tit.  IV,  1,  89. 

fern-seed.  The  seed  of  the  fern,  of  which 
Holt  White  says  :  "  The  ancients,  who 
often  paid  more  attention  to  received 
opinions  than  to  the  evidence  of  their 
senses,  believed  that  ferns  bore  no  seed. 
Our  ancestors  imagined  that  this  plant 
produced  seed  which  was  invisible. 
Hence,  from  an  extraordinary  mode  of 
reasoning,  founded  on  the  fantastic 
doctrine  of  signatures,  they  concluded 
that  they  who  possessed  the  secret  of 
wearing  this  seed  about  them  would 
become  invisible."  Hence  it  was  a 
most  important  object  of  superstition, 
being  gathered  mystically,  especially 
on  Midsummer  Eve.  The  superstition 
survived  even  to  the  days  of  Addison, 
who  tells  us  that  it  was  "  impossible  to 
walk  the  streets  of  London  without 
having  an  advertisement  thrust  into 
your  hand  of  a  doctor  who  had  arrived 
at  the  knowledge  of  the  green  and  red 
dragon,  and  had  discovered  the  female 
fern  seed."  This  explains  the  remark 
of  GadshiU,  we  have  the  receipt  of 
fernseed,  we  walk  invisible.  IHIV. 
II,  1,  96. 

ferret,  v.    To  worry.    HV.  IV,  4,  30. 

ferret,  adj.  Such  ferret  and  such  fiery 
eyes.  Caes.  I,  2, 186.  Sharp  and  pierc- 
ing, like  those  of  a  ferret.  According 
to  Schm.  and  others,  red  or  albino-like. 
A  doubtful  gloss.  Some  ferrets  have 
red  eyes,  but  Cicero  was  not  an  albino. 
It  is  more  probable  that  ferret  and  fiery 
mean  sharp  and  briUiant.  Redness  in 
eyes  does  not  mean  piercing. 

Feste,  dr. p.  A  clown ;  servant  to  Olivia. 
Tw. 

festinate.    Hasty.    Lr.  Ill,  7,  10. 

fet.    Fetched.    HV.  Ill,  1,  18. 

fetch,  n.  A  trick ;  a  stratagem.  Hml. 
11,1,38;  Lr.  11,4,90. 

fetch  off.  To  make  away  with.  Wint. 
1,2,334. 


fettle.    To  dress  ;  to  prepare.    Rom.  Ill, 

5,  154. 
fewness.   Rarity ;  brevity.    Meas.  1, 4,  89. 
fico.    A  fig.     (Spanish.)    Wiv.  I,  3,  38. 

See^igr. 
fidiused.    A  word  jocularly  formed  from 

the  name   of   Aufldius,  and   meaning 

dealt  with  ;  beaten.    Cor.  II,  1,  144. 
field.    Battle  ;  combat ;  war.     LLL.  Ill, 

I,  189 ;  Mcb.  V,  1,  4. 

field-bed.    A  camp-bed.    Rom.  II,  1,  40. 

fielded.  Engaged  in  fight ;  on  the  battle- 
field.    Cor.  I,  4,  12. 

fig,  n.  Literally,  a  well-known  fruit,  but 
as  a  token  of  worthlessness,  as  in  the 
expression,  "a  fig  for  Peter"    (2HVI. 

II,  3,  67),  it  undoubtedly  arose  from 
the  verb  to  fig,  as  explained  in  next 
article.  As  Nares  well  says :  "  Figs 
were  never  so  common  in  England  as 
to  be  proverbially  worthless."  cf.  Ant. 
I,  2,  32. 

Perhaps,  however,  it  may  be  merely 
*'  fig's-end  "  shortened.  A  fig's-end  is 
certainly  a  very  worthless  object,  and 
it  is,  moreover,  an  old  synonym  for  a 
thing  of  little  value.  Thus,  in  Withal's 
Dictionary  we  find  Fumi  umora  non 
emerim  rendered  by  "  I  will  not  give  a 
fig's-end  for  it."  And  in  Oth.  II,  1,  286, 
lago  employs  "Blessed  fig's-end"  as 
an  expression  of  contempt. 

It  seems  to  have  been  a  common 
opinion  that  the  fig  was  a  favorite 
vehicle,  as  a  physician  would  say,  for 
administering  poison.  Dyce  thinks  Pistol 
alludes  to  this  in  his  "fig  of  Spain." 
HV.  Ill,  6,  62.  Nares  quotes  several 
allusions  to  this  in  works  near  Shake- 
speare's time. 

fig,  V.  To  insult  by  thrusting  out  the 
thumb  between  the  two  first  fingers  of 
the  clenched  hand.  The  custom  was 
originaUy  Spanish.    2HIV.  V,  3,  123. 

fights,  n.  Cloth  or  canvas  hung  round  a 
ship  to  conceal  the  men  from  the  enemy. 
Wiv.  II,  2,  142. 

figo.    Qeefico. 

file,  n.  1.  A  list;  a  catalogue;  a  rolL 
All's.  IV,  3,  189 ;  Mcb.  lU,  1,  95 ;  da 
V,  3,  8. 


rii 


116 


PLA 


2.  A  wire  upon  which  papers  are  strung. 
AU's.  IV,  3,  231. 
file,  V.    1.   To  polish.    Sonn.  LXXXV, 
4;  LLL.  V,  1,  12. 

2.  To  defile  ;  to  stain.    Mcb.  Ill,  1,  65. 

3.  To  march  in  line  ;  to  keep  pace  with. 
HVIII.  Ill,  2,  171. 

fill.  The  thill  of  a  carriage.  Troil.  Ill, 
2,  48.  This  word  is  still  in  use  in  this 
sense  in  New  England. 

fill-horse.  Shaft  horse ;  i.e.,  the  horse 
that  goes  between  the  shafts.  When 
two  horses  are  driven  tandem,  one  is 
the  fill-  or  thill-horse  and  the  other 
t\iQ  fore-horse.  Merch.  II,  2,  100.  See 
fore-horse. 

fillip.  In  Troil.  IV,  5,  45,  the  word  evi- 
dently means  a  stroke  given  by  a  jerk 
of  the  finger,  but  this  is  not  the  mean- 
ing in  2HIV.  I,  2,  255,  as  given  by 
Schm.  The  reference  there  is  to  a  com- 
mon and  cruel  diversion  practiced  by 
boys.  They  lay  a  board  two  or  three  feet 
long,  at  right  angles  over  a  transverse 
piece  two  or  three  inches  thick,  then 
placing  a  toad  at  one  end  of  the  board, 
the  other  end  is  struck  by  a  bat  or 
large  stick,  which  throws  the  poor  ani- 
mal forty  or  fifty  feet  in  the  air,  killing 
it,  of  course.  Falstaff  was  so  large  and 
heavy  that  no  ordinary  bat  or  beetle 
would  have  served  in  his  case.  It  would 
have  required  such  a  beetle  as  was  used 
for  driving  piles,  etc.,  and  was  worked 
by  three  or  more  men. 

filth.  A  coarse  name  for  a  common  wo- 
man.    Tim.  IV,  1,  6. 

fine,  n.  The  end.  Ado.  I,  1,  247 ;  Hml. 
V,  1,  115. 

fine,  V.  To  make  fine  or  specious.  Lucr. 
936  ;  HV.  I,  2,  72.  In  the  latter  passage 
many  eds.  residfiyid. 

fineless.  Endless ;  infinite.  0th.  Ill,  3, 
173.  This  word  occurs  nowhere  else 
inSh. 

firago.  Sir  Toby's  blunder  for  virago. 
Tw.  Ill,  4,  302. 

fire-brand  brother.  See  Althea  and 
Paris. 

fire.  To  expel ;  to  drive  out.  Sonn. 
CXLIV,  14;  Lr.  V,3,  23. 


fire-drake.  A  fiery  dragon;  a  Will-o- 
the-wisp ;  a  meteor.  Used  jocularly 
for  a  man  with  a  red  face.  HVIII. 
V,  4,  45. 

fire-new.  Brand-new ;  newly-made — said 
of  things  in  metal  which  are  worked  by 
fire,  and  applied  metaphorically  to 
others.     LLL.  I,  1,  179. 

firk.    To  beat.    HV.  IV,  4,  29. 

fishmonger.  A  seller  of  fish.  Hml.  II, 
2,  174.  Malone  suggests  that  a  pun  was 
here  intended,  as  fishmonger  was  a  cant 
term  for  a  licentious  person. 

fisnomy.   Physiognomy.   All's.  IV,  5,  42. 

fit.    A  canto  or  division  of  a  song.  TroU. 

III,  1,  62. 

fitchew.  A  polecat ;  supposed  to  be  very 
amorous ;  hence  used  as  an  illustration 
of  wantonness.     Lr.  IV,  6,  124;  0th. 

IV,  1,  150. 

fitted.  Worked  or  vexed  by  paroxysms 
or  fits.     Sonn.  CXIX,  7. 

Fitz-Peter,  Geoffrey,  Earl  of  Essex,  dr. p. . 
John. 

Fitzwater,  Lord,  dr.p.    RII. 

fives.  A  disease  of  horses,  consisting  of 
an  inflammation  of  the  parotid  glands. 
Shr.  Ill,  2,  54. 

five-finger-tied.  Tied  by  giving  her  hand. 
Troil.  V,  2,  157. 

flame  n.  A  priest  of  ancient  Rome.  Cor. 
II,  1,  229. 

Flaminius,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Timon.  Tim. 

flannel.  A  well-known  woolen  stuff.  A 
ludicrous  name  for  a  Welshman,  Wales 
being  noted  for  its  flannel.  Wiv.  V, 
5,  172. 

flap-dragon,  n.  **  A  flap-dragon  is  some 
small  combustible  body,  fired  at  one 
end,  and  put  afloat  in  a  glass  of  liquor. 
It  is  an  act  of  a  toper's  dexterity  to  toss 
off  the  glass  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
prevent  the  flap-dragon  from  doing 
mischief."  Johnson.  "  In  former  days 
gallants  used  to  vie  with  each  other  in 
drinking  off  flap-dragons  to  the  health 
of  their  mistresses,— which  flap-dragons 
were  generally  raisins,  and  sometimes 
even  candles'  ends,  swimming  in  brandy 
or  other  strong  spirits,  whence,  when 
on  fire,    they  were   snatched   by   the 


FLA 


117 


FLU 


mouth  and  swallowed."    Dijce.     LLL. 

V,  1,  46.     See  candies''  end. 
flap^dragon,  v.    To  swallow  as  gallants 

in  their  revels  swallow  a  flap-dragon. 

Wint.  Ill,  3,  100. 
flap- jack.    A  pancake.     Per.  II,  1,  87. 
flap^mouthed.    Having    broad   hanging 

lips.  Ven.  920.  (A  dog  is  here  meant. ) 
flat.  Positive  ;  certain.  IHIV.  IV,  2,  43. 
flat-long.    With  the  flat  side  down  ;  not 

edgewise.    Tp.  II,  1,  181. 
flatness.     Depth;  completeness.     Wint. 

Ill,  2,  123. 
Flavius,  dr.p.    A  Roman  tribune.     Cses. 
Flavius,  dr.p.     Steward  to  Timon.    Tim. 
flaw,  n.    1.    A  fragment;  a  breach;  a 

crack.    LLL.  V,  2,  415  ;  Lr.  II,  4,  288. 

2.  Misfortune.    Ant.  Ill,  12,  34. 

3.  A  sudden  gust  of  wind.    Hml.  V,  1, 
239. 

4.  Fits  of  passion.   Meas.  II,  3,  11 ;  Mcb. 
Ill,  4,  63. 

flaw,  V.  To  break ;  to  crack.  HVIII.  I, 
1,  95 ;  Lr.  V,  3,  196. 

flax.  A  bag  of  flax  f  Wiv.  V,  5,  159. 
As  flax  was  never  packed  in  bags  and 
has  no  significance  in  this  passage, 
should  we  not  read^ua?  f  See  "  Shake- 
spearean Notes  and  New  Readings," 
p.  10. 

flax-wench.  A  woman  whose  occupation 
it  is  to  dress  flax.  One  of  the  lowest 
occupations  assigned  to  women,  and 
hence  an  indication  of  low  position  and 
character.     Wint.  I,  2,  277. 

Fleance,  dr.p.    Son  of  Banquo.     Mcb. 

flecked.  Spotted  ;  dappled.  Rom,  II,  3, 
3.     In  some  eds.  fleckled  and  fleckered. 

fleer.  To  sneer ;  to  grin  in  scorn.  LLL. 
V,  2,  109;  Cses.  I,  3,  117.  Palsgrave,  as 
quoted  by  Halliwell,  explains  it  as  mak- 
ing "an  yvil  countenaunce  with  the 
mouthe  by  uncoueryng  of  the  tethe." 

Fleet,  The.  A  famous  London  prison, 
formerly  standing  on  Farringdon  Street, 
and  long  used  for  debtors.  Stowe 
speaks  of  it  as  "the  Fleete,  a  prison 
house,  so  called  of  the  fleet  or  water 
running  by  it. ' '  Fromflede,  the  Anglo- 
saxon  for  stream.  It  was  abolished  in 
1844,  and  the  "stream"  is  now  a  cov- 


ered sewer.    2HIV.  Y,  5,  96.     A  good 

description  of  the  internal  economy  of 

The  Fleet  may  be   found    in    "Little 

Dorritt." 
fleet.    1.  To  float.    Ant.  Ill,  13,  171. 
2.  To  pass  quickly.    2HVI.  II,  4,  4.     To 

make  to  pass  quickly.     As.  I,  1,  124. 
fleeting.    Inconstant.     Lucr.  212;  RIII. 

I,  4,  55. 
flesh.    1.    To  give  flesh  to  ;  to  satiate. 

AU's.  IV,  3,  19 ;  2HIV.  IV,  5,  133. 

2.  To  initiate  in  slaughter ;  to  feed,  with 
flesh  for  the  first  time.    IHIV.  V,  4, 133. 

3.  Savage ;  hardened ;  eager  for  slaugh- 
ter.   HV.  Ill,  3,  11 ;  RIII.  IV,  3,  6. 

fleshment.  The  act  of  fleshing;  fierce- 
ness.    Lr.  II,  2,  130. 

fleshmonger.  A  fornicator.  Meas.  V, 
I,  337. 

flewed.  Having  large  hanging  chaps. 
Mids.  IV,  1,  125. 

flight.   A  long,  light  arrow.    Ado.  I,  1,  40. 

flighty.    Swift.    Mcb.  IV,  1,  145. 

flirt-gill.  A  woman  of  light  behaviour. 
Rom.  II,  4,  162. 

flock.    A  tuft  of  wool.    IHIV.  II,  1,  7. 

floods.  That  "  floods  "  and  deep  waters 
were  sometimes  the  abode  of  "  damned 
spirits  "  was  an  old  and  popular  super- 
stition. The  spirits  of  those  who  were 
drowned  and  who  never  had  proper 
burial  rites  bestowed  on  their  bodies 
were  supposed  to  wander  for  a  hundred 
years.     Mids.  Ill,  2,  383. 

Florence,  Duke  of,  dr.p.    All's. 

Florence,  a  widow  of,  dr.p.    All's. 

Plorizeh  dr.p.  SontoPolixenes.  Assumes 
the  name  of  D  orioles.    Wint. 

flote.    Wave;  sea.    Tem.  I,  2,  234. 

flourish,  n.  Ostentatious  embellishment. 
LLL.  II,  1,  14;  do.  IV,  8,  238. 

flourish,  V.  To  excuse;  to  gloss  over. 
Meas.  IV,  1,  75. 

Fluellen,  dr.p.  An  oflBLcer  in  Henry  V's 
army.    HV. 

flurted.    Scorned.    Eans.  I,  2. 

flush.  In  its  prime ;  full  of  vigor.  Hml. 
Ill,  3,  81 ;  Ant.  I,  4,  52. 

Flute,  dr.p.  A  bellows  mender  who 
takes  part  in  the  play  of  Pyramus  and 
Thisbe.    Mids. 


FOB 


118 


VOB 


fob.    To  cheat ;  to  trick.    0th.  IV,  2,  197. 

See  fub. 
fobbed.    Cheated.    IHIV.  I,  2,  68. 
foil.    1.    Defeat.    IHVI.  V,  3,  23. 
2.  Blemish.     Tp.  Ill,  1,  46  ;  Ant.  I,  4, 24. 
foln.    To  make  a  thrust  as  in  fencing. 

2HIV.    II,    4,    252   (with    an    evident 

quibble). 
foison.    Plenty.    Mcb.  IV,  3,  88. 
fond.    1.  Foolishly  affectionate.     0th.  I, 

3,  320. 

2.  Foolish;  without  any  indication  of 
affection.     IHVI.  II,  3,  45. 

3.  Slight ;  trifling  ;  trivial.  Meas.  II,  2, 
149 ;  0th.  II,  1,  139. 

fondly.     Foolishly.    RII.  Ill,  3,  186. 
fool-begged.    Absurd.    Err.  II,  1,  41. 
fool's-head.    The  emblems  of  a  fool  as 
worn  on  the  head ;  a  coxcomb.    Wiv. 

I,  4,  134. 

foot-cloth.  A  saddle-cloth  hanging  down 
to  the  ground.     2HVI.  IV,  7,  51. 

foot-land-raker.  A  pedestrian  vagabond. 
IHIV.  II,  1,  81. 

foppish.    Foolish.    Lr.  I,  4,  182. 

forbid.    Cursed  ;  outlawed.    Mcb.  I,  3,  21. 

forbod.    Forbidden.     Comp.  164. 

force.  1.  To  reinforce  ;  to  strengthen. 
Mcb.  V,  5,  5. 

2.  To  attribute  falsely.  Wint.  II,  3,  78. 
"Leontes  had  ordered  Antigonus  to 
take  up  the  bastard;  Pauline  forbids 
him  to  touch  the  princess  under  that 
appellation.  Forced  is  false,  uttered 
with  violence  to  truth."    Johnson. 

3.  To  stuff.     (A  form  of  farce.)    Troil. 

II,  3,  232. 

4.  To  hesitate;  to  care  about  doing  a 
thing.     LLL.  V,  2,  440. 

As  an  illustration  of  this  use  of  force^ 
Collier  quotes  from  the   interlude  of 
Jacob  and  Esau  (1568)  • 
O,  Lordel  some  good  body,  for  God's 

sake,  gyve  me  meate, 
I  force  not  what  it  were,  so  that  I  had 
to  eate. 
Ford,  dr.p.    A   gentleman  dwelling  at 
Windsor ;  assumes  the  name  of  Brook. 
Wiv. 
Ford,  Mrs.,  dr.p.    One  of  *'the  wives." 
Wiv. 


fordo.    1.    To  undo ;  to  destroy.    HmL 
II,  1, 103. 
2.  To  tire ;  to  exhaust.     Mids.  V,  1,  381. 

foregoers.    Ancestors.    All's.  II,  3,,  144. 

forehorse.  In  a  team  the  horse  which 
goes  foremost.  At  one  time  the  fore- 
horse  was  gaily  ornamented  with  tufts 
and  ribbons  and  bells.  All's.  II,  1,  30. 
Bertram  here  complains  that  he  will 
have  to  squire  and  usher  in  ladies 
instead  of  going  to  the  wars.  Qe&  fill- 
horse. 

foreign.  Of  another  country ;  foreign 
man  =  one  living  abroad.    HVIII.  II, 

2,  129. 

forepast.    Antecedent.    All's.  V,  3,  121. 

foreslow.    To  delay.    3HVI.  II,  3,  56. 

fore-spurrer.  One  that  rides  before ;  a 
harbinger.     Merch.  II,  9,  95. 

foreward.  The  vanguard.  RIII.  V,  3, 
293. 

forefoot.  Pistol's  word  for  the  hand. 
HV.  II,  1,  71. 

forfend.  To  avert ;  forbid.  3HVI.  II,  1, 
191 ;  Lr.  V,  I,  11. 

forgery.  Invention ;  devising,  Hml.  IV, 
7,90. 

forgetive.  Inventive  ;  full  of  imagina- 
tion. This  and  the  word  forgery  are 
derived  from  the  word  forge  in  the 
sense  of  to  make.    2HIV.  Ill,  1,  8. 

fork.  1.  The  tongue  of  an  adder  or 
snake.    Meas.  Ill,  1,  16. 

2.  A  barbed  arrow-head.    Lr.  I,  1,  146. 

forked.  Horned;  a  reference  to  cuck- 
oldom.  Wint.  I,  2,  186  ;  0th.  Ill,  3, 
276. 

forspeak.  To  speak  against.  Ant.  Ill, 
7,3. 

forspent.   1.  Previously  bestowed.   Cym. 

II,  3,  64. 

2.  Past ;  foregone.    HV.  II,  4,  36. 

3.  Weary ;  exhausted.    2HIV.  I,  1,  37. 
forted.    Fortified ;  strengthened.    Meas. 

V,  1,  12. 
forth.    Out  of.    Mids.  I,  1,  164;  2HVL 

III,  2,  89. 

forth-right.    A  straight  path.    Tp.  Ill, 

3,  3  ;  Troil.  Ill,  3,  158.     See  meander. 
Fortinbras,    dr.p.    Prince   of   Norway. 

Hml. 


FOB 


119 


FBO 


forwearied.  Quite  worn  out ;  exhausted. 
John,  II,  1,  233. 

fosset-seller.  One  who  sells  fossets  or 
faucets ;  pipes  to  be  inserted  in  casks  so 
as  to  allow  the  liquor  to  be  drawn  off. 
Cor.  II,  1,  79. 

foutra.  A  corruption  of  an  indecent 
French  word,  not  unfrequently  used  of 
old  by  the  gross  and  vulgar  as  an  ex- 
pression of  contempt.  Pistol  did  not 
know  its  meaning,  and  his  readers  need 
be  no  wiser  than  he.  White.  2HIV.  V, 
3,  103.     See  Cotgrave. 

fox.  A  sword.  Most  glossaries  give  this 
word  as  a  cant  term,  but  there  is  good 
reason  for  supposing  that  it  was  a 
specific  name  for  a  sword  of  a  particular 
English  maniifacture,  not  German,  as 
stated  by  some.  Thus,  in  an  old  play. 
The  White  Devil,  we  find  : 

O,  what  blade  is  it? 
A  Toledo  or  an  English  Fox  ? 
In  the  same  way  old  sportsmen  used  to 
speak  of  a  "Joe  Manton,"  meaning 
thereby  a  choice  gun  made  by  that 
celebrated  gunsmith.  So  in  The  Cap- 
tain, by  Beaumont  and  Fletcher,  we 
find: 

Put  up  your  sword, 
I've  seen  it  often  ;  'tis  a  fox. 

The  name  is  said  to  have  originated 
from  the  figure  of  a  fox  (not  a  wolf) 
engraved  on  the  blade.  Halliwell  thinks 
it  was  so  called  because  the  blade  was 
red.  This  is  a  very  probable  suggestion , 
as  it  may  have  been  "  browned  "  like  a 
gun-barrel,  partly  to  keep  it  from 
i-usting,  and  partly  to  bring  out  the 
beautiful  grain  of  well-wrought  steel. 
HV.  IV,  4,  9. 

foxship.  Cunning  and  selfishness.  Cor. 
IV,  2,  18. 

fraction.  1.  Breach ;  discord.  TroiL  II, 
3,  107. 

2.  Fragment ;  scrap.  Troil.  V,  2,  158  ; 
Tim.  II,  2,  220. 

frampold.  Uneasy ;  vexatious ;  quarrel- 
some.    Wiv.  II,  2,  94. 

France,  King  of,  dr.p.    All's. 

France,  King  of,  dr.p.    Lr. 

France,  Princess  of,  dr.p.    TiTT., 


Francisca,  dr.p.    A  nun.    Meas. 
Francisco,  dr.p.    A  soldier.    Hml. 
Francisco,  dr.p.    A  lord  of  Naples.    Tp. 
frank.    A  pen  or  enclosure.    Cot.  defines 

franc  as  "  a  franke  or  stie,  to  feed  and 

fatten  hogs  in. "    2HIV.  II,  2,  160. 
frank,  v.    To  shut  up  in  a  frank  or  sty. 

RIII.  I,  3,  314. 
franklin.  A  yeoman ;  a  freeholder.  Wint. 

V,  2,  173  ;  Cyra.  Ill,  2,  79. 
fraught,  n.  Load ;  cargo ;  contents.  0th. 

III,  3,  449. 

frauglit,  vb.    To  load ;  to  burden.    Cym. 

I,  1,  126. 
frauglitage.    Freight;  cargo.    Err.  IV, 

I,  87. 

Frederick,  dr.p.    Brother  to  the  banished 

duke.    As. 
freeze.    See  frieze. 
fresli.    A  spring  of  fresh  water.     Tp.  Ill, 

2,75. 
fresh-new.    Unpractised;  inexperienced. 

Per.  Ill,  1,  41. 
fresh-fish.    A  novice.     HVIII.  II,  3,  86. 
fretted.     Variegated ;    adorned.      Caes. 

II,  1,  104;  Hml.  II,  2,  313;  Cym.  II, 
4,88. 

friar.    Robin   Hood^s  fat  friar  (Gtent. 

IV,  1,  36)  is,  of  course,  the  famous 
Friar  Tuck  of  the  ballads,  the  Holy 
Clerk  of  Copmanshurst  of  Ivanhoe,  and 
the  Curtal  Friar  of  Fountain's  Abbey. 
For  Robin  Hood  see  Hoody  Robin. 

Friar  Francis,  dr.p.    Ado. 

Friar  John,  dr.p.    A  Franciscan.    Rom. 

Friar   Laurence,  dr.p.    A    Franciscan. 

Rom. 
friend,  v.    To  befriend ;  to  favor.    Troil. 

I,  2,   84;   HVIII.  I,  %    140;   Cym.  II, 

3,  52. 
frieze.     A  thick  woolen  cloth  of  loose 

texture  to  which  birdlime  would  stick 

very  firmly.    Freeze  in  Fl ;  frize  in  the 

Globe.     0th.  II,  1,  127. 
frippery.    A  shop  where  old  clothes  are 

sold.    Tp.  IV,  1,  225. 
frize.    See  frieze. 
from.    1 .    Away  from ;  far  from.   Tim. 

IV,  3,  533. 
2.  Contrary  to.    Mcb.  Ill,  1, 100;  Hml. 

III,  2,  22. 


FBO 


130 


PtTN 


So  in  the  passage,  Write  from  it  if 
you  can,  in  hand  or  phrase  (Tw.  V, 
1,  340),  the  meaning  obviously  is : 
Write  in  a  different  manner  if  you  can. 

front.  The  passage  HVIII.  1,  2,  42,  has 
caused  some  discussion,  which  seems 
superfluous.  To  front  is  to  present 
one's  face,  and  Wolsey  claims  to  do  this, 
but  in  that  file  where  others  tell  steps 
with  him, 

frontlet.  A  band  worn  on  the  forehead  ; 
hence,  metaphorically,  a  look.  Lr.  I, 
4,208. 

frontier.   1.  An  outwork  in  fortification. 
IHIV.  II,  3,  55. 
2.  Opposition.  IHIV.  I,  3,  19. 

Froth,  dr.p.  A  foolish  gentleman.  Meas. 

froth.  To  fill  up  a  pot  of  beer  by  causing 
the  liquid  to  froth.  This  was  sometimes 
done  by  putting  a  little  soap  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  tankard.  Wiv.  I,  3,  15.  See 
lime. 

fruitful.  In  addition  to  the  sense  to 
which  this  word  is  now  almost  entirely 
confined,  we  find  it  used  in  Sh.  with 
two  other  and  distinct  meanings. 

1.  Plenteous;  copious.  Meas.  IV, 3, 161; 
Tim.  V,  I,  153 ;  Hml.  I,  2,  80. 

2.  Liberal;  bountiful.  HVIII.  I,  3,  56; 
0th.  II,  3,  347. 

In  the  passage  in  Cym.  V,  4,  55, 
fruitful  evidently  means  rich  in  good 
qualities. 

fruitfully.  Copiously  in  Lr.  IV,  6,  270. 
But  it  is  doubtful  if  it  has  this  meaning 
in  All's.  II,  2,  73,  as  Schm.  gives  it.  It 
may  mean  completely,  but  why  not  the 
usual  sense  ?  The  countess  asks  the 
clown  if  he  understands  her ;  he  replies 
"  most  fruitfully,"  and  promises  instant 
action,  i.e.,  that  his  understanding  of 
her  wishes  will  inmaediately  bring  forth 
fruit. 

frush.  To  bruise ;  to  batter.  Troil.  V, 
6,  29. 

frustrate.  Vain;  ineflFectual.  Tp.  Ill, 
3,  10. 

fub  off.  To  put  off ;  to  delay.  2HIV.  II, 
1,37.     See/o6. 

full.  Complete  ;  perfect.  0th.  II,  1,  36. 
As  used  in  Ado.  I,  1,  110,  is  an  ex- 


pression evidently  borrowed  from  the 
tilt-yard.  You  have  it  full  =  your 
adversary  has  made  a  straight  push 
without  swerving  or  missing.  Or,  as 
Furness  says:  "In  sporting  language 
of  to-day,  Don  Pedro  would  have  said : 
'  You  have  a  facer,  Benedick.'  " 

Or  in  the  still  more  recent  slang  of  the 
prize  ring:  "Benedick,  you  have  got  it 
in  the  solar  plexus. " 

But  it  certainly  has  not  the  meaning 
given  to  it  by  the  learned  Dr.  Schmidt 
in  his  "  Shakespeare- Lexicon  "  :  "  You 
are  the  man,  you  will  do." 

full-acorn'd.  Fully  fed  with  acorns,  the 
most  invigorating  and  exciting  food 
that  can  be  given  to  swine.  Cym.  II, 
5,  16.    cf.  larmen. 

fuUam.  The  cant  name  for  some  kinds 
of  false  dice.    Wiv.  I,  3,  94. 

There  were  high  fullams  and  low 
fullams,  probably  from  being  full  or 
loaded  with  some  heavy  metal  on  one 
side  so  as  to  produce  a  bias,  which 
would  make  them  come  high  or  low  as 
they  were  wanted.  Dyce  suggests  that 
in  the  passage  (Wint,  V,  1,  207)  The 
odds  for  high  and  low''s  alike,  there  is 
an  allusion  to  high  and  low  dice,  with  a 
quibble,  of  course.     See  gourd. 

fulsome.    1.  Lustful.    Merch.  I,  3,  87. 
2.  Disgusting.     Tw.  V,  1,  112. 

fume.    1.   To  be  dull ;  stupified.    Ant.  II, 
1,24. 
2.  To  be  in  a  rage.    Shr.  II,  1,  253. 

fumiter,    )       The  fumaria  officinalis, 

fumitory,  f  a  weed  common  in  cornfields. 
Lr.  IV,4,3;  HV.  V,  2,  45. 

function.  Power  of  thinking  and  acting. 
0th.  II,  3,  a54 ;  Mcb.  I,  3,  140.  On  the 
latter  passage  Johnson  has  the  following 
comment:  "All  powers  of  action  are 
oppressed  and  crushed  by  one  over- 
whelming image  in  the  mind,  and 
nothing  is  present  to  me  but  that  which 
is  really  future.  Of  things  now  about 
me  I  have  no  perception,  being  intent 
wholly  on  that  which  has  yet  no  exist- 
ence." 

funeral.  The  folk-lore  of  death,  burials 
and  funerals,  as  found  in  Sh.,  is  quite 


Fua 


131 


FUS 


extensive.  We  can  touch  upon  only- 
one  or  two  points.  In  Cym.  IV,  2,  256, 
Guiderius  says  :  We  must  lay  his  head 
to  the  east;  my  father  hath  a  reason 
for  H.  On  this  R.  G.  White  remarks  : 
"  The  reason  was  that  the  British 
people,  whom  our  Anglo-saxon  and 
pagan  forefathers  supplanted,  were 
Christians  ;  and  antiquarians  now  de- 
termine the  nationality  of  ancient 
sepulchral  remains  in  England  by  the 
direction  of  the  graves  in  which  they 
are  found.  If  the  graves  are  oriented, 
the  remains  are  those  of  ancient  Britons ; 
if  not,  of  Anglo-saxons  or  Danes.  But 
how  did  this  man,  Shakespeare,  know 
all  these  things  ? 

Amongst  curious  superstitions  current 
in  the  time  of  Sh.  was  that  which  held 
that  death  was  delayed  till  the  ebb  of 
the  tide.  In  various  accounts  of  deaths 
recorded  in  parish  registers  and  else- 
where it  is  noted  that  the  death  occurred 
just  at  the  turning  of  the  tide.  And 
this  is  referred  to  in  HV.  II,  3,  13,  in 
Mrs.  Quickly 's  description  of  Falstaff 's 
death.  Another  interesting  custom  of 
the  ancients  was  the  use  of  lamps  in 
the  sepulchres  of  the  dead.  This  is 
referred  to  in  Per.  Ill,  2,  63,  and  ac- 
cording to  some,  in  Troil.  Ill,  2,  167. 
In  most  cases  these  lamps  were  probably 
kept  burning  by  loving  hands,  but 
there  was  a  legend  that  the  ancients 
possessed  the  art  of  constructing  per- 
petual lamps,  i.e.,  lamps  that  burned 
forever  without  any  attention.  Of  this 
legend,  writers  on  the  "lost  arts"  have 
made  much,  but  there  is  no  reason  to 
believe  that  there  was  any  truth  in  it. 
Furies.  These  wei-e  the  Avenging  Deities, 
three  in  number,  Tisiphone,  the  avenger ; 
Alecto,  the  unresting,  and  Mega^ra,  the 
jealous.  Alecto  alone  is  mentioned  by 
name  by  Sh.  In  the  works  of  later 
writers  they  gradually  assumed  the 
character  of  goddesses  who  punished 
men  after  death,  and  they  seldom  ap- 
peared on  earth.  Homer  describes 
them,  under  the  name  of  Erinyes,  as 
pursuing    the    living.      He    represents 


them  as  inhabitants  of  Erebos,  where 
they  remain  quiet  until  some  curse  pro- 
nounced upon  a  criminal  calls  them 
into  activity.  They  took  away  from 
men  all  peace  of  mind  and  led  them 
into  misery  and  misfortune. 
furnace.  To  exhale  like  a  furnace.    Cym. 

1,  6,  66. 

furnishings.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Lr. 
Ill,  1,  29,  has  been  interpreted  in  several 
different  ways.  Stee vens  suggested  that 
the  word  here  meant  samples,  and  cites 
Greene's  GroaVs  worth  of  Witte  for 
an  example :  "  For  to  lend  the  world  a 
furnish  of  witte  she  layes  her  own  to 
pawne."  Hudson  explains  it  as  mean- 
ing :  "These  things  are  but  the  trim- 
mings or  appendages,  not  the  thing 
itself,  but  only  the  circumstances  or 
furniture  of  the  thing."  Rolf e  adopts 
Johnson's  gloss:  "Colors;  external 
pretences."  It  would  seem  that  what 
is  really  meant  by  furnishings  here  is 
what  might  be  called  in  miners'  lan- 
guage, surface  indications. 

furred  pack.  A  wallet  or  knapsack  of 
skin  with  the  hair  outward.  Johnson. 
Evidently  home-made  of  untanned 
hide,  and  consequently  of  cheap,  and, 
perhaps,  stolen  material.  2HVI.  IV,  2, 
51. 

furrow  weeds.  Weeds  growing  in  the 
furrows  of  a  grain  field  where,  owing 
to  the  moisture,  they  grew  more  rank 
than  elsewhere.     Lr.  IV,  4,  3. 

fust,  V.  To  grow  fusty,  rusty,  or  mouldy. 
Hml.  IV,  4,  39. 

fustian,  n.  1.  A  coarse  cotton  stuff. 
Shr.  IV,  1,  49. 

2.  High-sounding  nonsense.     0th.  II,  3, 
282. 

fustian,  adj.    High-sounding,  and  at  the 
same  time  nonsensical.     Tw.  II,  5,  119 ; 
2HIV.  II,  4,  203. 
fustilarian.    A  low  term  of  contempt, 
perhaps  derived  from  fusty,  but  more 
probably  a  nonsensical  word  coined  by 
Falstaff  for  the  occasion  and  used  for 
i       its  mere  sound,  as  were  other  words  in 
I       the  same  sentence.    2HIV.  II,  1,  66. 
i   fusty.    Mouldy.     Troil.  I,  3,  161. 


GAB 


133 


OAK 


^^^^ABERDINE.  According  to  Cot. 

«^^S|r     the    "gabbardine"    was    "a 

JS^^^i/      long  coat  or  cassock  of  course 

*-^^^-^  [i.e.,  coarse]  and  for  the  most 
part  motley  or  partie-colored  stuff e." 
See  Cot.  s.v.  galleverdine.  It  was 
made  with  or  without  a  hood  or  sleeves, 
and  was  the  distinctive  dress  of  the 
Jews  when  their  manner  of  dressing 
was  prescribed  by  law.  Merch.  I,  3, 
113.  It  must  have  been  worn  quite 
loose  by  common  people,  since  Trinculo 
could  find  room  to  creep  under  the 
gaberdine  of  Caliban.    Tp,  II,  2,  40. 

gad.  A  goad ;  a  sharp-pointed  instru- 
ment. Upon  the  gad  (Lr.  I,  2,  26)  = 
suddenly ;  upon  the  spur  of  the  moment. 

Qadshill,  dr.p.  A  follower  of  Sir  John 
Falstaff.    IHIV. 

gain-giving.    Misgiving.  -Hml.  V,  2,226. 

gait.  Going ;  advance ;  way.  Hml.  I,  2, 
31.  Go  your  gait  {Lr.  IV,  6,  242)  =  go 
your  way.  (Scotch.)  Sometimes  spelled 
gate,  as  in  othergates,  q.v. 

gali.    To  scoff ;  to  jest.    HV.  V,  1,  78. 

galliard.  A  nimble  and  lively  dance. 
Tw.  I,  3,  127. 

gallias.    A  large  galley.    Shr.  II,  1,  380. 

gallimaufry.  A  medley ;  a  hotch-potch. 
Wiv.  II,  1,  119 ;    Wint.  IV,  4,  335. 

gallow.    To  frighten.    Lr.  Ill,  2,  44. 

gallows.  One  who  ought  to  be  executed 
on  a  gallows.    LLL.  V,  2,  13. 

gallowglasses.  Heavy-armed  foot-sol- 
diers of  Ireland  and  the  Western  Isles. 
2HVI.  IV,  9,  26 ;  Mcb.  I,  2,  13. 

Galloway  nags.  One  of  Pistol's  bom- 
bastic phrases  of  which  he  himself 
evidently  did  not  understand  the  mean- 
ing.   2HIV.  II,  4,  205.     See  nag. 

Johnson  explains  the  term  as  "com- 
mon hackneys,"  and  most  eds.,  follow- 
ing his  hint,  add :  "  The  Galloway 
horses  were  a  small  and  inferior  breed. " 
They  certainly  were  not  "inferior," 
although  small.  They  have  always 
been  noted    for  their   speed   and   en- 


durance. In  the  old  play  of  The  Trouble- 
some Raigne  of  King  John,  the  Bastard 
tells  the  king  that : 

Myselfe  upon  a  galloway  right  free, 

well  pac'd, 
Outstript  the    flouds  that  followed 

wave  by  wave, 
I  so  escaped  to  tell  this  traglcke  tale. 
So,  too,  Dumple,  the  famous  horse  of 
of  Dandle  Dinmont,  was  a  Galloway. 
Johnson   did   not  know   much   about 
horses  ;  witness  his  definition  of  pastern 
as  "  the  knee  of  a  horse  ! ! " 
Qallus,  dr.p.    A  friend  to  Caesar.    Caes. 
gamester.    1.    A   froKcsome   fellow ;   a 
merry  rogue.    As.  I,  1,  170:  Shr.   II, 
1,  402. 

2.  A  courtizan.  All's.  V,  3,  188;  Per. 
IV,  6,  81. 
gamut.  The  diatonic  scale  in  music. 
The  names  of  the  notes  were  taken 
from  certain  initial  syllables  of  a  monk- 
ish hymn  to  St.  John,  and  at  first  were 
ut,  re,  mi,  fa,  sol,  la,  si.  The  name  ut 
was  displaced  by  the  more  sonorous 
syllable  do.  In  Sh.  time,  and  until 
a  comparatively  recent  date,  the  syl- 
lables for  solmization,  instead  of  do  re 
mi  fa  sol  la  si  were  fa  sol  la  fa  sol  la 
mi.  Shr.  Ill,  1,  67.  See /a. 
Qanymede.  The  name  assumed  by  Rosa- 
lind when  she  fled  to  the  forest  of 
Arden.    As.  I,  3,  127. 

Ganymede  was  said  to  be  the  most 
beautiful  of  all  mortals.  He  was 
carried  off  by  the  gods  so  that  he  might 
live  amongst  the  eternal  deities  and 
serve  as  cup-bearer  to  Jupiter.  Jupiter 
compensated  the  father  of  Ganymede 
(Tros)  with  the  present  of  a  pair  of 
divine  horses,  and  Hermes  or  Mercury, 
who  delivered  the  horses,  comforted 
him  by  the  information  that  by  the 
will  of  Jupiter,  Ganymede  had  become 
immortal  and  exempt  from  old  age. 

The  idea  of  Ganymede  being  the  cup- 
bearer  of   Jupiter  subsequently  gave 


OAO 


12S 


GEN 


rise  to  his  identification  with  the  divinity 
who  was  believed  to  preside  over  the 
sources  of  the  Nile,  and  of  his  being 
placed  by  astronomers  among  the  stars 
under  the  name  of  Aquarius.  Kins. 
IV,  2. 

Another  legend  is  that  Aurora  or 
Eos  fell  in  love  with  him  and  carried 
him  off,  as  she  did  several  others.  See 
Aurora. 

In  works  of  art  Ganymede  is  fre- 
quently represented  as  a  beautiful 
youth  with  the  Phrygian  cap.  He 
appears  either  as  a  companion  of  Jupiter 
or  in  the  act  of  being  carried  off  by  an 
eagle  or  of  giving  food  to  an  eagle  from 
a  patera. 

Handsome  slaves,  who  officiated  as 
cup-bearers,  were  sometimes  called 
Ganymedes. 

Qaoler,  dr.j>.    Kins. 

Gaoler's  Daughter,  dr.p.    Kins. 

garboil.  Disturbance  ;  tumult ;  uproar. 
Ant.  I,  3,  Gl. 

garden.  Costard's  blunder  for  guerdon. 
LLL.  Ill,  1,  171. 

Gardiner,  Bishop  of  Winchester,  dr.p, 
HVIII. 

Gargantua.  A  giant  described  tjy  Rabe- 
lais. The  name,  according  to  Cot., 
means  great  throat.  He  had  an  enor- 
mous appetite,  and  a  mouth  so  large 
that  at  one  mouthful  he  swallowed,  by 
accident,  five  pilgrims,  with  their 
staves  and  all,  in  his  salad.  Hence 
Celia's  expression  about  Gargantua 's 
mouth  and  big  words.  The  term  was 
applied  to  Dr.  Johnson  on  account  of 
his  using  "  words  which  requii-ed  the 
mouth  of  a  giant  to  pronounce  them." 
See  Boswell's  "  Life  of  Johnson."  Pope 
spelled  the  name  erroneously  Gara- 
gantua,  and  this  error  is  found  in 
many  eds.     As.  HI,  2,  238. 

Gargrave,  Sir  Thomas,  dr.p.    IHVI. 

gaskins.    Loose  breeches.    Tw.  I,  5,  27. 

gasted.    Frightened.    Lr.  II,  1,  57. 

gastness.    Ghastliness.    0th.  V,  1,  106. 

gaudy.  In  addition  to  other  meanings, 
signifies  festive,  as  in  Ant.  Ill,  13,  183. 

gave.    Misgave ;  doubted.    My  mind  gave 


me  (HVIII.  V,  3,  109)  =  I  was  afraid ; 

I  suspected. 
gawds.    Toys  ;  knick-knacks.    Mids.  I,  1, 

33. 
gaze.    An  object  of  wonder.    Mcb.  V, 

8,  24. 
gear.    1.   Stuff;  dress.    Rom.  V,   1,  60; 

LLL.  V,  2,  303. 
2.  Affair;  business.    Merch.  II,  2,  176; 

2HVI.  I,  4,  17. 
geek.    A  dupe  ;  a  fool.    Tw.  V,  1,  351. 
Geoffrey  Fitz-Peter,  Earl  of  Essex,  dr.p. 

John. 
George.    The  figure  of  Saint  George  on 

horseback,  worn  by  Kjiights  of  the  Gar- 
ter.   2HVI.  IV,  1,  29 ;  RIII.  IV,  4,  366. 
George,  dr.p.     A  follower  of  Jack  Cade. 

2HVL 
George,  Duke  of  Clarence,   dr.p.    3HVI. 

and  RIII. 
geld.   1.    To  deprive  of  an  essential  part. 

LLL.  II,  1,  149;  RII.  II,  1,  237;  IHIV. 

III,  1,  110. 

2.  To  castrate.  Meas.  II,  1,  242. 
geminy.  A  pair.  Wiv.  II,  2,  9. 
gender.    Kind  ;  race.  Phcenix,  18 ;  Hml. 

IV,  7,  18;  0th.  I,  3,  326. 

general.  The  common  people.  Hml.  II, 
2,  457  ;  Meas.  II,  4,  27. 

genera!  of  our  gracious  empress.  The 
allusion  here,  HV.  V,  Prol.  30,  is  to  the 
Earl  of  Essex,  and  the  prophecy  was  a 
most  unfortunate  one.  In  April,  1599, 
he  went  to  Ireland  to  suppress  the  re- 
bellion of  Tyrone.  His  departure  was 
marked  by  an  ovation  in  which  all 
ranks  and  conditions  joined,  pressing 
around  him  and  cheering  and  blessing 
him.  Becoming  fearful  that  because 
of  his  absence  from  court  his  influence 
with  the  queen  was  waning,  he  re- 
turned, without  leave,  in  September  of 
the  same  year,  solitary  and  in  secret, 
and  although  kindly  received  by  her 
majesty,  this  was  the  beginning  of  his 
downfall. 

generosity.    Nobility.     Cor.  I,  1,  217. 

generous.  Of  noble  birth.  Meas.  IV,  6, 
13  ;  0th.  Ill,  3,  280. 

gennet.  A  horse  of  the  race  of  the  Barbs, 
0th.  I,  1,  113. 


GEN 


124 


06B 


gentle,  vb.    To  ennoble.    HV.  IV,  3,  63. 
gentry.    1.    People  of  high  social  stand- 
ing.   AU's.  I,  2,  16;  Mcb.  V,  2,  9. 

2.  Rank  by  birth.  Lucr.  569  ;  Wiv.  II, 
1,53. 

3.  Courtesy ;  conduct  becoming  a  gen- 
tleman.   Hml.  II,  2,  22. 

germens.  Germs ;  seeds.  Mcb.  IV,  1, 
59;  Lr.  111,2,8. 

Qerrold,  dr. p.    A  schoolmaster.    Kins. 

Gertrude,  Queen  of  Denmark,  dr. p.  Hml. 

gest.  A  lodging  or  stay  for  rest  in  a 
progress  or  journey.    Kersey. 

The  gest  was  appointed  not  only  for 
place  but  for  length  of  stay.  Wint.  I, 
2,  41. 

gests.    Deeds  ;  exploits.     Ant.  IV,  8,  2. 

ghasted.    Frightened.     Lr.  II,  1,  57. 

Qhost  of  Hamlet's  father,  dr.p.    Hml. 

ghost.  In  the  days  of  Sh. ,  and  for  some 
years  after,  the  word  ghost  was  used  to 
signify  the  dead  body  as  well  as  the 
soul  or  spirit.    2HVI.  Ill,  2,  161. 

gibbet.  Usually,  to  hang  on  a  gallows, 
but  sometimes,  to  hang  on  or  upon  any- 
thing. Thus,  in  2HIV.  Ill,  2,  282, 
swifter  than  he  that  gibbets  on  the 
brewer''s  bucket.,  alludes  to  the  manner 
of  carrying  a  barrel  by  putting  it  on  a 
sling  made  for  the  purpose.  To  hang 
or  gibbet  a  barrel  on  the  pole  must  be 
done  by  a  quick  movement,  as  there  are 
two  hooks  which  must  both  be  attached 
at  the  same  time. 

Qibbet-maker.  The  clown's  blunder  for 
Jupiter.    Tit.  IV,  3,  80. 

gib-cat.  A  male  cat.  IHIV.  I,  2,  83. 
Tibert  is  old  French  for  Gilbert,  and 
appears  as  the  name  of  the  cat  in  the 
old  story  of  "Reynard  the  Fox." 
Chaucer,  in  "  The  Romaunt  of  the 
Rose,"  gives  "  Gibbe  our  cat"  as  the 
translation  of  "  Thibert  le  cas."  v, 
6204.  From  Thibert,  Tib  also  was  a 
common  name  for  a  cat. 

gig.    A  top.    LLL.  IV,  3,  167. 

giglet,  /  1.  A  lewd  woman.  Meas.  V,  352. 

giglot.  f  2.  A  giddy  girl  (not  necessarily 
bad).    IHVI.  IV,  7,  41 ;  Cym.  Ill,  1, 31. 

gilder.    See  guilder. 

gilt.    Money.     HV.  II,  Prol.  26. 


gimmal.  Made  with  links  or  rings.  HV. 
IV,  2,  49. 

gimmor.  A  contrivance;  an  invention. 
IHVI.  I,  2,  41. 

gin.  To  begin.  Mcb.  I,  2,  25.  Usually 
supposed  to  be  a  contraction  of  begin, 
but,  as  shown  by  Todd,  really  from  the 
Saxon  gynnan.  It  is  very  common  in 
all  old  writers,  and  is  used  through  all 
the  tenses,  which  can  no  longer  be 
thought  extraordinary  now  that  it  is 
known  to  be  the  original  form.  In  Fl,, 
Hml.  I,  4,  90,  there  is  no  apostrophe 
before  gins,  as  is  generally  the  case  in 
modem  eds. 

ging.    A  gang ;  a  pack.     Wiv.  IV,  2,  123. 

gird,  n.  A  gibe ;  a  sarcasm.  Shr.  V,  2, 
58. 

gird,  V.  To  make  fun  of.  It  is  the  word 
gride,  to  cut ;  to  pierce ;  the  position  of 
the  r  being  changed.    2HIV.  I,  2,  7. 

gird.  To  gibe.  2HIV.  1,2, 7.  OriginaUy 
to  cut  as  with  a  switch  ;  now  to  cut 
with  wit. 

Qis.  A  corruption  of  Jesus.  Hml.  IV, 
5,  58. 

QIansdale,    Sir    William,    dr.p.    IHVI. 

glass-faced.  Reflecting  as  in  a  mirror 
the  looks  of  another.     Tim.  I,  1,  58. 

gleek,  n.    A  scoff.     IHVI.  Ill,  2,  123. 

gleek,  V,    To  scoff.    Mids.  Ill,  1,  150. 

Qlendower,  Owen,  dr.p.    IHIV. 

glib.     To  emasculate.     Wint.  II,  1,  149. 

Gloucester,  Duchess  of,  dr.p.  RII.  and 
2HVI. 

Gloucester,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Brother  to 
Henry  V.     HV. 

Gloucester,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Uncle  and 
Protector  to  Henry  VI.    HVI. 

Gloucester,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Afterwards 
Richard  III.     RIII. 

Gloucester,  Earl  of,  dr.p.    Lr. 

Gloucester,  Prince  Humphrey  of,  dr.p. 
Son  to  Henry  IV.    2HIV. 

gloze.  A  tirade  ;  words  not  to  the  pur- 
pose.   LLL.  IV,  3,  370. 

glut.    To  swallow.    Tp.  I,  1,  63. 

Gobbo,  Launcelot,  dr.p.  Servant  to 
Shylock.    Merch. 

Gobbo,  Old,  dr.p.  Father  to  Launcelot 
Gk)bbo.    Merch. 


GOD 


135 


GRA 


God.  In  the  third  year  of  James  I.  an 
act  was  passed  prohibiting  the  use  of 
the  name  of  God  on  the  stage.  As  a  eon- 
sequence,  we  find  that  in  many  passages 
where  the  word  God  was  originally 
used,  the  text  has  been  changed.  Thus, 
heaven  was  substituted  for  God  in  Hml. 

1,  2,  195,  and  in  the  same  play,  IV,  5, 
198,  God  ha''  mercy  was  changed  to 
Gramercy,  which  does  not  make  sense. 
See  gramercy. 

god,  V.    To  idolize.    Cor.  V,  3,  11. 

God  before.    With  God's  help.    HV.  I, 

2,  and  III,  6.  An  old  expression  found 
in  Chaucer. 

God-den.    See  good-den. 

Godgigoden.  God  give  you  a  good 
evening.  Rom.  I,  2,  58.  Thus  in  the 
First  Folio.  Modern  form  is  God  gi 
god-den. 

Godild,   )       A  corruption  of  God  yield, 

God  ild.  )   i.e.,  God  requite  you.    As.  Ill, 

3,  76.  It  occurs  without  contraction  in 
Ant.  IV,  2,  33. 

god=°kissing.    See  kissing. 

God's  bread.  An  oath  like  *'  God's 
wounds."  Probably  an  allusion  to  the 
eucharist.     Rom.  Ill,  5,  177. 

God's  sonties.  It  is  not.  quite  settled 
whether  this  is  a  corruption  of  "  God's 
saints,"  or  "  God's  sanctity,"  or  "  God's 
sant6,"  i.e.,  health.    Merch.  II,  2,  47. 

Qogs-wouns.  A  mincing  oath  corrupted 
from  God's  wounds.     Shr.  Ill,  2,  163. 

golden  shaft.    See  Cupid. 

Goneril,  dr.p.  Daughter  of  King  Lear. 
Lr. 

Qonzalo,  dr.p.   Councillor  of  Naples.   Tp. 

Good-conceited.  Well-devised;  fanciful. 
Cym.  II,  3,  18. 

good-deed.  In  very  deed.  Wint.  I,  3, 
43. 

good-den.  Good  evening.  Rom.  II,  4, 
116. 

good=jer.    See  good  years. 

good  years.  (The  form  in  the  First 
Folio.)  Supposed  to  be  corrupted  from 
the  French  goujere,  i.e.,  the  French 
disease.  Lr.  V,  3,  24.  A  form  which 
appears  elsewhere  is  good-jer  (Wiv.  I, 

4,  129),    used  there  apparently  as   a 


synonym  for  the  pox.  What  the  good- 
jer  =  what  the  pox,  which  in  Sh.  time 
referred  always  to  the  small-pox. 

gorbellied.  Having  a  large  protruding 
paunch.     IHIV.  II,  2,  93. 

gorget.  A  piece  of  armour  to  defend  the 
throat.     Troil.  I,  3,  174. 

gospelled.  Fixed  in  Christian  faith.  Mob. 
Ill,  1,  88. 

goss.  Gorse ;  Scotch,  whins.  Tp.  IV,  1, 
180. 

Sh.  seems  to  make  a  distinction 
between  goss  and  furze,  but  the  best 
authorities  regard  them  as  the  same. 
It  is  claimed,  however,  that  goss  or 
gorse  is  often  used  to  denote  brushwood 
in  general,  and  not  any  particular 
plant. 

goujere.    See  good  years. 

gourd.  A  species  of  false  dice,  with  an 
internal  cavity  bored  out  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  them  a  bias.  Wiv.  I,  3, 
94.     See  fullams. 

gout.    A  drop.    Mcb.  II,  1,  46. 

Gower,  dr.p.  The  poet,  introduced  as 
chorus.    Per. 

Gower,  dr.p.  Of  the  king's  party.  2HIV. 

Gower,  dr.p.  Officer  in  Henry  V's  ar- 
my.   HV. 

graff.  A  scion;  a  shoot.  Per.  V,  1,  60; 
Lucr.  1062. 

gramercy.  Properly,  great  thanks ;  many 
thanks.  (French  grand  merci.)  Often 
wrongly  taken  for  grant  mercy,  and  so 
used  by  many  old  writers.  In  the  First 
Folio  the  last  line  of  Ophelia's  song 
(Hml.  IV,  5,  199)  has  gramercy;  the 
Quarto  and  most  modern  eds.,  God  a 
mercy,  which  is  undoubtedly  the  true 
reading.  In  many  other  passages  (Shr. 
I,  1,  41 ;  Tim.  II,  3,  74)  the  meaning  is 
evidently  "  many  thanks. " 

grand  guard.  A  piece  of  defensive  ar- 
mour, thus  described  by  Meyrick :  "  It 
has  over  the  breast  for  the  purpose  of 
justing,  what  was  called  the  grande 
garde,  which  is  screwed  on  by  three 
nuts,  and  protects  the  left  side,  the  edge 
of  the  breast,  and  the  left  shoulder." 
Kins.  Ill,  6. 

Grandpr^,  dr.p.    A  French  lord.    HV. 


GBA 


126 


GUA 


grate.  To  irritate.  Ant.  I,  1,  18;  Wiv. 
II,  2,  6. 

Qratiano,  dr.p.  Brother  to  Brabantio. 
Oth. 

Qratiano,  dr.p.  Friend  to  Antonio  and 
Bassanio.    Merch. 

gratify.    To  reward.    Cor.  II,  2,  45. 

gratillity.  A  word  formed  by  the  fool 
in  Tw.  II,  3,  27.  Meaning  uncertain, 
but  generally  supposed  to  be  a  corrup- 
tion of  gratuity. 

gratulate.  To  gratify  ;  to  give  pleasure 
to ;  also  to  congratulate,  but  with  a 
slight  difference  of  meaning.  Tim.  I, 
2,131;  mil.  IV,  1,  10. 

grave.  1.  To  bury.  RII.  Ill,  2, 140 ;  Tim. 
IV,  3,  166. 

2.  To  cut  slightly  ;  to  graze.    Ven.  376. 

3.  To  engrave ;  to  carve.  Lucr.  755 ; 
Merch.  II,  7,  36. 

gravel>blind.  Worse  than  sand-blind;  pur- 
blind.  Merch.  II,  2,  38.   See  sand-blind. 

gravel  -  heart.  Usually  interpreted  as 
stoney-heart.    Meas.  IV,  3,  68. 

Of  this  expression  White  says,  in  his 
"  Riverside  "  edition,  "  Incomprehen- 
sible ;  but  no  satisfactory  substitute  has 
been  proposed,  unless  it  be  '  grovelling 
beast '  in  the  Collier  Folio,  1632. "  White 
does  not  adopt  this  reading  in  his  latest 
("  Riverside  ")  ed.,  but  in  his  ed.  of  1858 
he  incorporated  it  in  his  text  with  these 
remarks:  "The  folio  has  'O  gravell 
heart,'  which  means  nothing,  although 
many  have  tried  to  persuade  themselves 
and  others  to  receive  it  for  '  O  stoney 
heart. '  The  misprint  [gravell  heart  for 
grovelling  beast]  is  an  easy  one,  and 
the  sense  which  it  [the  new  reading] 
gives,  most  appropriate." 

gravelled.  Stuck  ;  brought  to  a  stop  as 
if  stuck  in  sand  or  gravel.  As.  IV,  1, 
74. 

greasily.  Grossly  ;  foully.  LLL.  IV,  1, 
139. 

great  morning.  Broad  daylight.  Troil. 
IV,  3,  1. 

great  oneyers.  These  words  are  hy- 
phenated by  Schm.,  but  there  is  no 
hyphen  in  Fl.,  and  in  most  modern  eds. 
See  oneyers. 


gree.    To  agree.    Meas.  IV,  1,  42. 

Greek.  Then  she^s  a  merry  Greek,  in- 
deed. Troil.  I,  2,  118.  Upon  this 
passage  Nares  comments  as  follows: 
"  The  Greeks  were  proverbially  spoken 
of  by  the  Romans  as  fond  of  good  living 
and  free  potations  ;  and  they  used  the 
term  groecari,  for  to  indulge  in  these 
articles.  Hence  we  also  took  the  name 
of  a  Greek  for  a  jovial  fellow,  which 
ignorance  has  since  corrupted  into  grig ; 
saying  '  as  merry  as  a  grig^ '  instead  of 
'as  a  Greek.'"  See  "John  Brent," 
page  181. 

greenly.    Foolishly.    Hml.  IV,  5,  83. 

Green,  dr.p.  ' '  Creature ' '  to  Richard  II. 
RII. 

greet.  To  weep.  Tim.  I,  1,  90.  So  de- 
fined in  the  Globe  glossary  and  some 
others.  But  here  the  meaning  seems 
rather  to  be,  to  salute. 

Gregory,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Capulet. 
Rom. 

Gremio,  dr.p.    Suitor  to  Bianca.     Shr. 

Grey,  Lady,  dr.p.  Queen  to  Edward  IV. 
3HVI.  and  RIII. 

Grey,  Lord,  dr.p.    RIII. 

Grey,  Sir  Thomas,  dr.p.  A  conspirator. 
HV. 

grief-shot.  Sorrow-stricken.  Cor.  V, 
1,45. 

Griffith,  dr.p.  Gentleman-usher  to  Queen 
Katherine.    HVIII. 

grize.  A  step ;  a  degree.  Tw.  Ill,  1,  135 ; 
Tim.  IV,  3,  16. 

groundling.  A  spectator  in  the  pit  of  a 
theatre.     Hml.  Ill,  2,  12. 

grossly.    Palpably.    H V.  II,  2,  107 ;  Lr. 

I,  1,  295. 

grow.  Among  other  meanings  signifies 
to  accrue ;  to  be  due.  Err.  IV,  1,  18 ; 
do.  IV,  4,  124. 

grow  to.  To  have  a  strong  flavour.  Merch. 

II,  2,  18. 

Grumio,    dr.p.     Servant   to    Petruchio. 

Shr. 
guard.    To  decorate.    Merch.  II,  2,  164  ; 

John  IV,  2,  10. 
guardage.    Guardianship.    Oth.  I,  2, 70. 
guards.    Ornaments;  trimmings.     Meas. 

III,  1.  97  ;  LLL.  IV,  3,  58. 


GUA 


137 


avL 


guards  of  th'  ever-fixed  pole.  0th.  II, 
1,  15.  Several  opinions  have  been  ex- 
pressed in  regard  to  the  identification 
of  these  stars.  Johnson  says  :  "Allud- 
ing to  the  star  Arctophylax.''^  The 
names  Arctophylax  and  Arcturus 
both  mean  guards  of  the  hear.  Rolfe 
has  "no  doubt  that  the  guards  of  the 
pole  here  are  the  two  stars  commonly 
called  the  Pointers. ' '  A  correspondent 
of  "Notes  and  Queries,"  quoted  in  H. 
Irving  Sh.,  writes  as  follows:  "The 
guards  are  the  two  stars  Beta  and  Gam- 
ma Ursae  Minoris,  on  the  shoulder  and 
foreleg  of  the  Little  Bear,  as  usually 
depicted,  or  sometimes  on  the  ear  and 
shoulder.  They  were  more  observed  in 
Shakespeare's  time  than  now  for  the 
purposes  of  navigation.  Norman's 
'Safeguard  of  Sailers,'  1587,  has  a 
chapter,  '  Howe  to  Knowe  the  houre 
of  the  night  by  the  Guards.'  They 
were  even  made  the  subject  of  mechan- 
ical contrivances  for  facilitating  calcu- 
lation, one  of  which  is  described  in  '  The 
Arte  of  Navigation ;  trans,  by  Richard 
Eden  from  the  Spanish  of  Martin  Cor- 
tez,'  1561,  consisting  of  fixed  and  mov- 
able concentric  circles  with  holes, 
through  which  to  observe  'the  two 
starres  called  the  Guardians,  or  the 
mouth  of  the  home.'  " 

Quiderius,  dr. p.  Son  to  CymbeUne;  as- 
sumed the  name  of  Polydore.    Cym. 

guidoHc  "  A  Standard,  Ensigne  or  Ban- 
ner, under  which  a  troupe  of  men  of 
Armes  doe  serve ;  also  he  that  beares  it. ' ' 
Cot.  Grose  tells  us  that  "  the  guidon, 
according  to  Markham,  is  inferior  to 
the  standard,  being  the  first  colour  any 
commander  of  horse  can  let  fly  in  the 
field."  The  folios  have  guard:  on. 
This  was  corrected  by  Rann,  and  also 
by  Dr.  Thackeray,  and  the  correction  is 
confirmed  by  a  reference  to  Holinshed, 
the  source  of  Sh.  information.  HV. 
IV,  2,  60. 

Quildenstern,  dr. p.    A  courtier.    Hml. 

guilder.  A  Dutch  coin  worth  about  forty 
cents.    Err,  I,  1,  8. 

Guildford,  Sir  Henry,  dr.p.    HVIII. 


guiltless  blood-shedding.  The  shedding 
of  innocent  blood.     2HVI.  IV,  7,  108. 

gukiea-hen.  A  term  of  contempt  for  a 
woman;  a  cant  term  for  a  woman  of 
bad  repute.     0th.  I,  3,  317. 

Quitiover.  Variously  spelled  in  the  old 
Arthurian  romances  Guinevere,  Guin- 
ever,  Geneura,  Ganore,  etc.  LLL.  IV, 
1,125. 

Guineveer  or,  as  she  is  called  by 
Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  Guanhumara, 
was  daughter  of  Leodograunce  of 
Camelyard,  and  was  said  to  be  the  most 
beautiful  woman  in  the  universe.  Her 
stature  was  noble  and  elegant,  her  com- 
plexion fair,  and  the  expression  of  her 
countenance  lively,  yet  dignified,  but 
sometimes  tender.  Her  eyes  were  said 
by  some  to  be  of  the  finest  blue  of 
heaven,  though  she  was  generally  called 
the  "  grey-eyed."  She  was  the  wife  of 
King  Arthur,  but  entertained  a  guilty 
passion  for  Sir  Lancelot  of  the  Lake, 
one  of  the  Knights  of  the  Round  Table. 
During  the  absence  of  King  Arthur  in 
his  expedition  against  Leo,  King  of  the 
Romans,  she  "married"  Modred,  her 
husband's  nephew,  whom  he  had  left  in 
charge  of  the  kingdom.  As  soon  as 
Arthur  heard  of  this  he  hastened  back. 
Guinever  fled  from  York  and  took  the 
veil  in  the  nunnery  of  Julius  the 
Martyr,  and  Modred  set  his  forces  in 
array  at  Cambula,  in  Cornwall.  Here 
a  desperate  battle  was  fought  in  which 
Modred  was  slain,  and  Arthur  mortally 
wounded.  Guinever  was  buried  at 
Meigle,  in  Strathmore,  and  her  name 
has  become  the  synonym  of  a  wanton, 
or  adulteress.  One  of  Tennyson's 
"Idyll's  of  the  King"  has  Guinevere 
for  its  subject,  and  is  marked  by  its 
delicacy  and  its  sadness.  Lancelot  be- 
came a  monk,  and  spent  his  last  years 
saying  masses  for  the  souls  of  his  old 
companions  in  arms. 

gules.  Red.  Hml.  II,  2,  479 ;  Tim.  IV, 
3,  59. 

A  term  in  heraldry.  This  word  is 
nothing  but  the  plural  of  the  French 
gueule,  the  mouth,  though  the  reason 


GUL 


VIS 


HAC 


for  the  name  is  not  very  clear,  unless 
the  reference  be,  as  is  probable,  to  the 
color  of  the  open  mouth  of  the  (heraldic) 
lion.  Skeat.  The  terra  is  frequently 
used  by  the  poets,  as  in  The  Eve  of  St. 
Agnes  (Keats) : 
Full  on   this    casement    shone   the 

wintry  moon 
And  threw  warm  gvles  on  Madeline's 
fair  breast. 

gulf.  The  throat ;  the  gullet.  Mcb.  IV,  1, 23.    I 

gull.    A  fool;    a  simpleton.     Tw.  V,   1,    j 
351.     Literally  an  unfledged  nestling.       i 

gun-stones.  Cannon-balls  of  stone,  used 
in  former  times  as  missiles.  HV.  I,  2,  | 
282.  Even  after  the  introduction  of  iron  [ 
shot  for  heavy  artillery,  the  name  gun-  | 
stone  was  retained  in  the  sense  of  "  bul-  j 
let."    Dyce.  \ 

Qurney,  James,  dr.p.     Servant  to  Lady   ; 
Faulconbridge.     John. 

gust,n.  1.  A  violent  blast  of  wind.  Merch. 
IV,  1,  77. 

2.  Taste  ;  relish.    Sonn.  CXIV,  11 ;  Tw. 
I,  3,  33. 

3.  Notion;  idea;  conception.    Tim.  Ill, 
5,  54. 


gust,  V.  To  form  an  idea  of ;  to  perceive. 
Wint.  I,  2,  219. 

Guy,  Sir.  A  famous  warrior  of  gigantic 
size.  He  was  the  son  of  Siward,  Baron 
of  Wallingford,  and  became  Earl  of 
Warwick  through  marriage  with  Felicia, 
daughter  of  Rohand,  a  warrior  of  the 
time  of  Alfred.  He  was  nine  feet  high, 
and  is  said  to  have  performed  many 
wondrous  feats.  Amongst  others  he 
overcame  the  Danish  giant,  Colbrand, 
at  Winchester.  See  Colbrand.  He 
also  killed  the  famous  dun  cow  on 
Dunsmore  Heath,  a  gigantic  animal 
whose  bones  are  still  to  be  seen  in  the 
porter's  lodge  at  Warwick  Castle.  The 
bones  are  probably  those  of  some  large 
extinct  mammal  allied  to  the  elephant 
or  mastodon.  His  sword,  shield,  hel- 
met, breastplate  and  staff  are  also  kept 
there  on  exhibition.  His  "porridge- 
pot,"  which  is  capable  of  containing 
102  gallons,  is  in  the  great  hall.  After 
his  battle  with  Colbrand,  Sir  Guy 
retired  to  a  hermitage  at  Guy's 
Cliff,  where  he  died  in  929.  HVIII. 
V,  4,  22. 


For   the   letter   that  begins 
3    them  all,  H.    Ado.  Ill,  4,  56. 
"Margaret  asks  Beatrice  for 
what  she  cries  heigh-ho ;  Bea- 
trice answers  for  an  H,  that  is,  for  an 
ache  or  pain.''"'    Johnson.    The  word 
ache  was  formerly  pronounced  like  the 
letter  H. 
habit.     You  know  me  by  my  habit.    HV. 
Ill,  6,  121.     "That  is,  by  his  herald's 
coat.    The  person  of  a  herald  being  in- 
violable,   was    distinguished   in   those 
times  of  formality  by  a  peculiar  dress, 
which  is  likewise  yet  worn  on  particu- 
lar occasions. "    Johnson. 
habitude.  Condition  of  body.  Compl.  114. 
hack.    The  passage  (Wiv.  II,  1,  52),  these 
knights   will   hack,  is   very  obscure. 


"  About  the  meaning  of  it,  sundry  con- 
jectures have  been  offered,  the  most 
probable  one,  perhaps,  being  that  there 
is  an  allusion  to  the  extravagant  num- 
ber of  knights  created  by  King  James, 
and  that  hack  is  equivalent  to  '  become 
cheap  or  vulgar.'"  Dyce.  But  this 
play  was  written  for  Queen  Elizabeth, 
and,  moreover,  it  is  not  likely  that  Sh. 
would  have  ventured  to  ridicule  the 
the  acts  of  James.  But  the  interpreta- 
tion is  quite  plausible  so  far  as  the  word 
is  concerned.  Johnson  would  read : 
These  knights  weHl  /lacfc, meaning,  "it 
is  not  worth  the  while  of  a  gentlewoman 
to  be  made  a  knight,  for  we'll  degrade 
all  these  knights  in  a  little  time  by  the 
usual  form  of  hacking  off  their  spurs." 


HAG 


129 


HAN 


Other  interpretations  have  been  given, 

but  these  are  the  most  plausible. 
haggard,   n.    An  untrained  hawk.    Tw. 

Ill,  1,  71. 
haggard,  ad/.  Wild;  unprincipled.   0th, 

III,  3,  260. 
hag-seed.    The  offspring  of  a  hag.    Tp. 

I,  2,  365. 
hai,   )    A  home-thrust  in  fencing.    Rom. 
hay.  ]     II,  4,  27. 
hair.   1.  Against  the  hair  =  against  the 

grain.     Wiv.  II,  3,  41.     A  similar  idea 

is  found  in  the  expression,  ' '  rub  the  fur 

the  wrong  way. ' ' 

2.  Peculiar  nature.    IHIV.  IV,  1,  61. 

3.  The  appearance  of  the  bride  in  dis- 
hevelled hair,  apparently  a  classic  cus- 
tom, betokened  virginity,  and  was  in 
use  up  to  Jacobian  times,  at  least 
(about  1625).  Speaking  of  the  marriage 
of  the  Countess  of  Essex  to  Somerset, 
Wilson,  in  his  "Life  of  James  I.," 
says :  "  She,  thinking  all  the  world  ig- 
norant of  her  slie  practices,  hath  the 
impudence  to  appear  in  the  habit  of  a 
Virgin,  with  her  hair  pendent  almost 
to  her  feet;  which  Ornament  of  her 
body  (though  a  fair  one)  could  not  cover 
the  deformities  of  her  soul."  Kins.  I,  1. 
(Stage  direction.) 

halberd.  A  kind  of  battle-axe  fixed  to  a 
long  pole.    3HVI.  IV,  3,  20. 

halcyon.  A  kingfisher.  It  is  a  vulgar 
opinion  that  the  dead  body  of  this 
bird  if  hung  up  will  always  turn  its 
breast  to  the  wind,  and  by  that  means 
show  from  what  point  it  blows.  Miss 
Charlotte  Smith,  in  her  "Natural  His- 
tory of  Birds,"  tells  us  that  she  found 
this  superstition  prevalent  amongst 
English  cottagers.  Lr.  II,  2,  84.  It  was 
also  a  superstition  that  the  bird  built 
its  nest  on  the  surface  of  the  water  and 
had  the  power  of  calming  the  waves  of 
the  ocean  so  that  no  storms  ai'ose  during 
its  breeding  season.  Hence  the  calm 
days  of  this  period  were  called  halcyon 
days.    IHVI.  I,  2,  131. 

half'Caps.  Caps  half  taken  off;  slight 
salutions.    Tim.  II,  2,  221. 

half-checked  bit.    One  which  is   muti- 


lated ;  of  which  only  one  part  remained. 
According  to  Clarke  it  means  "a  bit 
that  but  half  does  its  duty  of  checking 
the  horse."    Shr.  Ill,  2,  58. 

half-kirtles.    See  kirtles. 

Half-moon.    See  tavern. 

half-pence.  She  tore  the  letter  into  a 
thousand  half-pence  (Ado.  II,  3,  147) 
=  into  a  thousand  little  pieces.  As 
Douce  remarks,  the  half-pence  of  Eliza- 
beth were  of  silver  and  very  small. 

half-sword,  at.  Within  half  the  length  of 
of  a  sword  ;  at  close  fight.  IHIV.  II, 
4,  182. 

halidom,    i       Sanctity;  salvation.  GTene- 

halidome.  j  rally  used  as  a  mild  oath. 
Gent.  IV,  2,  136.    See  holydame. 

hall.    1.  A  large  room.    LLL.  V,  2,  924. 

2.  A  manor  house.  Shr.  II,  1,  189 ; 
Troil.  Ill,  3,  134. 

3.  An  exclamation,  formerly  common, 
to  make  a  clear  space  in  a  crowd.  Dyce. 
Especially  space  for  dancing.  Rom.  I, 
5,28. 

Hallowmas.  The  feast  of  All  Saints  (1st 
of  November).  Meas.  II,  1,  128  ;  Gtent. 
II,  1,  27.  "On  AU  Saints'  Day  poor 
people  went  from  parish  to  parish 
begging  in  a  certain  lamentable  tone 
for  a  kind  of  cakes."  The  cakes  were 
called  sold  cakes,  and  the  beggars  pro- 
mised to  pray  for  the  souls  of  the  givers' 
departed  friends.    Nares. 

Hamlet,  dr. p.    Hml. 

This  is  the  longest  of  Sh.  plays.  The 
accepted  text  contains  3,928  lines.  The 
next  longest  is  RIII.  with  3,506  lines. 
See  fat. 

handfast.    Betrothal.    Cym.  I,  5,  78. 

hand,  n.    See  hones  ;  also  pickers. 

hand,  v.    To  handle.    Tp.  I,  1,  25. 

handsaw.    See  hawk. 

handy-dandy.  Sleight  of  hand  ;  changing 
quickly  from  one  hand  to  another  so  as 
to  deceive  the  spectator.    Lr.  IV,  6, 157. 

Hannibal.  A  famous  Carthaginian  gene- 
ral, bom  B.C.  247.  He  was  only  nine 
years  old  when  his  father,  Hamilcar, 
took  him  with  him  to  Spain,  and  it  was 
upon  this  occasion  that  he  was  made  to 
swear  upon  the  altar  eternal  hostility 


HAK 


ISO 


RAH 


to  Rome.  After  the  assassination  of 
Hasdrubal,  the  soldiers  unanimously 
proclaimed  him  commander-in-chief, 
and  this  the  government  at  Carthage 
at  once  ratified.  Hannibal  was  then  in 
his  twenty-sixth  year.  After  establish- 
ing the  Carthaginian  power  in  Spain, 
he  invaded  Italy,  defeated  the  Romans 
in  several  pitched  battles,  inflicting  the 
most  disastrous  losses  on  them,  though 
with  terrible  losses  on  his  own  part. 
After  several  years  war,  the  Romans 
sent  Scipio  into  Africa  to  attack  the 
enemy.  Hannibal  returned  home  to 
oppose  him,  but  was  utterly  defeated 
at  the  battle  of  Zama.  After  various 
vicissitudes,  he  found  refuge  at  the 
court  of  the  Bithynian  king,  but  on 
the  Romans  threatening  that  monarch 
with  war  if  the  refugee  were  not 
delivered  up,  Hannibal  took  poison  and 
ended  his  life  about  the  year  b.  c.  183. 

The  allusion  to  him  in  IHVI.  I,  521, 
refers  to  his  stratagem  to  escape  by 
fixing  bundles  of  lighted  twigs  on  the 
horns  of  oxen  and  driving  them  towards 
the  enemy's  camp. 

Elbow,  the  constable,  confounds  his 
name  with  cannibal  in  Meas.  II,  1,  183, 
and  Pistol  makes  a  mistake  exactly  the 
reverse  in  2HIV.  II,  4,  180. 

hanged,  because  they  could  not  read, 
thou  hast  hanged  them.  2HVI.  IV,  7, 
49.  ' '  That  is,  they  were  hanged  because 
they  could  not  claim  the  benefit  of 
clergy."    Johnson. 

hangman  boys.  Young  rascals.  Gent. 
IV,  4,  61. 

hap.  Chance;  fortune.  Err.  I,  1,  89; 
Ado.  Ill,  1,  105 ;  Hml.  IV,  3,  70. 

happy,  V.  To  make  happy.  Which  hap- 
pies  those  that  pay.    Sonn.  VI,  6. 

happily.  Haply ;  perchance.  The  soul 
of  your  granddam,  might  happily  in- 
habit a  bird  (Tw.  IV,  3,  57)  =  might 
perchance  inhabit  a  bird.  So  in  various 
other  passages. 

Harcourt,  dr. p.    A  Lancastrian.    2HIV. 

hardiment.  Boldexploit;  daring.  IHIV. 
I,  3,  101. 

hare-finder.    The  passage  in  Ado.  I,  1, 


185,  Do  you  play  the  flouting  Jack  to 
tell  us  Cupid  is  a  good  hare-finder 
and  Vulcan  a  rare  carpenter  f  has 
caused  some  discussion. 

R.  Gr.  White  explains  it  thus :  "  Do 
you  mean  to  tell  us  that  the  blind  boy 
has  the  eyes  of  a  greyhound,  and  that 
Vulcan's  forge  and  anvil  are  used  to 
work  wood  ? "  But  the  greyhound  was 
not  the  hare -finder,  but  the  hare- 
catcher,  and  nothing  is  said  about 
Vulcan's  forge  and  anvil.  Of  course, 
the  general  drift  is :  Are  you  in  earnest 
(sad)  or  are  you  trying  to  fool  us  ?  To 
say  that  Cupid,  who  is  said  to  be  blind, 
a  few  lines  further  on  (256)  is  good  at  that 
which  requires  the  keenest  sight,  is  to 
state  an  absurdity ;  but  why  Vulcan,  who 
was  a  good  mechanic,  although  a  worker 
in  iron,  should  not  be  skilful  with  car- 
penters' tools  is  not  quite  so  apparent. 
But  although  not  quite  so  forcible  as  an 
illustration,  as  the  blind  god,  he  fur- 
nishes an  example  good  enough  for  the 
purpose,  tiz.,  that  of  applying  talents 
to  wrong  purposes,  against  which  Lyly 
in  his  Euphues  gives  a  strong  caution, 
telling  us  that  "  It  is  vnseemly  for  the 
Painter  to  feather  a  shafte,  or  the 
Fletcher  to  handle  the  pencill." 

The  hare-finder  was  a  well-known 
functionary  in  the  coursing  of  hares. 
The  greyhounds  were  taken  to  the  field 
in  a  leash ;  the  hare-finder  found  and 
started  the  hare  and  the  dogs  were 
slipped.  To  find  a  hare  on  her  form 
requires  experience  and  very  sharp 
eyes,  so  that  the  absurdity  of  suggesting 
blind  Cupid  for  a  hare-finder  is  obvious. 
Ulrici  suggests  that  Vulcan,  if  a  car- 
penter, would  supply  Cupid  with  his 
shafts,  apparently  forgetting  that 
arrows  were  not  made  by  carpenters 
but  by  fletchers,  and  Schmidt  suggests 
that  the  proper  reading  may  be  hair- 
finder,  and  refers  to  the  Grerman  Haar- 
finden,  meaning  one  who  easily  finds 
fault.  He  also  suggests  an  indecent 
quibble.  All  of  which  is  entirely  out 
of  place  in  this  connection. 
harloclc.  Charlock  or  wild  mustard.    Lr. 


HAB 


131 


HAW 


IV,  4,  4.  Many  eds.  give  burdock.  The 
Quartos  have  "hor-docks"  and  the  Fo- 
lios "hardokes"  or  "hardocks."  The 
burdock  is  a  common  weed  in  En- 
gland, but  is  not  usually  found  "  in  our 
sustaining  corn, "  while  charlock  or  har- 
lock  is  a  well-known  pest  in  the  farm- 
er's grain  fields.    See  corn. 

harlot,  adj.    Base.    Wint.  II,  3,  4. 

harpies,  that  is,  the  Robbers  or  Spoilers, 
are  in  Homer  nothing  but  personified 
storm- winds  who  were  said  to  carry  off 
any  one  who  suddenly  disappeared  from 
the  earth,  but  later  writers  represent 
them  as  most  disgusting  monsters,  being 
birds  with  the  heads  of  maidens,  long 
claws,  and  faces  pale  with  hunger. 
They  were  sent  by  the  gods  to  torment 
Phineus,  a  blind  soothsayer,  who  had 
cruelly  treated  his  sons,  putting  out 
their  eyes,  and  otherwise  maltreating 
them.  Whenever  a  meal  was  placed 
before  him  the  harpies  descended  and 
either  devoured  the  food  themselves  or 
rendered  it  unfit  to  be  eaten.  It  is  pro- 
bably from  this  story  that  Sh.  took  the 
idea  of  Ariel's  appearing  at  the  banquet 
(Tp.  Ill,  3)  and  carrying  off  the  food. 
Other  references  are  Ado.  II,  1,  279  and 
Per.  IV,  3,  46. 

harry.  To  vex ;  to  tease ;  to  harass. 
Ant.  Ill,  3,  43.  

Hastings,  Lord,  dr. p.  A  Yorkist.  2HIV., 
3HVI.  and  RIII. 

hatch.  The  lower  half  of  a  door  cut  in 
two  horizontally.  It  was  common  in 
houses  of  the  lower  class  to  have  the 
door  thus  cut  so  that  pigs,  poultry,  etc. , 
might  be  kept  out  and  small  children 
kept  in,  whUe  at  the  same  time  light 
and  air  were  allowed  to  enter.  In  at 
the  window  or  else  o^er  the  hatch  = 
entering  unlawfully,  and  hence  a  pro- 
verbial phrase  for  illegitimacy.  John 
I,  1,  171.  Dogs  leap  the  hatch  means 
that  they  are  so  terrified  that  they  try 
to  escape  by  forbidden  ways.  Lr.  Ill, 
6,  76.  Make  you  take  the  hatch  =so 
terrify  you  that  you  will  not  wait  to 
open  the  door  but  will  leap  over  the 
hatch.  JohnV,  3,  138. 


hatched.  Engraved.  Troil.  I,  3,  65. 
Hatched  in  silver  has  been  interpreted 
to  mean  with  grey  or  silver  hairs  such 
as  Nestor  was  known  to  have,  and 
Steevens  quotes  a  passage  from  Love  in 
a  Maze,  "  thy  chin  is  hatched  in  silver," 
to  sustain  this  view.  But  Johnson 
makes  this  comment :  "  Ulysses  begins 
his  oration  with  praising  those  who 
had  spoken  before  him,  and  marks 
the  characteristick  excellencies  of 
their  different  eloquence,  strength 
and  sweetness,  which  he  expresses  by 
the  different  metals  on  which  he  re- 
commends them  to  be  engraven  for 
the  instruction  of  posterity.  The 
speech  of  Agamemnon  is  such  that  it 
ought  to  be  engraven  in  brass,  and  the 
tablet  held  up  by  him  on  the  one  side 
and  Greece  on  the  other,  to  shew  the 
union  of  their  opinion.  And  Nestor 
ought  to  be  exhibited  in  silver,  uniting 
aU  his  audience  in  one  mind  by  his  soft 
and  gentle  elocution.  Brass  is  the  com- 
mon emblem  of  strength,  and  sUver  of 
gentleness.  "VVe  call  a  soft  voice  a 
silver  voice,  and  a  persuasive  tongue  a 
silver  tongue. "  And  certainly  it  would 
seem  that  if  "brass"  did  not  refer  to 
the  personality  of  Agamemnon,  the 
"silver"  cannot  properly  refer  to  the 
personality  of  Nestor,  so  that  the  argu- 
ments in  favor  of  Johnson's  view  are 
very  strong. 

haught.  Haughty.  3HVI.  II,  1,  169; 
RII.  IV,  1,  254. 

haunch.   The  latter  end.   2HIV.  IV,  4, 92. 

haunt.  Company  ;  the  coming  in  contact 
with  people  in  general.  Hml.  IV,  1, 
18  ;  Ant.  IV,  14,  54. 

haver.    Possessor.    Cor.  II,  2,  89. 

having.  Possession  ;  property  ;  estate. 
Wiv.  Ill,  2,  73 ;  Cym.  I,  2,  19 ;  0th.  IV, 
8,92, 

Probably  signifies  allowance  or  pin- 
money  in  the  latter  passage. 

havoc.  To  cry  "  havoc  "  signifies  to  give 
no  quarter.  Caes.  Ill,  1,  273  ;  Hml.  V, 
2,  378. 

hawk.  I  know  a  hawk  from  a  handsaw. 
Hml.  II,  2,  397.    Over  this  expression 


R£A 


182 


HEC 


of  Hamlet's  much  Christian  ink  has 
been  shed  in  the  effort  to  make  sense 
out  of  that  which  probably  never  was 
intended  to  bear  strict  examination. 
According  to  Nares,  the  proverb,  in  the 
form  used  by  Hamlet,  is  older  than  Sh. 
And  then,  consider  the  ridiculous  com- 
parisons that  creep  into  proverbs  of 
this  kind,  such  as  "don't  know  him 
from  a  side  of  sole  leather;"  "don't 
know  a  B  from  a  bull's  foot ;  "  "  smil- 
ing as  a  basket  of  chips,"  etc.,  etc. 
The  most  important  emendation  is  that 
of  hernsew  for  handsaw,  hernsew  be- 
ing another  name  for  a  heron,  and  the 
meaning  then  being  that  he  knew  the 
hawk  from  its  prey.  The  word  hawk 
has  been  explained  by  White  as  a  car- 
penter's tool,  and  that  there  is  such  a 
tool  is  certain,  but  what  a  carpenter's 
hawk  and  handsaw  have  to  do  with  the 
direction  of  the  wind  is  another  matter. 
Fumess  is  inclined  to  accept  the  hern- 
sew emendation,  and  it  certainly  is  the 
best,  if  any  such  explanation  is  desired; 
but  on  the  whole,  I  cannot  help  think- 
ing that  Hamlet  used  a  proverb  then 
in  common  use,  but  without  specific 
meaning,  merely  a  sort  of  jingle  like 
many  others. 

head-borough.  The  office  of  borough 
was  similar  to  that  of  a  constable  ;  the 
head-borough  was  the  chief  constable. 
Shr.  Ind.  1,  12. 

head-lugged.  Dragged  by  the  head,  and 
consequently  made  savage.  Lr.  IV, 
2,43. 

hearted.    Rooted  in  the  heart.     0th.  I, 

3,  373. 

heartlings.    ^od^s  heartlings,  Wiv.  Ill, 

4,  59,  an  exclamation  similar  to  'od's 
bodikins.     See  'od's. 

heat,  n.  A  course,  as  in  a  horse  race. 
Seven  years''  heat  (Tw.  I,  1,  26)  has 
been  interpreted  as  seven  courses  of  the 
sun,  and  also  as  the  heats  of  seven 
summers.  The  Fl.  has  heate,  modern- 
ized to  heat  in  most  eds.  Some  eds., 
however,  read  hence. 

heat,  V.  To  run  a  course  or  heat ;  hence 
to  run  over.    Wint.  I,  3,  96. 


heaves.    Deep   sighs.    Wint.   II,  3,  35 ; 

Hml.  IV,  1,  1. 
hebenon.    A  word  of  doubtful  meaning ; 
probably  henbane,  but  identity  uncer- 
tain.   Hml.  I,  5,  63. 

The  yew,  ebony  and  hemlock  have  all 
been  suggested.  The  Quartos  have  he- 
bona ;  hebenon  in  Fl.  Henbane  or 
hyoscyamus  nigra,  sometimes  called 
stinking  nightshade,  is  a  poisonous  plant, 
especially  destructive  to  domestic  fowls ; 
whence  the  name.  It  does  not,  indeed, 
produce  any  leprous  symptoms ;  but  in 
Sh.  time  the  doctrine  of  signatures  was 
a  matter  of  very  general  belief,  and  the 
idea  of  its  leprous  effects  may  have 
been  founded  on  the  clammy  appear- 
ance of  the  plant. 

Elton,  in  his  "Origins  of  English 
History,"  speaks  of  "the  henbane  or 
insane  root,  which  the  Gauls  used  for 
their  poisoned  arrows." 

Strong  claims  have  been  advanced 
for  "  the  double-fatal  yew."  It  is  said 
by  Dodceus  to  be  "  altogether  venem- 
ous  and  against  man's  nature.  Such  as 
do  but  only  slepe  under  the  shadow 
thereof  become  sicke,  and  sometimes 
they  die."  Grindon's  "Shakespeare 
Flora,"  p.  46. 
Hecate,  dr.p.  A  witch,  or  rather  the 
goddess  or  mistress  of  witches.     Mcb. 

This  mysterious  divinity  is  described 
as  a  mighty  and  formidable  deity,  iden- 
tified with  Selene  or  Luna  in  heaven, 
with  Diana  on  earth,  and  Proserpine  in 
the  lower  world.  Being  thus,  as  it  were, 
a  three-fold  goddess,  she  is  described 
with  three  bodies  or  three  heads,  the 
first  of  a  horse,  the  second  of  a  dog, 
and  the  third  of  a  lion.  From  her  be- 
ing an  infernal  divinity,  she  came  to  be 
regarded  as  a  spectral  being,  who  sent 
at  night  all  kinds  of  demons  and  terri- 
ble phantoms  from  the  lower  world, 
who  taught  sorcery  and  witchcraft, 
and  dwelt  at  places  where  two  roads 
crossed,  on  tombs  and  near  the  blood 
of  murdered  persons.  She  herself  wan- 
dered about  with  the  souls  of  the  dead, 
and  her  approach  was  announced  by 


H£C 


138 


HEL 


the  wbiuiiig  and  howling  of  dogs. 
Hence  regarded  as  the  guide  and  ruler 
of  witches.  Reginald  Scott,  in  his 
*' Disco verie  of  Witchcraft,"  tells  us 
that  "Certeine  generall  councels,  by 
their  decrees,  have  condemned  the  con- 
fusions and  erronious  credulitie  of 
witches,  to  be  vaine,  fantasticall  and 
fabulous  *  *  *  to  wit ;  their  night- 
walkings  and  meetings  with  Herodias 
and  the  Pagan  gods :  etc.  *  *  * 
The  words  of  the  councell  are  these; 
It  may  not  be  omitted  that  certeine 
wicked  women  following  Sathans  pro- 
vocations, being  seduced  by  the  illusion 
of  divels,  beleeve  and  professe  that  in 
the  night  times  they  ride  abroad  with 
Diana,  the  goddesse  of  the  Pagans,  or 
else  with  Herodias,  with  an  innumer- 
able multitude,  upon  certeine  beasts, 
and  passe  over  manie  countries  and 
nations,  in  the  silence  of  the  night,  and 
doo  whatsoever  those  fairies  or  ladies 
command. "  See  Acheron  and  witch. 
hectic.  A  fever.  Hml.  IV,  3,  68. 
Hector,  dr. p.  Son  of  Priam.  Troil. 
Hector  was  the  chief  hero  amongst 
the  Trojans  in  their  defence  of  Troy 
against  the  Greeks.  He  was  the  son  of 
Priam  and  Hecuba,  and  the  husband  of 
Andromache.  He  fought  with  the  brav- 
est of  the  Greeks.  After  Paris  had  fled 
from  Menelaus,  Hector  challenged  the 
latter,  who  only  saved  himself  by  flight. 
He  fought  with  A jax,  and  slew  Patro- 
clus,  taking  off  the  armor  of  the  Greek 
and  putting  it  on  himself.  Achilles,  en- 
raged at  the  death  of  his  friend,  attacked 
Hector  and  slew  him.  Dr.  Schmitz,  in 
his  article  on  Hector  in  Smith's  Diction- 
ary, says :  "  Hector  is  one  of  the  noblest 
conceptions  of  the  poet  of  the  Illiad. 
He  is  the  great  bulwark  of  Troy,  and 
even  Achilles  trembles  when  he  ap- 
proaches him.  He  has  a  presentiment 
of  the  fall  of  his  country,  but  he  per- 
severes in  his  heroic  resistance,  pre- 
ferring death  to  slavery  and  disgrace. 
But  besides  these  virtues  of  a  warrior, 
he  is  distinguished  also,  and,  perhaps, 
more  so  than  Achilles,  by  those  of  a 


man ;  his  heart  is  open  to  the  gentle 
feelings  of  a  son,  a  husband  and  a 
father." 

Hecuba.  Hecuba  was  the  wife  of  Priam, 
King  of  Troy,  and  the  mother  of  Hector, 
Paris,  and  other  children.  When  Troy 
fell,  she  and  her  daughters,  Cassandra 
and  Polyxena,  were  carried  off  as 
prisoners  by  the  Greeks.  Hecuba  had 
hoped  to  meet  in  Thrace  her  son,  Poly- 
dorus,  whom  Priam  had  sent  as  a  child, 
with  much  treasure,  to  Polymestor,  the 
Thracian  King,  to  be  kept  until  the 
war  was  over.  The  ghost  of  Polydorus 
appeared  to  Hecuba  and  told  her  that 
he  had  been  murdered  by  Polymestor 
for  the  treasure,  whereupon  Hecuba 
tore  out  the  eyes  of  Polymestor  and 
slew  his  children.  The  Thracians 
attempted  to  kill  her,  but  the  gods 
changed  her  into  a  dog.  Ultimately 
she  committed  suicide  by  leaping  into 
the  sea  at  a  place  named  from  this  cir- 
cumstance Cynossema,  or  the  dog's 
grave. 

hedge.  To  skulk.  Wiv.  II,  2,  27 ;  Troil. 
Ill,  1,  66.  This  word  has  again  come 
into  use  in  this  sense  amongst  politicians 
and  other  gamblers. 

hedge-born.  Born  outside  of  a  home ;  of 
mean  birth.     IHVI.  IV,  1,  48. 

hedge-priest.  A  priest  who  performs 
the  offices  of  the  church  in  the  shelter 
of  a  hedge,  having  no  church.  A  priest 
of  the  lowest  order.     LLL.  V,  2,  545. 

heel,  V.    To  dance.    Troil.  IV,  4,  88. 

hefts.    Heavings.    Wint.  II,  1,  44. 

Helecanus,  dr. p.    A  lord  of  Tyre.    Per. 

Helen,  dr. p.    Wife  of  Menelaus.     Troil. 

Helen,  dr. p.  A  lady  attending  on  Imo- 
gen.   Cym. 

Helena,  dr. p.  A  gentlewoman  protected 
by  the  Countess  of  Rousillon.     All's. 

Helena,  dr. p.  In  love  with  Demetrius. 
Mids. 

Helenus,  dr.p.    Son  of  Priam.    Troil. 

Helicons.  As  used  by  Pistol  (2HIV.  V, 
3, 108),  this  word  probably  carried  mere 
sound  without  meaning.  Nevertheless 
it  may  be  well  to  explain  what  it  would 
have  meant  if  Pistol  had  understood  it. 


HSL 


134 


HEB 


Helicon  is  a  celebrated  range  of  mount- 
ains in  Boeotia,  and  was  sacred  to  Apol- 
lo and  the  Muses.  Here  sprung  the  cele- 
brated fountains  of  t^e  Muses,  Agan- 
ippe and  Hippocrene.  At  the  fountain 
of  Hippocrene  was  a  grove  sacred  to  the 
Muses,  which  was  adorned  with  some 
of  the  finest  works  of  art.  On  the 
slopes  and  in  the  valleys  of  the  mount- 
ains grew  many  medicinal  plants, 
which  may  have  given  occasion  to 
the  worship  of  Apollo  as  the  healing 
god. 

hell.  One  that,  before  judgment,  carries 
poor  souls  to  hell.  Err.  IV,  2,  40. 
That  is,  one  that,  on  mesne  process, 
carries  poor  souls  to  prison — hell  being 
a  cant  term  for  the  worst  dungeon  in 
the  prisons  of  our  poet's  time.    Dyce. 

helm.  To  steer  ;  to  manage ;  to  guide. 
Meas.  Ill,  2,  151. 

helpless.    1.  Incurable.     Lucr.  756. 
2.  Incapable  of  giving  help.     RIII.   I, 
2,  13. 

help.    See  caudle  and  hempen. 

hemlock.  A  poisonous  herb,  Conium 
maculatum,  well  known  in  Europe, 
often  the  cause  of  fatal  accidents,  and 
whose  name  is  associated  with  the 
darkest  deeds  from  the  fact  that  it  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  poison  ad- 
ministered to  Socrates.  In  an  American 
Glossary  it  is  proper  to  note  this  lest 
the  name  hemlock  should  convey  to  the 
reader  the  idea  of  the  hemlock  tree,  a 
kind  of  spruce  {Tsuga  Canadensis), 
which  supplies  immense  quantities  of 
cheap  lumber,  and  whose  bark  is  used 
in  tanning.  It  has  no  poisonous  or 
noxious  properties  whatever,  and  would 
convey  no  suggestion  of  evil  if  it  were 
the  plant  named  in  the  incantations  of 
the  witches  in  Macbeth.  HV.  V,  2,  45  ; 
Mcb.  IV,  1,  25  ;  Lr.  IV,  4,  4. 

hempen.  Made  of  hemp;  the  material 
of  which  ropes  are  made.  Hempen  cau- 
dle =  a  hangman's  halter,  which  is 
supposed  to  be  a  cordial  for  all  dis- 
eases.   See  caudle. 

hemo-seed.  Mrs.  Quickly's  word  for 
homicide.    2HIV.  II,  1,  64. 


henchman.     A  page  or  attendant.   Mids. 

II,  1,  121. 

Henry,  dr.p.    Earl  of  Richmond.    3HVI. 

and  RIII. 
Henry  Bolingbroke,   dr.p.    Afterwards 

Henry  IV.     RII.,  IHIV.  and  2HIV. 
Henry    Percy,  dr.p.      Son   of   Earl   of 

Northumberland.     RII. 
Henry  Percy   (Hotspur),   dr.p.    Son  of 

Earl  of  Northumberland.    IHIV.  and 

2HIV. 
Henry,  Prince,  dr.p.    Son  of  King  John, 

John. 
Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  dr.p.     Son  of 

Henry  IV.,  and  afterwards  Henry  V. 

IHIV.,  2HIV.  and  HV. 
Henry  IV.,  dr.p.  RII.,  IHIV.  and  2HIV. 
Henry  V.,  dr.p.    IHIV.,  2HIV.  and  HV. 
Henry  VI.,   dr.p.     IHVI.,    2HVL    and 

3HVI. 
Henry  VIII.,  dr.p.    HVIII. 
hent,  V.    To  take,  in  the  sense  of  the 

horseman's  "taking"  a  fence;  to  cross; 

to  pass    beyond.      Wint.   IV,    3,    133; 

Meas.  IV,  6,  14. 
hent,   n.     Opportunity;   taking.    Hml. 

III,  2,  88. 

herblets.    SmaU  herbs.    Gym.  IV,  2,  287. 

herb  of  grace.    Rue.    RII.  Ill,  4,  105. 

Herbert,  Sir  Walter,  dr.p.    RIII. 

Hercules  and  his  load,  too.  This  allu- 
sion may  be  to  the  Globe  playhouse  on 
the  Bankside,  the  sign  of  which  was 
Hercules  carrying  the  Globe.  Steevens. 
Malone  says  :  "  I  suppose  Shakespeare 
meant  that  the  boys  drew  greater 
audiences  than  the  elder  players  of  the 
Globe  Theatre."    Hml.  II,  2,  378. 

Hermes.    See  Mercury. 

Her mia J  dr.p.   Daughter  to  Egeus.   Mids. 

Hermione,  dr.p.    Queen  of  Sicilia.   Wint. 

hermit.    A  beadsman,  q-.  v.    Mcb.  I,  6,  20. 

Heme's  Oak.  The  legend  of  Heme  the 
hunter  would  seem  to  have  been 
anciently  current  at  Windsor  and  in 
times  gone  by  a  certain  oak  was  identi- 
fied as  that  immortalized  by  Sh.  HaUi- 
well  says  that  "the  general  opinion  is 
that  it  was  accidentally  destroyed  in 
1796,  through  an  order  of  George  JII. 
to  the  bailiff,  Robinson,  that  all  the 


ia5 


HOB 


unsightly  trees  iu  the  vicinity  of  the 
castle  should  be  removed  ;  an  opinion 
confirmed  by  a  well-established  fact 
that  a  person  named  Grantham,  who 
contracted  with  the  bailiff  for  the  re- 
moval of  the  trees,  fell  into  disgrace 
with  the  king  for  having  included  the 
oak  in  his  gatherings."  In  regard  to 
the  present  condition  of  the  site,  the 
following  from  "The  Windsor  Guide  " 
is  interesting  :  "  Heme's  Oak,  so  long 
an  object  of  much  curiosity  and  en- 
thusiasm, is  now  no  more.  The  old 
tree  was  blown  down,  August  31st, 
1863  ;  and  a  young  oak  was  planted  by 
her  Majesty,  September  12th,  1863,  to 
mark  the  spot  where  Heme's  Oak 
stood." 

Hero,  dr. p.    Daughter  to  Leonato.    Ado. 

best.    Command.     Tp.  I,  2,  274. 

hewgh.  A  word  imitative  of  the  sound 
of  an  arrow  as  it  whistles  through  the 
air.    Lr.  IV,  6,  93. 

hide'fox,  and  all  after.  The  game  of 
hide  and  seek.     Hml.  IV,  2,  32. 

high.  Fully  ;  quite.  0th.  IV,  2,  249.  In 
use  in  this  sense  at  the  present  time  in 
"high  noon." 

high  and  low.  Kinds  of  false  dice.  Wiv. 
I,  3,  93. 

high-battled.  At  the  head  of  a  victori- 
ous army.     Ant.  Ill,  11,  29. 

high-day.     Holiday.     Merch.  II,  9,  98. 

high-fantastical.  In  many  eds.  high 
fantastical.  Tw.  I,  1,  15,  Highly 
imaginative.  The  meaning  of  the 
passage  is  that  love  (fancy)  alone  is 
capable  of  forming  the  highest  and 
noblest  conception  of  things. 

high-lone.  Standing  alone  on  her  feet ; 
a  nursery  expression.    Rom.  I,  3,  36. 

hight.  Called  ;  named.  LLL.  I,  1,  171 ; 
Mids.  V,  1,  140. 

high-viced.  Conspicuously  wicked.  Tim. 
IV,  3,  110. 

hild.  Held  (used  for  the  sake  of  the 
rhyme).     Lucr,  1257. 

hilding.  Base;  menial.  (From  the  Saxon 
healdan;  one  who  is  held  or  kept.) 
2H1V.  I,  1,  57. 

hip.    1.  The  upper  part  of  the  thigh  ;  in 


deer,  the  haunch.  To  have  on  the 
hip  has  received  two  interpretations. 
Johnson,  in  his  notes  to  Shake- 
speare, says  that  it  is  taken  from 
the  art  of  wrestling,  and  this  is  prob- 
ably the  view  of  most  modern  readers, 
since  it  is  well  known  that  when 
a  wrestler  can  throw  his  adversary 
across  his  (the  wrestler's)  hip  he  can 
give  him  the  severest  of  all  falls,  tech- 
nically termed  a  cross-buttock.  It  was 
to  this,  doubtless,  that  the  countryman 
alluded  when  he  exclaimed  (Kins.  II,  3) : 
My  mind  misgives  me, 
This  fellow  has  a  vengeance  trick  o' 
the  hip. 

The  other  interpretation  refers  to  the 
action  of  the  hound  in  hunting  deer. 
When  the  hound  has  caught  the  deer 
by  the  hip  he  may  feed  himself  fat  on 
his  flesh.  This  seems  to  accord  with 
Merch.  I,  3,  47,  Halliwell,  in  Nares' 
Glossary,  applies  this  to  0th.  II,  1,  314. 
Johnson,  in  his  Dictionary,  adopts  the 
hunting  explanation.  Fumess,  how- 
ever, brings  forward  fresh  proof  in 
favor  of  the  wrestling  origin  of  the 
expression,  which  is  no  doubt  the  true 
one. 

2.  The  fruit  of  the  briar  or  dog-rose, 
Rosa  canina.     Tim.  IV,  3,  432, 

Hippolyta,  dr. p.  Queen  of  the  Amazons ; 
betrothed  to  Theseus.  Mids.  and  Kins. 
For  details  see  Theseus. 

hive.     A  kind  of  bonnet.     Lov.  Compl.  8. 

hoar.  To  become  mouldy  or  rotten.  Tim. 
IV,  3,  155. 

hobby-horse.    1.   A  principal  part  in  the 
morris-dance.     Hml.  Ill,  2,  144. 
2.  A   light   woman.    Ado.    Ill,  2,  75; 
Oth.  IV,  1,  158. 

hob-nail.  A  short  nail  with  a  large  coni- 
cal or  pyramidal  head— not  flat.  The 
nail  with  a  broad,  flat  head  is  a  clout 
nail.  IHI V.  II,  4,  398 ;  2HV1.  IV,  10, 
63.  Hobnails  were  used  by  shoemakers 
who  drove  them  thickly  into  the  soles 
of  shoes  for  the  purpose  of  protecting 
the  leather  from  wear.  Distinct  from 
clout  nails,  but  often  confounded  with 
them.    See  clouted. 


HOI 


186 


HOO 


In  Sh.  time  nails  were  sold  by  count. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  398,  and  see  also  ante 
under  clout,  where  a  bill  will  be  found 
for  "C.  [one  hundred]  cloute  neyle." 
From  this  we  may  infer  that  a  nail 
which  sold  for  sixpence  per  hundred 
was  a  sixpenny  nail.  Hence  our  terms 
sixpenny,  ten  penny,  etc.,  as  applied  to 
nails.  All  our  large  dictionaries  make 
the  mistake  of  supposing  that  penny  is 
here  a  corruption  of  the  word  pound. 
See  "Shakespearean  Notes  and  New 
Readings "  for  a  discussion  of  this 
question. 

The  hob-nail  was  not  the  nail  used 
for  shoeing  horses  as  stated  by  Schm. 

hoise.  To  hoist  up  ;  to  overthrow.  2H VI. 
■  I,  1,  169. 

hold.    See  bow-strings. 

holding;.    1,  The  burden  of  a  song.    Ant. 
II,  7,  118. 
2.  Sense  ;  congruity.    All's.  IV,  2,  27. 

holidame,   )       The  same  as  halidom,  q.v. 

holydame.  f  Shr.  V,  2,  99.  The  original 
word  was  halidom,  which  signifies 
simply  holiness,  the  affix  dam  being  the 
same  as  that  in  kingdom  and  other 
words.  The  corruption  arose  from 
supposing  that  the  word  meant  holy 
dame  i.e.,  the  Virgin  Mary. 

HoloferneSf  dr. p.  A  schoolmaster.  LLL. 
It  is  frequently  asserted  that  Holo- 
fernes  is  a  caricature  of  the  Italian 
teacher  John  Florio,  who  translated 
Montaigne's  Essays,  and  is  the  author 
of  a  well-known  Italian-English  Dic- 
tionary. Florio  had  criticised  the  En- 
glish dramas  as  being  "neither  right 
comedies  nor  right  tragedies,  but  per- 
verted histories  without  decorum." 
But,  as  Marshall  has  pointed  out,  it 
may  be  doubted  whether  Sh.  would 
have  ridiculed  one  who  was  so  especial 
a  prot6g6  of  the  Earl  of  Southampton 
as  Florio  was.  It  is  more  probable 
that  under  cover  of  a  character  found, 
as  the  Pedant,  in  many  old  Italian 
comedies,  Sh.  intended  to  satirize  the 
silly  display  of  Latinity  which  Lilly 
was  so  fond  of  making  in  his  plays. 

holy -ales.  Rural  festivals.  Per.  I,  Prol.  6. 


holy-cruel.  Cruel  by  being  too  virtuous. 
All's.  IV.  2,  32. 

homager.    A  vassal.    Ant.  1, 1,  31. 

honest.    Chaste.    As.  I,  2,  40. 

honey-heavy.  Very  sweet.  Cabs.  II,  1, 
230. 

honey-seed.  A  Quicklyism  for  homicide. 
2HIV.  II,  1,  57. 

honey-stalks.    Clover.    Tit.  IV,  4,  90. 

honey-suckle.  Mrs.  Quickly's  blunder 
for  homicidal.    2HIV.  II,  1,  56. 

honorificabilitudlnitatibus.  Dr.  Johnson 
says  that  "the  word,  whencesoever  it 
comes,  is  often  mentioned  as  the  longest 
word  known. ' '  There  are  longer  words 
in  Elliott's  Indian  Bible.  Hunter,  in 
his  "New  Illustrations,"  Vol.  I,  p.  264, 
after  denying  that  it  is  a  word,  says : 
"  This  is  a  mere  arbitrary  and  unmean- 
ing combination  of  syllables,  devised 
merely  to  serve  as  an  exercise  in  pen- 
manship, a  schoolmaster's  copy  for 
persons  learning  to  write.  It  is  of  some 
antiquity.  I  have  seen  it  on  an  Ex- 
chequer record,  apparently  in  a  hand 
of  the  reign  of  Henry  the  Sixth ;  and  it 
may  be  seen,  with  some  additional 
syllables,  scribbled  on  one  of  the  leaves 
of  a  manuscript  in  the  Harleian  Library, 
No.  6113.  It  is  even  still  in  use."  LLL. 
V,  1,  44. 

Hood,  Robin.  A  famous  outlaw  whose 
exploits  form  the  subject  of  numerous 
stirring  ballads.  According  to  some 
legends  he  was  the  outlawed  Earl  of 
Huntingdon,  but  in  some  of  the  ballads 
it  is  positively  asserted  that  he  was  a 
yeoman.  He  was  said  to  have  been 
born  at  Locksley,  in  Nottinghamshire, 
about  the  year  1100,  and  from  this  cir- 
cumstance Scott  gave  him  the  name  of 
Locksley  in  "  Ivanhoe."  One  of  the  old 
historians  tells  us  that  he  entertained 
a  hundred  tall  men,  all  good  archers, 
with  such  spoils  and  thefts  as  he  got 
from  the  rich.  He  suffered  no  woman 
to  be  oppressed,  violated,  or  otherwise 
molested.  Poor  men's  goods  he  spared, 
abundantly  relieving  them  with  that 
which  he  got  from  abbeys  and  the 
houses  of  rich  carles.    After  living  for 


HOO 


137 


HOB 


many  years  in  Sherwood  Forest  and 
Barnesdale,  in  Yorkshire,  he  at  length 
fell  a  victim  to  the  treachery  of  a  nun 
to  whom  he  had  applied  for  blood-let- 
ting, and  who  bled  him  to  death.  He 
is  referred  to  several  times  in 
Sh.  Gent.  IV,  1,  36;  As.  I,  1, 
122  ;  2HIV.  V,  3,  107. 

hoodman.  The  person  blinded  in 
the  game  of  blind  man's  buff. 
All's.  IV,  3,  137. 

hoodman-blind.  Now  called  blind 
man's  buff.    Hml.  Ill,  4,  77. 

hoop.  Whoop.  Out  of  all  hoop- 
ing, As.  Ill,  2, 203,  =  beyond  all 
shouts  of  admiration. 

hope.  To  expect;  to  suppose. 
Often  used  to  express  expectation 
without  the  desire  which  it  indi- 
cates at  present.  HV.  Ill,  7, 
77;  Ant.  11,1,38. 

Horatio,  dr.p.  Friend  to  Hamlet. 
Hml. 

horn-book.  A  primer.  LLL.  V, 
1,  49.  Hornbooks  were  so  called 
because  the  paper  or  parchment 
on  which  the  alphabet,  etc.,  were 
printed  or  written,  was  covered 
with  a  thin  transparent  sheet  of 
horn,  so  as  to  protect  it  from  the 
dirty  hands  of  the  scholars.  The 
paper  and  horn  were  usually 
tacked  to  a  board  which  had  a 
handle  at  its  lower  end  as  shown 
in  the  accompanying  cut. 

horned.  Furnished  with  horns ; 
cuckolded.     0th.  IV,  1,  63. 

Horner,  Thomas,  dr.p.  An  arm- 
ourer.   2HVI. 

horn-mad.  The  usual  signification 
attached  to  this  word  is  mad  or 
angry  at  having  been  made  a 
cuckold,    and   that   this   is  the 
meaning  in  Wiv.  Ill,  5,  155  is 
evident.     But  how  this  could  be 
the  meaning   in  Wiv.   I,  4,  52 
is  not  so  clear.     Caius  was  not  married 
nor   even  engaged,  so    that  the  idea 
of  cuckoldom  or  even  jealousy  could 
not   enter   into    the    case    except   on 
a  very  far-fetched  supposition.   Again, 


in  Err.  II,  1,  57,  Dromio  repudi- 
ates the  cuckold  theory.  When  he 
tells  Adriana  that  her  husband  is 
horn-mad,  she  seems  at  once  to  seize 
the  idea   of   cuckold   mad,  and   then 


ab  ?b  ih  o\i  w»    u  be  b?    oc 

l5e«:.l)aUotDe^  be  tb  j>iSame 


ti 


XMtn^  fcommli 


A   HORNBOOK. 

Dromio  says  :  I  mean  not  cuckold-mad., 
but,  sure,  he  is  stark  mad. 

How  the  expression  originated  is  not 
clear.  Wright  thinks  that  ho7'n  is  a 
corruption   of    the   Scotch   hams   or 


ho: 


1S8 


HOB 


brains,  so  that  the  word  would  literally 
he  brain-mad ;  but  the  connections  in 
which  it  occurs  render  this  improbable. 
It  is  well  known  to  stock-raisers  that 
there  is  a  disease  called  horn-ail  from 
which  cattle  sometimes  suffer  intensely 
and,  like  all  animals  suffering  acute 
pain,  become  irritable  and  angry.  To 
couple  the  idea  of  a  bull,  mad  with  the 
pain  of  horn-ail,  and  a  man  mad  with 
the  sense  of  wearing  a  cuckold's  horns 
does  not  require  a  great  stretch  of 
imagination. 

The  word  occurs  four  times  in  Sh. 
In  two  of  these  it  undoubtedly  implies 
cuckoldom  ;  from  the  other  two  the 
idea  seems  to  be  excluded.  In  addition 
to  the  passages  named  it  is  found  in 
Ado.  I,  1,  272. 

horn-maker.  A  maker  of  cuckolds.  As. 
IV,  1,  63. 

hornpipe.  A  country  dance  of  a  lively 
and  hilarious  character.  The  name  is 
also  applied  to  the  music  appropriate  to 
such  dances.    Wint.  IV,  3,  46. 

"  An  allusion  to  a  practice,  common 
at  this  time  amongst  the  Puritans,  of 
burlesquing  the  plein  chant  of  the  Pa- 
pists, by  adapting  vulgar  and  ludicrous 
music  to  psalms  and  pious  composi- 
tions."   Douce. 

horologe.  A  clock.  HeHl  watch  the  ho- 
rologe a  double  set  =  stay  awake  for 
twenty-four  hours.  -  0th.  li,  3,  135. 

horse.  1.  I  am,  a  peppercorn  or  brewer'' s 
horse.  IHIV.  Ill,  3,  9.  This  compari- 
son of  Falstaff's  has  "bothered"  the 
commentators.  Boswell  suggested  that 
the  key  to  it  was  to  be  found  in  a 
conundrum  in  The  DeviVs  Cabinet 
Opened:  What  is  the  difference  be- 
tween a  drunkard  and  brewer's  horse  ? 
the  answer  to  which  is,  that  the  one 
carries  all  his  liquor  on  his  back  and 
the  other  in  his  belly.  But  as  regards 
Falstaff's  saying,  this  is  unsatisfactory. 
May  it  not  be  that  Falstaff  compares 
himself  to  the  inferior  animals  used  by 
small  brewers  for  grinding  their  malt  ? 
Such  horses  travelled  in  a  circular  path, 
dragging  the  arms  of  the  mill,  and  were 


frequently  blind.  Malt-horse  is  used 
as  an  epithet  of  contempt  in  Err.  Ill, 
1,  32,  and  Shr.  IV,  1,  132.  It  was  also 
common  amongst  the  dramatists  of  the 
time. 

2.  The  dancing  horse  will  tell  you. 
LLL.  I,  2,  57.  The  horse  here  alluded 
to  was  the  famous  horse,  Morocco, 
which  was  owned  and  taught  by  a 
Scotchman  named  Bankes,  and  hence 
was  generally  known  as  "  Bankes 's 
Horse. "  This  horse,  from  all  accounts, 
showed  an  intelligence  almost  human, 
and  a  docility  such  as  has  never  been 
equalled.  It  is  said  that  his  most  wonder- 
ful feat  was  his  ascending  to  the  top  of 
St.  Paul's  Cathedral  in  1600,  but  to  my 
mind  this  was  nothing  very  extraordi- 
nary ;  it  was  the  descending  that  was  the 
marvellous  feature  of  this  performance, 
as  every  one  familiar  with  horses  must 
know.  Raleigh,  in  his  "  History  of  the 
World,"  says :  "  If  Bankes  had  lived  in 
older  times,  he  would  have  shamed  all 
the  inchanters  in  the  world  ;  for  who- 
soever was  most  famous  among  them 
could  never  master  or  instruct  any 
beast  as  he  did  his  horse."  He  had  sil- 
ver shoes,  and  Bastard,  in  his  "Epi- 
grams," thus  describes  his  acquire- 
ments : 

Bankes  hath  a  horse  of  wondrous  qualitie. 
For  he  can  fight,  and  dance  and  lie, 
And  find  your  piwse,  and  tell  what  coyne 

ye  have : 
But,  Bankes,  who  taught  your  horse  to 
smell  a  knave  ? 

This  famous  horse  was  exhibited  all 
over  Europe.  While  in  France,  Bankes 
and  his  horse  were  accused  of  being  in 
league  with  the  devil,  but  Bankes  made 
the  animal  kneel  down  to  the  crucifix 
and  kiss  it,  and  they  were  thus  cleared 
of  the  charge,  as  it  was  held  that ' '  the 
divell  had  no  power  to  come  neare  the 
crosse. "  But  it  was  said  that  in  Rome 
they  did  not  get  off  so  easily,  and  that 
both  the  horse  and  his  owner  were 
burned  at  the  stake  by  order  of  the 
Pope.  Mr.  Halliwell,  however,  has 
discovered   records   which   show   that 


HOR 


Him 


Bankes  was  alive  in  1637,  and  that  he 
followed  the  occupation  of  a  vintner  in 
Cheapside. 
3,  The  ominous  horse.  Hml.  II,  2,  476. 
This  refei's,  of  course,  to  the  wooden 
horse  by  means  of  which  Troy  was 
taken.  The  Greeks  having  tried  in  vain 
to  take  Troy  by  force  of  arms  at  length 
accomplished  their  purpose  by  deceit. 
By  the  advice  of  that  sly  dog-fox 
Ulysses,  they  constructed  an  immense 
wooden  horse  in  whose  inside  several  of 
their  best  warriors,  including  Ulysses 
and  Menelaus,  lay  concealed.  The 
Greeks  then  embarked  as  if  they  had 
given  up  their  attempt  to  capture  Troy, 
leaving  the  wooden  horse  on  the  shore. 
Of  course,  the  Trojans  came  out  to 
examine  such  a  curious  object,  and 
while  gazing  in  amazement  at  it  a  Greek 
(see  Sinon),  who  claimed  to  have  been 
maltreated  by  his  countrymen,  and  who 
had  mutilated  himself  to  giv^e  color  to 
his  story,  came  up  and  asked  their  pro- 
tection. He  told  them  that  the  Greeks 
had  constructed  it  as  an  offering  to 
Minerva,  and  that  if  they  would  take  it 
into  their  city  and  offer  it  to  the  goddess 
they  would  obtain  her  favor  and  she 
would  enable  them  to  make  a  successful 
invasion  of  Greece.  The  Trojans  took 
this  advice  and  carried  the  horse  within 
their  walls.  During  the  night  Sinon 
undid  the  fastenings  and  allowed  the 
enclosed  Greeks  to  come  out  and  open 
the  gates  of  Troy  to  their  comrades, 
who  had  in  the  meantime  returned. 
In  this  way  Troy  was  taken  and 
burned. 

fiortensio,  dr.p.    Suitor  to  Bianca.    Shr. 

Hortensius,  dr.p.     A  servant.     Tim. 

host,  V.  To  lodge.  Err.  I,  2,  9 ;  All's. 
Ill,  5,  97. 

Hostess,  dr.p.  A  character  in  the  In- 
duction.   Shr. 

Hostess,  dr.p.  Dame  Quickly  of  "  The 
Boar's  Head."  IHI V.  and  2HIV.  And 
as  wife  of  Pistol  in  HV. 

Hotspur,  Henry  Percy,  dr.p.  Son  to 
the  Earl  of  Northumberland.  IHIV. 
and  3H1V. 


hot  at  hand.    Not  to  be  held  in. 

IV,  2,  23. 
hot>house.    A  bagnio.    Meas.  II,  1,  66. 
hounds.    Theallusionin  Tw.  I,  1,22,  is  to 

the  hounds  of  Actseon.     Actaeon,  while 

returning   from   the    chase,   surprised 

Diana  bathing.     This  so    enraged  the 

goddess  that  she  changed  him  into  a 

stag  and  he  was  torn  to  pieces  by  his 

own  dogs. 
housel.  The  Eucharist,  or  Lord's  Supper. 

See  unhouseled. 
hox.    To  hough;  to  hamstring.     Wint.  I, 

2,244. 
hoy.    A  small  vessel.     Err.  IV,  3,  40. 
Hubert  de   Burgh,   dr.p.    Chamberlain 

to  King  John,     John. 
hugger-mugger.  Secresy ;  privacy.  Hml. 

IV,  5,  84. 
hull,  V.    To  float.    Tw.  I,  5,  217. 
hulling.    Floating  at  the  mercy  of  the 

waves.     HVIII.  II,  4,  197. 
Hume,  dr.p.     A  priest.    2HVI. 
humorous.    1.    Moist ;  damp.    Rom.  II, 

1,31. 

2.  Capricious.     As.  I,  2,  278;  John  III, 
1,  119. 

3.  Afflicted  with  "  humours ;"  sad.  LLL. 
Ill,  1,  177;  As.  IV,  1,  19. 

Humphrey,    Duke   of  Gloucester,   dr.p. 

2HVI. 
Humphrey,  Prince  of  Gloucester,  dr.p. 

2HIV. 
hunt.    Game  killed  in  the  chase.     Cym. 

Ill,  6,  89. 
Huntsman,  dr.p.    A   character   in    the 

Induction.     Shr. 
hunt-counter.    So  printed  in  First  Folio, 

but  in  most  modern  editions  given  as 

two  words.     See  counter. 
hunts-up.    Any  song  intended  to  arouse 

in  the  morning — even  a  love-song — was 

formerly  called  a  "  hunt's-up,"  and  the 

name  was,  of  course,  derived  from  a 

tune  or  song  employed  by  early  hunters. 

Drayton  (1604)  has  the  following  lines : 
And  now  the  cocke,  the  morning's 

trumpeter, 
Played  huntsup  for  the  day  star  to 
appear. 

Butler  in  his  "  Principles  of  Musick  " 


HXTE 


140 


lAB 


(1636)  defines  a  hunVs-tip  as  "morning 
music,"  and  Cot.  defines  Resveil  as  a 
hunts-up  or  morning  song  for  a  new- 
married  wife.  Chappell's  "  Popular 
Music  of  the  Olden  Time."  Rom.  Ill, 
5,34. 

hurly.  Tumult ;  commotion.  Shr.  V,  1, 
206  ;  2HIV.  Ill,  1,  25. 

hurly-burly.  Uproar ;  tumult.  Mcb.  I, 
1,  3.  Used  as  an  adjective  in  IHIV.  V, 
1,  78. 

hurtle.    1.   To  pass  rapidly  through  the 
air  so  as  to  make  a  noise.     Caes.  II,  3, 22. 
2.  To  dash  together  ;  making  a  great   ' 
noise.     As.  IV,  3,  132.  i 

husbandry.  Thrift ;  economy.  Mcb.  II, 
1,4. 

huswife.  A  housewife.  Cor.  I,  3,  76. 
The  Globe  glossary  defines  huswife 
here  as  "a  jilt,"  but  surely  without  any 
reasonable  grounds.  From  the  word 
housewife  or  huswife  comes  the  word 
hussy,  which  frequently  conveys  a 
suggestion  of  evil  or,  at  least,  of  con- 
tempt, but  with  the  possible  exception 


of  0th.  IV,  1,  95,  housewife  is  always 
used  by  Sh.  in  a  good  sense. 

hyen.    A  hyena.    As.  IV,  1,  163. 

hypocrisy.  The  meaning  of  the  passage 
in  0th.  IV,  1, 9,  It  is  hypocrisy  against 
the  devil,  is  not  very  clear.  Johnson 
says  this  means  "Hypocrisy  to  cheat 
the  devil.  As  common  hypocrites  cheat 
men,  by  seeming  good  and  yet  live 
wickedly,  these  men  would  cheat  the 
devn  by  giving  him  flattering  hopes, 
and  at  last  avoiding  the  crime  which 
he  thinks  them  ready  to  commit." 
Warburton  says  "  this  observation 
seems  strangely  abrupt  and  un  occa- 
sioned ;"  and  Marshall  ("  The  Henry 
Irving  Shakespeare,"  Vol.  VI,  p.  97) 
considers  the  opening  of  the  scene  diffi- 
cult and  the  distribution  of  the  speeches 
unsatisfactory.  This  leads  him  to 
suggest  a  somewhat  different  arrange- 
ment. In  expurgated  or  "Bowdler- 
ized" editions  the  difficulty  is  greatly 
enhanced,  and  indeed  this  line  becomes 
nonsense  and  should  be  omitted. 


(^j^/  In  books  printed  in  Sh.  time 
■^lifvi  ^^^  even  later,  this  letter  is 
^igk)  used  not  only  for  the  personal 
^^2J  pronoun  but  for  the  affirmative 
aye.  This  has  given  rise  to  numerous 
quibbles,  as  in  Rom.  Ill,  2,  46,  and 
Tw.  II,  5,  147  and  148.  Sir  Thomas 
Samwell  proposes  that  the  passage, 
Hml.  I,  2, 188, 1  shall  not  look  upon  his 
like  again,  should  read  Eye  shall,  etc. , 
as  more  in  the  true  spirit  of  Sh.  This 
is  certainly  more  forcible  when  read, 
but  when  spoken  (as  Sh.  dramas  are  in- 
tended to  be)  it  is  not  easily  appreciated. 
This  is  probably  the  reason  why  the 
lamented  Marshall  did  not  take  note  of 
it  in  the  "Henry  Irving  Shakespeare," 
although  that  edition  was  prepared  with 
special  reference  to  stage  effect.  The 
same  phrase  occurs  in  Ado.  I,  1,  184. 


Dr.  Furness  prefers  the  interpretation 
eye  in  both  passages. 

lachimo,  dr. p.  A  friend  to  Philaris. 
Cym. 

lago,  dr.p.    Ancient  to  Othello.     0th. 

larmen.  This  unintelligible  word  occurs 
in  Cym.  II,  5,  16,  and  is  evidently  a 
misprint.  In  Fl.  and  F2.  the  words  are: 

Like  a  full  Acorn'd  Boare,  a  larmen  on. 
Rowe  suggested  that  "  larmen  "  was  a 
misprint  for  "German,"  and  Mai  one 
defends  this  on  the  ground  that  boars 
were  not  hunted  in  Britain  in  the  time 
of  Sh. — a  foolish  argument,  since  a 
"  full  acorn'd  "  boar  is  not  necessarily 
a  hunted  boar,  or  even  a  wild  one. 
Warburton  suggested  a  "churning  on," 
and  Collier's  M.S.  Corrector  "a  foam- 
ing one."  The  word  which  puzzled  the 
compositors  who  set  up  the  First  Folio 


ICE 


141 


IHF 


was  most  probably  "human."  Not 
being  able  to  read  it,  they  simply  put 
together  such  letters  as  the  copy  looked 
like,  and  "larmen"  was  the  result. 
That  "  human  "  makes  good  sense  is  ob- 
vious. "We  speak  of  a  "human  ti- 
ger," meaning  a  man  with  the  char- 
acteristics of  a  tiger.  So  we  might  speak 
of  a  "human  boar,"  meaning  a  man 
with  the  characteristics  of  a  "  full 
acorn'd  boare."  See  "Shakespearean 
Notes  and  New  Readings,"  p.  7. 

ice-brook.  A  brook  with  ice-cold  water. 
0th.  V,  2,  253. 

The  brook  here  referred  to  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  rivulet  Salo  (now  Xalon) 
near  Bilbilis.  It  is  a  fact  well  known 
to  mechanics  that  some  wat«r  enables 
the  workman  to  give  a  much  finer  tem- 
per to  steel  than  others. 

Iden,  Alexander,  dr.p.  A  gentleman 
of  Kent.  The  slayer  of  Jack  Cade. 
2HVI. 

i'fecks.  In  faith ;  a  mild  oath.  Wint.  I, 
2,  120.  Fecks  or  faix  is  the  Scotch 
form  of  faith. 

ignomy.  Ignominy;  disgrace.  Meas.  II, 
4,  111. 

Mid.  A  contraction  of  yield.  As.  Ill,  3, 
76.     See  God  Hid. 

ill-inhabited.  Poorly  lodged.  As.  Ill,  3, 
10.  Not  badly  peopled,  as  our  modem 
use  of  the  word  would  signify. 

illustrious,  )      Without  lustre  or  bright- 

illustrous.  \  ness ;  giving  no  light.  Cym. 
I,  6,  109.  Illustrious  in  the  First  Fo- 
lio ;  illustrous  and  unlustrous  in  mod- 
era  editions. 

imbar,      I     To  bare ;  to  lay  open.    HV. 

imbarre.  )  I,  2,  9-4.  Schmidt  adopts  the 
definition  to  bar ;  to  exclude ;  but  this 
is  evidently  not  the  sense  of  the  passage. 
Knight  and  Clarke  and  AVright  read 
imbar,  and  explain  it  as  to  bar  in  ;  to 
secure.  But  the  context  certainly  does 
not  bear  out  this  rendering. 

immanity.    Ferocity.    IHVI.  V,  1,  13. 

immask.  To  cover  or  hide  with  a  mask. 
IHIV.  I,  2,  201. 

immediacy.  Nearness;  close  connection. 
Lr.  V,  3,  65. 


immoment.  Unimportant.  Ant.  V,  2, 
166. 

immortal.  Exempt  from  death;  living 
for  ever.  Used  improperly  by  the 
clown  in  Ant.  V,  2,  247.  He,  of  course, 
means  mortal. 

immure.    A  wall.    Troil.  Prol.  8. 

Imogen,  dr.p.  Daughter  of  Cymbeline 
and  wife  to  Fosthumus.     Cym. 

imp,  n.  A  shoot ;  a  graft ;  an  offspring. 
LLL.  I,  2,  5 ;  2HIV.  V,  5,  46. 

imp,  V.  A  term  borrowed  from  falconry. 
"  When  the  wing-feathers  of  a  hawk 
were  dropped  or  forced  out  by  any 
accident  it  was  usual  to  supply  as  many 
as  were  deficient.  This  operation  was 
called  to  imp  a  hawk.''''  Steevens. 
RII.  II,  1,  292. 

impawn,  )       To  pawn  ;  to  pledge.    HV. 

impone.   f   I,  2,  21  ;  Hml.  V,  2,  155. 

impeach.  A  reproach ;  an  accusation. 
Err.  V,  1,  269;  3HVI.  I,  4,  60. 

impeachment.  Hindrance.  (French  em- 
pechement.)    HV.  Ill,  6,  151. 

impercieverant,  )       Dull  of  perception ; 

imperseverant.   )  thoughtless.  Cym.  IV, 

I,  15. 

impeticos.  A  word  coined  by  the  fool 
and  evidently  meaning  to  pocket.     Tw. 

II,  3,  27. 

Johnson  proposes  to  read  impetticoatj 
and  gives  as  a  reason  that  fools  were 
kept  in  long  coats  and  that  the  allowed 
fool  was  occasionally  dressed  in  petti- 
coats. But  Malone,  supported  by  Dyce 
and  many  others,  urges  that  the  reading 
of  the  old  copy  should  not  be  disturbed. 
importance.  1.  Meaning.  Wint.  V,  2, 
20. 

2.  Consequence;  weight.  Wint.  II,  1, 
181. 

3.  Subject ;  matter.     Cym.  I,  4,  45. 

4.  Importunity.     Tw.  V,  1,  371. 
important.     Importunate.     Lr.    IV,    4, 

26;  Err.  V,  1,  138. 
importing.  Significant;  expressive.  All's. 
V,  3,  186. 

In  the  passage,  Than  settled  age  his 
sables  and  his  weeds,  importing  health 
and  grateness  (Hml.  IV,  7,  81),  the 
word  health  has  received  much  com- 


IMF 


142 


IND 


ment.  Schm.  defines  it  as  "wellfare, 
prosperity ;"  Malone  and  others  explain 
it  =  care  for  health.  Warburton  ob- 
jects that  a  warm-furred  gown  implies 
sickness  rather  than  health,  and  pro- 
poses to  emend  by  reading  wealth. 
Johnson  undoubtedly  struck  the  true 
explanation  when  he  gave  to  importing 
its  etymological  meaning,  as  Sh.  does 
to  so  many  other  words,  as  noted  in 
this  glossary.  Johnson  says :  "  Import- 
ing here  may  be,  not  inferring  by 
logical  consequence,  but  producing  by 
physical  effect.  A  young  man  regards 
show  in  his  dress,  an  old  man  health.'''' 

impose.  Injunction ;  command.  Gent. 
IV,  3,  8. 

imposition.  1.  Imposture ;  means  of  de- 
ception.   0th.  II,  3,  269. 

2.  Charge  ;  command.  Lucr.  1697  ; 
Merch.  I,  2,  114. 

3.  Accusation;  imputation.  Meas.  I,  2, 
194 ;  Wint.  I,  2,  74. 

Upon  the  latter  passage  Warburton 
makes  the  following  note:  "Setting 
aside  original  sin ;  bating  the  imposi- 
tion from  the  offence  of  our  first 
parents,  we  might  have  boldly  protested 
our  innocence  to  heaven." 

impostliume.  An  abscess.  Troil.  V,  1, 
24. 

imprese,  )  n.     A  device  with   a   motto 

impress,  \  engraved  or  painted  on  any- 
thing.    RII.  Ill,  1,  25. 

impress,  v.  To  compel  to  serve  ;  to  force 
into  service.     Mcb.  IV,  1,  95. 

incapable.  Unconscious.  Hml.  IV,  7, 
179. 

incardinate.  A  blunder  for  incarnate. 
Tw.  V,  1,  1&5. 

incarnadine,    )       To   make    red.     Mcb. 

incarnardine.  f   II,  2,  62. 

incense.  Nares  tells  us  that  besides  the 
usual  meanings,  this  word  is  a  Stafford- 
shire provincialism  signifying  to  in- 
form; to  instruct;  to  school.  And 
this  seems  to  be  the  sense  in  which  it  is 
used  in  HVIII.  V,  1,  43;  RIII.  Ill,  1, 
152;  Ado.  V,  1,  242. 

incision.  Blood-letting.  God  make  in- 
cision in  thee  (As.  Ill,  2,  75)  =  Gk)d 


cure  thee.  Blood-letting  was  one  of 
the  most  common  methods  of  cure  in 
the  time  of  Sh.  The  passage  :  A  fever 
in  your  blood !  why  then  incision 
would  let  her  out  in  saiicers,  LLL.  IV, 

3,  98,  "  has  been  erroneously  explained 
as  containing  an  allusion  to  the  mad 
fashion  of  lovers  stabbing  themselves 
and  drinking  their  blood  in  honor  of 
their  mistresses;  it  merely  means  'if 
your  mistress  reigns  a  fever  in  your 
blood,  get  yourself  blooded,  and  so  let 
her  out  in  saucers. '  "    Dyce. 

incli-meal.  By  inches.  Tp.  II,  2,  3.  An 
example  of  the  modern  use  of  meal  in 
this  sense  is  seen  in  piece-meal.  *  See 
also  limb-meal. 

inclining.    Compliant.     Oth.  II,  3,  346. 

inclip.  To  embrace ;  to  enclose.  Ant. 
II,  7,  74. 

include.    To  end ;  to  conclude.    Gent.  V, 

4,  160 ;  Troil.  I,  3,  119. 
incontinent.    Immediately.    As.  V,  2,  44. 
incontinently.    Immediately.    Oth.  I,  3, 

307. 
incony.    A  word  apparently  coined  by 

Costard,    and    meaning  fine,   delicate. 

LLL.  Ill,  1,  136;  do.  IV,  1,  144. 
incorporate.    Identified  with ;   forming 

part  of  the  same  body.     Caes.  I,  3,  135. 
incorpsed.    Made  one  body.     Hml.  IV, 

7,  88. 
incorrect.  Rebellious;  ill-regulated.  Hml. 

I,  2,  95. 

indent.     To    bargain ;    to   compromise. 

IHIV.  I,  3,  87. 
indenture.  Agreement ;  contract.    IHIV. 

II,  4,  53 ;  Hml.  V,  1,  119. 
"Indentures  were  agreements  made 

out  in  duplicate,  of  which  each  party 
kept  one.  Both  were  written  on  the 
same  sheet,  which  was  cut  in  two  in  a 
crooked  or  indented  line,  in  order  that 
the  fitting  of  the  two  parts  might  prove 
the  genuineness  of  both  in  case  of  dis- 
pute." Clark  and  Wright.  This  was 
no  doubt  the  original  meaning.  But 
of.  IHIV.  Ill,  1,  80. 

index.  Explanatory  preface  or  prologue. 
RIII.  IV,  4,  85  ;  Hml.  Ill,  4,  52. 

Indian.    In  the  Fl.  the  reading  is  Like 


IND 


143 


INH 


the  base  Judean  in  0th.  V,  2,  347. 
Some  defend  this  reading  on  the  ground 
that  the  allusion  may  be  to  the  well- 
known  story  of  Herod  and  Mariamne. 
Boswell,  however,  quotes  several  pre- 
cisely parallel  passages  from  the  older 
dramatists  in  which  ignorant  Indians 
are  represented  as  throwing  away  valu- 
able gems,  supposing  them  to  be  worth- 
less pebbles.  Thus  Howard,  in  The 
Woman''s  Conquest,  says : 

Behold  my  queen— 

Who  with  no  more  concern  I'll  cast 
away 

Than  Indians  do  a  pearl  that  ne'er  did 
know 

Its  value. 

indict.  To  accuse ;  to  convict.  Hml.  II, 
2,  464;  0th.  Ill,  4,  154.  (In  some 
editions,  both  old  and  recent,  this  word 
is  spelled  indite.) 

indite.  Used  blunderingly  for  invite. 
2HIV.  II,  1,  30.  In  Rom.  II,  4,  135  the 
word  is  probably  used  by  Benvolio  in 
derision  of  the  nurses  "confidence." 

indifferency.  Moderation.  2HIV.  IV,  3, 
23. 

indifferent.  Neither  good  nor  bad ; 
ordinary;  commonplace.  Hml.  II,  2, 
231. 

indifferently.    1 .  In  a  reasonable  degree ; 
tolerably.     Hml.  Ill,  2,  41. 
2.  Impartially.     Tit.  I,  1,  430. 

indigest,  n,    A  chaos.    John  V,  7,  26. 

indigest,  adj.  Chaotic  ;  formless.  Sonn. 
CXIV,  5. 

indign.    Disgraceful.    0th.  I,  3,  274. 

indubitate.  Evident;  without  doubt.  A 
word  coined  by  Armado.  LLL.  IV,  1, 
67. 

i nduc tion .  Beginning;  introduction. 
IHIV.  Ill,  1,2;  RIII.  1,1,32. 

indrenclied.  Covered  with  water.  Troil. 
I,  1,  51. 

indued.  Adapted  to  ;  destined  for.  Hml. 
IV,  7,  180. 

indurance.  Delay.  HVIII.  V,  1,  122. 
According  to  some,  indurance  here  is 
equivalent  to  suffering ;  according  to 
others,  it  is  durance  or  confinement.  In 
some  ^tious  it  is  spelled  endurance, 


inexecrable.  That  cannot  be  sufficiently 
execrated.    Merch.  IV,  1,  128. 

infamonize.  Armado's  word  for  disgrace. 
LLL.  V,  2,  684. 

infect.    To  affect.    John  IV,  3,  69. 

infection.  A  contagious  disease.  InVen. 
508  "the  poet  evidently  alludes  to  a 
practice  of  his  own  age,  when  it  was 
customary,  in  time  of  plague,  to  strew 
the  rooms  of  every  house  with  rue  and 
other  strong-smelling  herbs,  to  prevent 
infection."    Malone. 

infer.  To  bring  in ;  to  introduce.  The 
radical  or  etymological  sense  of  the 
word.  RIII.  IV,  4,  343;  do.  V,  3,  314; 
Tim.  Ill,  5,  73.  Sh.  sometimes  uses  the 
word  in  its  modem  sense  of  deducing, 
proving,  as  in  HV.  I,  2,  204. 

infinite,  n.  Utmost  power.  Ado.  II,  3. 
106. 

infinitive.  Quicklyism  for  tri/lm^e.  2HIV. 
II,  1,  26. 

inform.     1.  To  take  shape.    Mcb.  II,  1,48. 
2.  To  animate;  to  inspire.    Cor.  V,  3,  71. 

informal.    Crazy.    Meas.  V,  1,  230. 

ingener.  One  possessed  of  great  natural 
gifts.     Steevens.     0th.  II,  1,  65. 

"  An  ingenious  person,  a  deviser,  an 
artist,  a  painter;  but  the  reading  is 
questionable."    Dyce. 

ingraft.  Made  to  form  a  part  of  the  in- 
dividual, as  a  graft  forms  part  of  a 
tree.  Oth.  II,  3,  145.  Some  editions, 
engraffed. 

inliabit.  Mcb.  Ill,  4,  105.  This  passage 
has  been  discussed  to  such  an  extent, 
both  as  to  the  proper  reading  and  also 
as  to  the  meaning  of  the  word,  that  it 
would  seem  almost  impossible  to  reach 
a  positive  conclusion  on  these  points.  But 
amidst  all  this  confusion  and  doubt,  the 
general  idea  which  Sh.  wished  to  con- 
vey stands  out  clear  and  indubitable. 

inliabitable.    Not  habitable.    RII.1,1,65. 

inliabited.    Lodged.    See  ill-inhabited. 

intierit.    1.  To  take  possession.    Tp.  11. 
2,  179;  Gent.  111,2,87. 
2.  To  put  in  possession.     RII.  I,  1,  85. 

inhibition.  Prohibition ;  hindrance.  Hml. 
II,  2,  346.  Probably  an  allusion  to  a 
law  passed  in  1600  forbidding  theatrical 


INH 


144 


imr 


performances  in  the  city  of  London, 
except  at  the  Globe  and  the  Fortune. 
Hence  many  players  were  forced  to 
travel  into  the  country. 

inhooped.  Enclosed  in  a  hoop.  Cocks 
or  quails  were  sometimes  made  to  fight 
within  a  broad  or,  perhaps  rather,  a 
deep  hoop  to  prevent  them  from  run- 
ning away  from  each  other.  Ant.  Ill, 
8,38. 

Iniquity.  "One  name  of  the  Ftce,  who 
was  the  established  buffoon  in  the  old 
Moralities  and  other  imperfect  dramas. 
He  had  the  name  sometimes  of  one  vice, 
sometimes  of  another,  but  most  com- 
monly of  Iniquity,  or  vice  itself.  He 
was  grotesquely  dressed  in  a  cap  with 
ass's  ears,  a  long  coat,  and  a  dagger  of 
lath ;  and  one  of  his  chief  employments 
was  to  make  sport  with  the  devil,  leap- 
ing on  his  back  and  belabouring  him 
with  his  dagger  of  lath,  till  he  made 
him  roar.  The  devil,  however,  always 
carried  him  off  in  the  end,  the  morality 
of  which  representation  clearly  was 
that  sin,  which  has  the  wit  and  courage 
to  make  merry  with  the  devil,  and  is 
allowed  by  him  to  take  great  liberties, 
must  finally  become  his  prey.  This  is 
the  regular  end  also  of  Punch,  in  the 
puppet-shows,  who,  as  Dr.  Johnson 
rightly  observed,  is  the  legitimate  suc- 
cessor of  the  old  Iniquity ;  or,  rather, 
is  the  old  Vice  himself  transposed  from 
living  to  wooden  actors.  His  successors 
on  the  stage  were  the  fools  and  clowns, 
who  so  long  continued  to  supply  his 
place,  ill  making  sport  for  the  common 
people.  Harlequin  is  another  scion 
from  the  same  stock. ' '    Nares. 

Continuing,  this  author  says :  "  Fraud, 
covetousness,  vanity  and  vices  [or  sinsj 
enumerated  by  Ben  Johnson  [in  *'  The 
Devil  is  an  Ass  "]  were  the  most  com- 
mon. Vanity  is  even  used  for  the  Vice 
occasionally."  Sh.  gives  us  the  Vice, 
Iniquity  and  Vanity  together  in  IHIV. 
II,  4,  499.  The  Vice  and  his  functions 
are  frequently  referred  to  in  Sh.  See 
Tw.  IV,  2,  130. 

Injointed.    Joined.    0th.  I,  3,  35. 


inlc.    See  B. 

inlc-liorn  mate.  A  bookish  man ;  an 
ecclesiastic  ;  a  term  of  contempt.  IHVI. 
Ill,  1,  99. 

inlcle.  A  kind  of  inferior  tape.  LLL. 
Ill,  1,  140  ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  208. 

inland.  Civilized  ;  probably  living  near 
a  town.  Caldecottsays:  "  Uplandish  in 
our  early  writers  and  dictionaries  is 
interpreted  '  unbred,  rude,  rustical, 
clownish,  because,'  says  Minsheu  (1617), 
'  the  people  that  dwell  among  moun- 
tains are  severed  from  the  civilitye  of 
cities.'"  As.  II,  7,  96.  cf.  Scotch 
Landwart. 

inly,  adj.  Inward.  Gent.  II,  7,  18 
3HVI.  I,  4,  171. 

inly,  adv.  Inwardly.  Tp.  V,  1,  200 
HV.  IV,  Chor.  24. 

innocent.  An  idiot.  All's.  IV,  3,  214 
Per.  IV,  3,  17;  Kins.  IV,  1. 

inquisition.  Search  ;  inquiry.  Tp.  I,  2, 
35  ;  As.  II,  2,  20. 

insane  root.  Supposed  to  be  either 
hemlock  or  henbane.  Mcb.  I,  3,  84. 
See  hemlock.  The  best  authorities, 
however,  are  agreed  that  it  is  impossible 
to  decide  just  what  plant  Sh.  meant. 

insanie.  Madness.  (A  word  coined  by 
Holofernes.)    LLL.  V,  1,  28. 

insconce.    1.   To  hide ;  to  shelter.   Wiv. 
Ill,  3,  96. 
2.  To  protect ;  to  fortify.    Err.  II,  2,  38. 

insculped.  Engraved ;  cut.  Merch.  II, 
7,57. 

insculpture.  An  inscription  cut  in  stone. 
Tim.  V,  4,  67. 

insisture.    Persistency.     Troil.  I,  3,  87. 

instance.    1.   Motive.     Hml.  Ill,  2,  194. 

2.  Proof.    2HIV.  Ill,  1,  103. 

intelligencer.  An  agent ;  a  go-between, 
mil.  IV,  4,  71. 

intend.  1.  To  pretend.  Lucr.  121;  Ado. 
II,  2,  a5. 

2.  To  lead  to ;  to  tend.     2HIV.  I,  2,  9. 

3.  To  set  forth ;  to  exhibit.  Mids.  Ill, 
2,  SSS. 

4.  Used  by  Dr.  Cains  in  the  sense  of  the 
French  entendre  =  understand.  Wiv. 
I,  4,  47. 

Intending.    Regarding.      Tim.  II,  2,  219. 


INT 


145 


lEI 


intendment.    Intention;  purpose.     0th. 

IV,  2,  206. 

intenible.    Unretentive.    All's.  I,  3,  210. 

intentively.  Attentively ;  with  close  ap- 
plication.    0th.  I,  3,  155. 

interessed.  Interested ;  connected  with. 
Lr.  I,  1,  87. 

intermission.    Delay.    Mcb.  IV,  3,  232. 

interpret.  To  explain.  I  could  inter- 
pret between  you  and  your  love  if  I 
could  see  the  puppets  dallying.  Hml. 
Ill,  2,  256.  This  is  an  allusion  to  the 
puppet-shows  or  motions  in  which  the 
actions  of  the  puppets  were  always 
explained  or  interpreted  to  the  audience 
by  the  interpreter.     See  motion. 

intrenchant.    That  cannot  be  cut.     Mcb. 

V,  8,  9. 

intrinse.  Intricate ;  entangled.  Lr.  II, 
2,  81.  Such  is  the  meaning  given 
to  this  word  by  all  English-speaking 
authorities  so  far  as  we  have  been  able 
to  find.  Schm.  defines  it  as  "intimate ; 
internal;  deep-rooted." 

intrinsicate.    Intricate.     Ant.  V,  2,  307. 

invectively.  Reproachfully.  As.  II,  1, 
58. 

invention.  1.  Forgery ;  falsehood.  Mcb. 
Ill,  1,  33. 

2.  Imagination.     Ven.  Ded.  5 ;  0th.  II, 

1,  126. 

3.  Activity  of  mind.     Meas.  II,  4,  3. 
invincible.    Invisible;   not  to   be  made 

out.  2HIV.  Ill,  2,  337.  Some  eds. 
read  invisible. 

Invitus  nubibus.  Latin,  the  meaning  of 
which  is  :  In  spite  of  the  clouds. 
Malone  quotes  Camden  as  follows : 
"  Edward  III  bore  for  his  device  the 
rays  of  the  sun  dispersing  themselves 
out  of  a  cloud. "    2HVI.  IV,  1,  99. 

inward.  An  intimate  friend ;  one  privy 
to  the  thoughts  of  another.     Meas.  Ill, 

2,  138. 

inwardness.    Intimacy.    Ado.  IV,  1,  247. 

lo.  And  how  she  was  beguiled  and  sur- 
prised.   Shr.  Ind.  II,  57. 

lo  was  the  daughter  of  Inachus,  the 
first  King  of  Argos  and  the  founder  of 
the  worship  of  Hera,  with  whom  the 
Romans  identified  their  goddess  Juno. 


Jupiter  fell  in  love  with  her  and  aroused 
the  jealousy  of  Juno.  In  order  to  pro- 
tect lo,  Jupiter  transformed  her  into  a 
beautiful  heifer,  but  Juno,  suspecting 
the  intrigue,  requested  the  heifer  as  a 
gift,  and  the  request  was  granted.  Juno 
then  placed  lo  under  the  charge  of 
Argus,  who  tied  her  to  an  olive  tree 
and  watched  her  with  his  hundred  eyes, 
two  of  which  only  were  ever  closed  at 
a  time.     See  Argus. 

It  is  also  said  that  under  the  surveil- 
lance of  Argus  she  wandered  about  on 
different  pastures,  and  on  one  occasion 
came  to  her  former  home,  where  her 
father  and  sisters  were  mourning  for 
her  absence,  believing  her  to  be  dead. 
They  fed  and  petted  the  beautiful 
heifer  and  lo  let  them  know  who  she 
was  by  writing  her  name,  "  lo,"  in  the 
sand  with  her  foot.  Jupiter  at  last,  in 
answer  to  her  prayers,  sent  Hermes  or 
Mercury  to  dehver  her.  Mercury  ap- 
peared as  a  shepherd  and  so  won  upon 
Argus  by  his  singing  and  playing  that 
at  last  he  put  the  giant  to  sleep  and  cut 
off  his  head.  But  lo's  wanderings  con- 
tinued for  a  long  time  after  the  death 
of  Argus.  Some  writers  tell  us  that 
she  was  tormented  by  the  stings  of  a 
gadfly  sent  by  Juno,  and  that  she  w;as 
driven  in  a  frenzy  from  land  to  land 
over  the  whole  earth.  The  Bosporus 
is  said  to  have  derived  its  name  from 
the  fact  that  she  swam  across  it.  At 
length  she  found  rest  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nile,  where  she  recovered  her 
original  form,  and  bore  to  Jupiter  a 
son  who  was  named  Epaphus.  Accord- 
ing to  some,  she  afterwards  married 
Telegonus,  King  of  Egypt,  and  was 
identified  with  the  Egyptian  Isis. 
Iras,  dr. p.  Attendant  on  Cleopatra.  Ant. 
Iris,  dr.p.    A  spirit.    Tp. 

Iris  was  the  daughter  of  Thaumas 
and  of  Electra,  and  sister  of  the  Harpies. 
Iris  appears  to  have  been  originally  the 
personification  of  the  rainbow,  for  this 
brilliant  phenomenon  in  the  skies,  which 
vanishes  as  quickly  as  it  appears,  was 
regarded  as  the  swift  messenger  of  the 


IBB 


146 


JAC 


gods.  Some  poets  describe  Iris  as  the 
rainbow  itself,  while  others  represent 
the  rainbow  as  only  the  road  on  which 
Iris  travels,  and  which  therefore  appears 
whenever  the  goddess  wants  it,  and 
vanishes  when  it  is  no  longer  needed. 
In  the  earlier  poets  Iris  appears  as  a 
virgin  goddess,  but  in  the  later  she  is 
the  wife  of  Zephyrus  and  the  mother  of 
Eros. 

irregulous.  Lawless ;  unprincipled.  Cym. 
IV,  2,  315. 

iron-witted.  Unfeeling  ;  insensible.  RIII. 
IV,  2,  28. 

Isabel,    dr.p.    Queen   of   France.     HV. 

Isabella,  dr.p.    Sister  to  Claudio.    Meas. 

Isis.  The  references  to  this  goddess  are 
found  only  in  the  play  of  Antony  and 
Cleopatra.  She  was  one  of  the  chief 
of  the  Egyptian  divinities,  and  was  the 
wife  of  Osiris  and  the  mother  of  Horus, 
the  Egyptian  god  of  the  sun.  As  Osiris, 
the  god  of  the  Nile,  taught  the  people 
the  use  of  the  plough,  so  Isis  invented 
the  cultivation  of  wheat  and  barley, 
which  were  carried  about  in  the  pro- 
cessions at  her  festivals.  In  works  of 
art  Isis  appears  in  figure  and  counten- 


ance like  Juno  ;  she  wears  a  long  tunic 
and  her  upper  garment  is  fastened 
on  her  breast  by  a  knot ;  her  head  is 
crowned  with  a  lotus  flower,  and  her 
right  hand  holds  the  sistrum,  a  kind  of 
musical  instrument  in  which  the  sounds 
are  produced  by  shaking. 

isle.  Fertile  the  isle.  Wint.  Ill,  1,  2. 
Delphos  was  not  situated  on  an  island. 
See  Delphos. 

iterance.    Repetition.     0th.  V,  2,  148. 

iteration.  Repetition.  IHIV.  I,  2,  101; 
Troil.  Ill,  2,  183 ;  Oth.  V,  2,  150. 

I  wis,    )       Assuredly ;  certainly.  A  modi- 

I  wis.  \  fled  form  of  the  Anglo-saxon 
ge-wis.  Merch.  II,  9,  68 ;  RIII.  I,  3, 102. 
"It  is  to  be  particularly  noted  that 
the  Middle- English  prefix  i  (=  A.  s.  ge) 
is  often  written  apart  from  the  rest  of 
the  word,  and  with  a  capital  letter. 
Hence,  by  a  mistake  of  editors,  it  is 
sometimes  printed  I  wis,  and  explained 
to  mean  '  I  know. '  Hence,  further, 
the  imaginary  verb  wis,  to  know,  has 
found  its  way  into  our  dictionaries. 
But  it  is  pure  fiction  ;  the  verb  being 
wit."  Skeat.  In  the  Fl.  the  reading 
is  Iwis. 


^^^^TIACK.  1.  A  form  of  John  used 
^^H  famiUarly,  as  in  2HIV.  II,  2, 
SMKI  143.  Jack  Falstaff  with  my 
^^^"^■^l    familiars,    John     with     m^y 

brothers  and  sisters,  and   Sir  John 

with  aH  Europe. 

2.  A  term  of  contempt  denoting  a  mean, 
low  fellow.  Ado.  V,  1,  91  ;  Rom,  II,  4, 
160 ;  Cor.  V,  2,  67. 

3.  A  drinking  measure.  Shr.  IV,  1,  51. 
A  play  upon  the  words  jacks  and  jills, 
which  signify  two  drinking  measures 
as  well  as  men  and  maid-servants. 
Steevens. 

4.  The  small  bowl  (sometimes  called  the 
mistress)  aimed  at  in  the  game  of  bowl- 
ing.    Cym.  I,  2,  2.     To  kiss  the  jack 


is  a  state  of  great  advantage.  Johnson. 
5.  A  key  of  the  virginal.  Sonn. 
CXXVIII.  5,  13. 

Jack-a-Lent.  A  puppet  thrown  at  during 
Lent,  as  cocks  were  thrown  at  on 
Shrove  Tuesday.    Wiv.  Ill,  3,  27. 

jack-an-apes.  An  ape  ;  a  monkey.  Wiv. 
IV,  4,  67 ;  Cym.  II,  1,  4. 

jack-dog.  A  term  of  contempt  coined 
by  Dr.  Caius.     Wiv.  II,  3,  65. 

Jack  guardant.  A  Jack-in-offlce  ;  a  low 
fellow  occupying  a  position  of  import- 
ance.    Cor.  V,  2,  67. 

Jack-o*-lantern,  or  Will-o'-the-Wisp.  A 
certain  luminous  vapor  or  ignis  fatuus, 
Tp.  IV,  1,  198.     cf.  Ado.  I,  1,  186. 

Jack-o'-the-clock.    In  old  clocks  a  figure 


JAC 


147 


JET 


which  struck  the  bell  to  mark  the  hours. 
RII.  V,  5,  60. 

Jack  Cade.    See  Cade. 

Jack-sauce.  A  saucy  fellow.  HV.  IV, 
7,  149. 

Jack-slave.  A  mean  feUow.  Cyin.  II, 
1,  22. 

jadery.    Jade's  tricks.    Kins.  5,  4. 

jade,  n.  A  worthless,  wicked  or  mal- 
treated horse.  Meas.  II,  1,  269;  Ado.  I, 
1,  145;  2HIV.  1, 1,  45.  Also  applied  as  a 
term  of  contempt  to  men  and  women. 
Shr.  II,  1,  202  ;  John  II,  1,  385. 

Sh.  frequently  refers  to  "jade's 
tricks. ' '  These  are  of  an  "  infinite  varie- 
ty." The  reference  in  Ado.  I,  1,  145, 
You  ahcays  end  with  a  jade''s  trick, 
is  thus  explained  by  Dr.  Furness :  "  Re- 
ferring to  Every  Man  in  his  Humour, 
III,  2,  Cob  says,  '  An  you  offer  to  ride 
me  with  your  collar,  or  halter  either,  I 
may  hap  shew  you  a  jade's  trick,  sir. ' 
Cash  replies  :  '  O,  you'll  slip  your  head 
out  of  the  collar. '  As  soon  as  Beatrice 
has  fairly  collared  Benedick,  he  says, 
'  he  is  done,'  and  by  this  jade's  trick 
slips  his  head  out  of  the  collar,  and 
Beatrice  may  talk  to  the  empty  air." 

Pistol's  expression :  Hollow  pampered 
jades  of  Asia,  which  cannot  yo  but 
thirty  miles  a-day  (2HIV.  II,  4,  178) 
is  a  corruption  of  a  line  in  the  Second 
Part  of  Marlowe's  Tamburlane,  IV,  4 : 
Holla,  ye  pamper'd  jades  of  Asia  I 
What !   Can  ye  draw  but  twenty  miles 
a-day  ? 
The  jades  were  the    conquered  kings 
whom  Tamburlane  compelled  to  draw 
his  chariot. 

jade,  V.  To  make  ridiculous  or  contempt- 
ible.   Tw.  II,  5,  180. 

Jakes.  A  privy.  Li-.  II,  2, 59.  A  coarse 
pun  on  Ajax.     LLL.  V,  2,  581. 

James  Qurney.    See  Giirney. 

Jamy,  dr.p.  An  oflBcer  in  the  army  of 
Henry  V.    HV. 

jane.  A  kind  of  cheap  cotton  cloth.  The 
word  is  still  in  use  with  a  variation  in 
the  spelling.     Kins.  Ill,  5. 

jangle.  To  sound  discordantly.  Hml. 
Ill,  1,  166. 


Jaquenetta,  dr.p.    A  country  girl.   LLL. 

Jaques,  dr.p.  Son  to  Sir  Rowland  de 
Bois.     As. 

Jaques,  dr.p.  A  lord  attendant  on  the 
banished  Duke.  "  The  melancholy 
Jaques."    As. 

jar,  n.   The  tick  of  a  clock.    Wint.  I,  2,  43. ' 

jar,  V.    To  tick  as  a  clock.    RII.  V,  5,  51. 

jaunce,  v.  To  ride  hard ;  to  harass  the 
horse.    RII.  V,  5,  94. 

jaunce.  A  rough  journey ;  a  wild  tramp. 
Rom.  II,  5,  26.     In  some  eds.  jaunt. 

jay.  A  loose  woman.  Wiv.  Ill,  3,  44; 
Cym.  Ill,  4,  51. 

jennet.    See  gennet. 

Jeronimy.  The  phrase.  Go  by,  Jeronimy, 
used  by  Sly  (Shr.  Ind.  I,  9)  is  a  mean- 
ingless expression  intended,  it  is  said, 
to  ridicule  a  play  by  Thomas  Kyd, 
which  was  quite  popular  in  its  time. 
The  play  was  entitled:  The -Spanish 
Tragedy,  containing  the  lamentable 
end  of  Don  Horatio  and  Bel-Imperia 
with  the  pitiful  death  of  Old  Hiero- 
nimo.  Numerous  sarcastic  allusions  to 
this  play  are  to  be  found  in  the  di-amas 
of  Shakespeare's  time,  and  this  saying 
of  Sly's  is  a  quotation  of  a  line  from  the 
fourth  act.  As  the  play  was  quite 
popular,  this  line  may  have  become  a 
popular  ' '  gag. ' '  Instances  of  meaning- 
less sayings  taken  from  popular  plays 
and  used  as  slang  expressions  are  quite 
common  now.  Jei'onimy  is  supposed 
to  be  a  corruption  of  Hieronomo. 

jesses.  "The  short  straps  of  leather, 
but  sometimes  of  silk,  which  went 
round  the  legs  of  a  hawk,  in  which 
were  fixed  the  vai-vels  or  little  rings  of 
silver,  and  to  these  the  leash,  or  long 
strap,  which  the  falconer  twisted  round 
his  hand."    Nares.    0th.  Ill,  3,  261. 

Jessica,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  Shylock. 
Merch. 

jest.    A  play  or  masque.    RII.  I,  3,  95. 

jet.  1.  To  strut ;  to  stalk.    Cym.  Ill,  3, 5. 
2.  To  exult  over;  to  treat  with  insolence. 
RIII.  II,  4,  51. 

jet,  V.     1.  To  stalk  ;  to  strut.    Tw.  II,  5, 
36 ;  Cym.  Ill,  3,  5. 
2.  To  insult ;  to  flout.     RIII.  II,  4,  51. 


JEW 


]48 


JOH 


Jewes  eye.  Thus  in  Fl.  Most  modern 
eds.  read  Jewess"*  eye.  Merch.  II,  5, 
43.  *'  Worth  a  Jew's  eye  "  was  a  com- 
mon expression  for  something  of  great 
value,  the  Jews  being  frequently  com- 
pelled to  pay  a  large  ransom  or,  in 
default,  to  have  an  eye  put  out.  There 
is  probably  a  pun  intended ;  "  worth  a 
Jewess'  eye "  meaning  worthy  the 
attention  of  a  Jewess,  and  "worth  a 
Jew's  eye"  meaning  of  great  value. 
Grant  White  objected  to  the  use  of  the 
word  Jewess  on  the  ground  that  it  is 
modern,  but  Dyce  shows  that  it  was  in 
use  in  Tyndale's  Bible  (1525).  Grant 
White,  Ingleby  and  some  others  have 
made  bad  mistakes  by  founding  im- 
portant claims  upon  the  alleged  fact 
that  certain  words  were  not  in  use  in 
the  time  of  Sh. 

jig.  A  facetious  metrical  composition ;  a 
humorous  ballad  ;  a  merry  dance.  Pilg. 
253 ;  Hral.  II,  2,  522  ;  Ado.  II,  1,  77. 

jig-maker.  A  writer  or  composer  of  jigs. 
Hml.  Ill,  2,  131. 

Joan.  The  name  of  a  woman  ;  also  a 
hawk.  2HVI.  II,  1,  4.  In  this  passage 
the  meaning  is  that  "the  wind  was  so 
high  it  was  ten  to  one  that  old  Joan 
[the  hawk]  would  not  have  taken  her 
flight  at  the  game. "    Percy. 

Joan  La  Pucelle,  dr. p.  Commonly  caUed 
Joan  of  Arc.     IHVI. 

Joan,  or  rather  Jeanne  d'Arc  or 
Dare,  known  also  as  the  Maid  of  Or- 
leans, was  born  about  1411  at  Domremy, 
a  small  village  partly  in  Champagne 
and  partly  in  Lorraine.  Her  father 
was  Jaques  Dare,  a  peasant  proprietor 
of  Domremy.  She  never  learned  to 
read  or  write,  but  was  brought  up  most 
religiously  by  her  mother.  In  early 
girlhood  she  was  remarkable  for  physical 
vigor  and  energy,  but  without  the  least 
tendency  to  coarseness  or  unfeminine 
ways.  She  was  a  most  duteous  daughter, 
and  her  kindness  of  heart  and  good 
temper  made  her  a  favorite  with  all 
her  neighbors.  Up  to  about  her  seven- 
teenth year  she  tended  her  father's 
sheep,  and  during  the  solitude  of  this 


occupation  her  imagination  led  her  to 
hear  voices  and  see  visions.  At  this 
time  France  was  in  hard  straits,  for  the 
English  had  greatly  extended  their  con- 
quests through  an  alliance  with  Philip 
of  Burgundy.  At  length  Joan  believed 
that  the  Virgin  Mary  appeared  to  her 
and  commanded  her  to  arise  and  deliver 
her  country  from  the  oppressor.  It  is 
doubtful  if  in  her  seclusion  she  had 
ever  heard  of  the  famous  prophecy  by 
Merlin  that  France  was  to  be  delivered 
from  oppression  by  a  chaste  virgin,  but 
this  prophecy  was  current  among  the 
people,  and  perhaps  prepared  the  way 
for  the  events  that  occurred.  Her  in- 
troduction to  Charles;  her  raising  of 
the  siege  of  Orleans  ;  her  victory  at 
Patay  and  the  capture  of  Troyes  are 
well-known  matters  of  history.  At  the 
defence  of  Compiegne  against  the  Duke 
of  Burgundy  she  was  made  prisoner  by 
the  Burgundians  and  sold  to  the  English, 
who  delivered  her  to  the  Inquisition, 
by  whom  she  was  burned  at  the  stake 
in  the  streets  of  Rouen. 

According  to  the  best  historical 
authorities  of  modem  times,  with, 
perhaps,  a  single  exception,  the  filthy- 
minded  Voltaire,  Joan  d'Arc  was  a 
woman  of  the  most  pure  and  noble  char- 
acter, and  it  is  greatly  to  be  regretted 
that  Sh.  should  have  cast  upon  her  the 
vile  slurs  which  are  found  in  IHVI.  But 
Sh.  took  his  information  from  the  sources 
which  he  found  most  readily  at  hand, 
Hall  and  Holinshed,  and  as  his  great 
object  in  producing  these  plays  was  to 
make  money,  he  too  often  sacrificed  the 
truth  of  history  to  the  existing  likes 
and  dislikes  of  the  public  that  patronised 
his  theatre.  But  it  is  pleasant  to  know 
that  amongst  the  tributes  offered  to  the 
memory  of  the  Maid  of  Orleans,  none 
have  been  more  sincere  or  more  lauda- 
tory than  those  paid  by  the  descendants 
of  her  enemies. 

John,  dr. p.    A  follower  of  Jack  Cade. 
2HVI. 

John,    Don,   dr. p.    Bastard  brother   to 
Don  Pedro.    Ado. 


JOH 


149 


JUM 


John,  Friar,  dr.p.     A  Franciscan.    Rom. 

John  of  Gaunt,  dr.p.  Duke  of  Lan- 
caster. 

John,  Prince  of  Lancaster,  dr.p.  Son  to 
Henry  IV.     IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

John  Talbot,  dr.p.  Son  to  Lord  Talbot. 
IHVI. 

John  a=dreams.  A  dreamy,  idle  fellow. 
Hml.  II,  2,  595. 

joint-ring.  A  split  ring,  the  halves  made 
to  fit  in  each  other  very  closely  when 
united,  and  the  joined  hands  to  lock  it 
tight.  Such  rings  were  extensively 
used  as  love  tokens  in  the  sixteenth 
and  seventeenth  centuries.  Fairholt. 
0th.  IV,  3, 73. 

joint-stool.  The  phrase,  Cry  you  mercy, 
I  took  you  for  a  joint  stool  (Lr.  Ill,  6, 
54),  seems  to  have  been  a  common  slang 
expression  in  the  time  of  Sh.  Like 
similar  slang  phrases  of  the  present 
day,  it  probably  had  no  meaning  and 
was  used  by  those  who  wished  to  appear 
"smart." 

jole.    See  jowl. 

joll,    )    V.    To  knock  or  dash.    All's.  I,  3, 

jowl,  )    60;  Hml.  V,  1,82. 

jolthead.    A  blockhead.    Shr.  IV,  1,  169. 

Jordan.  A  slang  name  for  a  chamber 
utensil.    IHIV.  II,  1,  22. 

The  history  of  this  word  is  not  very 
clearly  made  out.  It  appears  as  early 
as  1882.  The  most  probable  origin 
seems  to  me  to  be  from  the  name  of  the 
river  Jordan.  Pilgrims  on  their  return 
from  the  Holy  Land  brought  back  a 
bottle  of  the  water  of  the  sacred  river 
for  baptismal  purposes,  and  the  bottles 
themselves,  which  seem  to  have  re- 
sembled the  well-kno%vn  Florence  flask 
in  shape,  when  emptied,  continued  to 
be  looked  upon  as  somewhat  sacred. 
Hence,  they  were  employed  by  chemists 
for  their  more  delicate  operations,  and 
also  by  certain  quack  doctors.  Owing 
to  the  use  made  of  them  by  the  latter 
the  name  came  to  be  applied  to  any 
vessel  used  for  a  similar  purpose.  It  is 
not  probable  that  the  original  bottles 
ever  became  so  common  as  to  be  so 
used.    See  Skeat's  "Etymological  Dic- 


tionary" and  the  "  Promptorium  Parvu- 
lorum,"  Vol.  1,  page  267. 

The  word  has  no  connection  with 
joram  as  intimated  in  a  recent  glossary. 
Joram  signifies  a  bowl  of  punch. 
Jourdain,  Margery,  dr.p.  A  witch.  2HVI. 
Margery  Jourdain  was  a  real  charac- 
ter, also  known  as  the  witch  of  Eye. 
It  was  laid  to  her  charge  that  she  and 
her  confederates  had,  at  the  request  of 
the  Duchess  of  Gloster,  devised  an 
image  of  wax  representing  the  king, 
which  by  their  sorcery  a  little  and  a 
little  consumed,  intending  thereby  in 
conclusion  to  waste  and  destroy  the 
king's  person  and  so  to  bring  him  to 
death.  Margery  was  burnt  in  Smith- 
field,  and  one  of  her  confederates,  Roger 
Bolingbroke,  was  drawn  and  quartered, 
at  Tyburn,  protesting  his  innocence 
with  his  last  breath. 

journal.    Daily.    Gym.  IV,  2,  10. 

journeyman.  A  man  who,  having  passed 
his  apprenticeship,  is  hired  to  work  by 
the  day.  French,  joMrnee,  a  day's  work. 
RII.  I,  3,  274 ;  Hml.  Ill,  2,  37. 

Jove.    See  Jupiter. 

Jovial.    1.  Like  Jupiter  or  Jove.    Cym. 
IV,  2,  311,  and  V,  4,  105. 
2.  Merry.     Mcb.  Ill,  2,  28. 

Judas.    See  Oain-colored. 

Judean.    See  Indian. 

judicious.    Critical.     Wiv.  I,  3,  68. 

Jug.  Whoop,  Jug  !  I  love  thee !  Com- 
mentators are  not  agreed  as  to  the 
meaning  of  this  expression  of  the  fool. 
It  probably  had  no  special  meaning  and 
was  merely  a  sort  of  "explosive"  ex- 
clamation, perhaps  taken  from  some 
old  song.  "Jug"  was  a  nickname  for 
Joan.     Lr.  I,  4,  245. 

Julia,  dr.p.    A  lady  of  Verona.    Grent. 

Juliet,  dr.p.  Betrothed  to  Claudio.  Meas. 

Juliet,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  Capulet.  Rom. 

July,  the  sixth  of.  Wright  points  out 
that  this  was  old  Midsummer  Day  and 
an  appropriate  date  for  such  midsummer 
madness.     Ado.  I,  1,  285. 

jump,  n.  A  stake ;  a  hazard.  Ant.  Ill, 
8,  6. 

jump,  adv.    Exactly  ;  pat.    Hml.  I,  1, 65. 


JUH 


150 


JUV 


Junius  Brutus.    See  Brutus. 

junkets.    Dainties.    Shr.  Ill,  2,  250. 

Juno,  dr.p.    A  spirit.    Tp. 

Juno  was  the  chief  goddess  in  the 
Roman  mythology.  She  was  identified 
by  the  Romans  with  the  Greek  Hera, 
who  was  the  daughter  of  Cronos  and 
Rhea,  and  sister  and  wife  of  Zeus  or 
Jupiter.  She  was  the  goddess  who  pre- 
sided over  all  the  important  affairs  of 
women.  As  the  most  important  period 
in  a  woman's  life  is  marriage,  she  was 
supposed  to  preside  over  this  event,  and 
the  month  of  June,  which  is  said  to 
have  been  originally  called  Junonius, 
was  considered  to  be  the  most  favorable 
period  for  marrying.  Her  most  promi- 
nent characteristic  was  jealousy,  and 
she  bitterly  persecuted  all  the  children 
of  Jupiter  by  mortal  mothers — Hercules, 
Bacchus  and  others.  In  art  she  is 
usually  represented  as  a  mature  woman 
of  majestic  appearance,  with  a  beauti- 
ful forehead,  large  and  widely-opened 
eyes,  and  a  grave  expression  command- 
ing reverence.  The  peacock  was  sacred  to 
her.  See  Argus  and  lo.  In  As.  I,  3, 
77,  Celia  says :  like  Juno''s  swans,  Still 
went  we  coupled  and  inseparable. 
This  is  a  mistake.  The  swan  was  sacred 
to  Venus. 

Jupiter.  The  supreme  deity  of  the 
Romans  and  identified  by  them  with 
the  Greek  Zeus,  who  was  a  son  of 
Cronos  and  Rhea.  He  is  called  the 
father  of  gods  and  men,  the  most  high 
and  powerful  among  the  immortals  and 
the  one  whom  aU  others  obey.  Being 
the  lord  of  heaven,  he  was  worshipped 
as  the  god  of  rain,  storms,  thunder  and 
lightning,  the  epithets  Pluvius,  Ful- 
gurator,  Tonans,  etc.,  being  given  to 
him  in  each  special  case.  He  is  the  hero 
of  numerous  amatory  intrigues,  many  of 
which  are  alluded  to  in  Sh.,  and  the 
details  of  which  will  be  found  under 
Europa,  lo,  Leda,  etc.  Jupiter  was 
regarded  as  the  guardian  of  law,  the 
protector  of  justice  and  virtue,  and  the 
maintainer  of  the  sanctity  of  an  oath  ; 
hence,  perhaps,  the  frequent  invocation 


of  Jupiter  or  Jove  in  the  oaths  of  the 
ancients.  As  he  was  lord  of  heaven 
and  prince  of  light,  the  white  color  was 
sacred  to  him  ;  consequently  white 
animals  were  sacrificed  to  him ;  his 
chariot  was  drawn  by  white  horses,  and 
his  priests  were  dressed  in  white.  The 
eagle,  the  oak  and  the  summits  of 
mountains  were  sacred  to  him.  Ac- 
cording to  the  belief  of  the  Romans, 
he  determined  the  course  of  all  earthly 
and  human  affairs ;  he  foresaw  the 
future  and  the  events  happening  in 
it  were  the  result  of  his  will.  In 
works  of  art  his  usual  attributes  are 
the  scepter,  eagle,  thunderbolt  and  a 
figure  of  Victory  in  his  hand.  The 
name  Jupiter  signifies  father  or  lord, 
being  a  contraction  of  Diovis  pater  or 
Diespiter. 

jure.  A  word  manufactured  by  Falstaff 
for  the  occasion  and  evidently  having 
no  definite  meaning.  Grant  White  says : 
"  Falstaff 's  exclamation,  'You  are 
grand  jurors,  are  ye  ?  We'll  jure  ye, 
i'  faith,'  seems  to  be  based  on  an  in- 
tended whimsical  misunderstanding  of 
'  we '  and  '  ours '  in  the  Traveller's  out- 
cry ;  '  ours '  having  probably  been  pro- 
nounced oors  in  Shakespeare's  day." 

just.  Besides  the  usual  meanings  era- 
bodying  ideas  of  justice  and  right,  this 
word  is  used  by  Sh.  both  as  an  adjec- 
tive and  as  an  adverb  to  signify  exact- 
ness and  precision.  Merch.  IV,  1,  327 ; 
Ado.  I,  1,  875 ;  All's.  V,  3,  221 ;  0th. 
II,  3,  129.  In  Ado.  II,  1,  28,  just  = 
exactly  so. 

just,  V.  To  tilt  as  in  a  tournament.  Per. 
II,  1,  116. 

Justice  Sliallow.    See  Shallow. 

justicer.  A  judge.  Lr.  Ill,  6,  59 ;  Cym. 
V,  5,  214. 

jut.  1.  To  encroach.  RIII.  II,  4,  51. 
Also  spelled  jet. 

2.  To  project ;  to  thrust  forth.  Tim.  I, 
2,237. 

jutty,  n.    A  projection.    Mcb.  I,  6,  6. 

jutty,  V.     To  project.     HV.  Ill,  1,  13. 

Juvenal.  A  youth.  LLL.  I,  2,  8 ;  2HIV. 
I,  2,  22. 


KAM 


151 


KIH 


bvw/VWjAM.     Crooked ;   awry ;    wrong. 

^l[^^    =  entirely  wrong.    Sometimes 

L^  UJ"^w  written  cam.  This  word,  like 
crank,  is  no  doubt  connected  with  the 
mechanical  idea  involved  in  the  device 
known  as  a  cam,  or  crank. 

Kate.    See  Percy,  Lady. 

Kate.  In  The  Taming  of  the  Shrew  Sh. 
introduces  several  puns  on  this  word  ; 
thus  in  II,  1,  190 :  For  dainties  all 
are  Kates  is  evidently  a  pun  on  cates 
and  Kates.  In  the  same  Act  and  scene, 
line  279,  some  see  a  play  upon  wild  cat 
and  wild  Kate,  but  this  seems  to  me 
rather  far-fetched.  Still,  in  the  rollick- 
ing "chaff"  between  Petruchio  and 
Katharina  we  may  imagine  almost 
anything  in  the  way  of  puns  and 
quibbles. 

Katharina,  dr. p.    The  shrew.    Shr. 

Katharine,  dr. p.  A  lady  in  attendance 
on  the  Princess  of  France.     LLL. 

Katharine,  Princess,  dr.p.  Daughter  to 
Charles  VI,  King  of  France.     HV. 

Katharine,  Queen,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Henry 
VIII.    HVIII. 

kecksy.  The  dried  stem  of  hemlock  or 
similar  plant.    HV.  V,  2,  52. 

keech.  The  fat  of  an  ox,  rolled  up  into 
a  round  lump ;  hence  the  name  given 
to  a  fat  person.  2HIV.  II,  1,  101; 
HVIII.  I,  1,  55. 

keel.  According  to  some,  this  word 
means  to  cool ;  according  to  others  it 
means  to  skim.     LLL.  V,  2,  930. 

keep,  n.    Custody ;  guard.    Shr.  1, 2, 118. 

keep,  V.  To  restrain ;  to  control.  Gent. 
IV,  4,  11. 

Keisar.    Caesar ;  emperor.     Wiv.  I,  3,  9. 

ken,  n.  Sight ;  seeing  distance.  2HIV. 
IV,  1, 151 ;  2HVI.  Ill,  2,  113. 

ken,  V,  1.  To  descry  ;  to  see.  3HVI. 
Ill,  2, 101. 

2.  To  know.  Troll.  IV,  5,  14 ;  Wiv.  I, 
8,40. 

Kent,  Earl  of,  dr.p.  Attendant  on  King 
Lear.    Lr. 


kern,    i       A  foot  soldier,  usually  Irish 

kerne,  j  or  from  the  Western  Isles ;  a 
boor.     Mcb.  I,  2,  13;  V,  7,  17. 

kettle.    A  kettle-drum.    Hml.  V,  2,  286. 

key.    A  tuning  key.    Tp.  I,  2,  83. 

key-cold.  Cold  as  a  key ;  stone  cold. 
RIIL  I,  2,  5.     Lucr.  1774. 

kibe.  1.  A  chilblain.  Temp.  II,  1,  284. 
2.  A  chap  on  the  heel.  Hml.  V,  1,  252  ; 
Wiv.  I,  2,  35. 

kick  at.  To  turn  away  from  with  loath- 
ing and  disgust.  Cor.  II,  2,  129.  This 
expression  seems  to  have  again  come 
into  use  in  a  slangy  way. 

kick-shaws.  Toys  ;  trifles ;  a  made  dish. 
2HIV.  V,  1,  29 ;  Tw.  I,  3,  122.  A  cor- 
ruption of  the  French  quelques  choses. 

kicksy-wicksy,  \       A  ludicrous  term  for 

kicky-wicky.      j    a  wife.   AU's.  II,  3,  297. 

kill.  Kill,  kill,  kill,  was  the  ancient  cry 
of  the  English  troops  when  they  charged 
the  enemy.     Ven.  652 ;  Lr.  IV,  6,  191. 

killen.    To  kill.     Per.  II,  Prol.  20. 

kiln-hole.  English  coms.  explain  as  the 
ash-hole  under  a  kiln  or  oven;  Schm., 
followed  by  "Century  Dictionary," 
calls  it  the  opening  of  an  oven.  Wiv. 
IV,  2,  59;  Wint.  IV,  4,  247.  Harris 
says:  "Kiln-hole  is  pronounced  kill- 
hole  in  the  Midland  counties,  and  gener- 
ally means  the  lire-place  used  in  making 
malt,  and  is  stiU  a  noted  gossiping 
place." 

kind.  This  word,  as  an  adjective  with 
the  usual  meanings,  occurs  very  fre- 
quently in  Sh.,  but  in  the  passage,  A 
little  more  than  kin  and  less  than  kind 
(Hml.  I,  2,  64),  these  meanings  do  not 
seem  to  quite  fill  Hamlet's  intention. 
Johnson  suggested  that  the  word  here 
meant  child  or  son,  and  this  I  believe 
to  be  the  correct  interpretation  of  the 
line.  The  King  had  just  called  Hamlet 
his  cousin,  and  then,  on  second  thoughts, 
called  him  son.  Hamlet  is  at  once 
struck  with  the  peculiarity  of  the  King's 
address,  and  in  an  aside  says :  "  A  little 
more  than  Cousin  and  less  than  sou, 


XIK 


152 


EIB 


else  why  did  he  hesitate."  The  words 
kin  and  kind  (pronounced  kinn^d)  being 
used  instead  of  cousin  and  son  for  the 
sake  of  the  jingle,  as  is  very  common 
in  Sh.  works,  as  in  Mcb.  II,  3,  146  :  the 
near  in  blood,  The  nearer  bloody. 
That  Sh,  was  addicted  to  these  allitera- 
tive jingles,  notwithstanding  the  ridi- 
cule which  he  throws  upon  them  in 
LLL.  IV,  3,  57,  is  well  known  to  all 
attentive  readers  of  his  works. 

Johnson's  gloss  has  not  been  accepted 
by  any  prominent  com.  or  actor  that  I 
know  of  except  Mr.  Wilson  Barrett,  but 
I  am  confident  that  it  is  correct.  The 
chief  objection  that  has  been  made  is 
that  by  Steevens,  who  claims  that  the 
word  kind  is  not  to  be  found  anywhere 
else  with  this  sense.  But  to  any  in- 
telligent student  of  Sh.  this  is  the  feeb- 
lest of  aU  reasons.  Sh.  cared  nothing 
for  precedents;  he  uses  many  words 
only  once  and  to  many  words  he  gives 
special  forms  and  meanings  and  then 
casts  them  aside,  not  to  be  used  again. 
To  bolster  up  the  common  interpreta- 
tion of  the  word  the  coms.  have  filled 
pages  with  utterly  irrelevant  quotations 
from  dramatists  of  the  period.  See 
kindless  and  unkind  in  this  glossary 
and  "  Shakespearean  Notes  and  New 
Readings,"  page  19. 

kindle.  1.  To  bring  forth  young;  also 
to  be  born.  Always  applied  to  rabbits, 
hares,  cats  and.  similar  animals.  As. 
Ill,  3,  3.58.      ' 

2.  To  inflame ;  hence,  to  stimulate ;  to 
incite.     As.  I,  1,  179. 

kindless.  This  word  occurs  but  once  in 
all  English  literature,  so  far  as  I  have 
been  able  to  find.  In  Hml.  II,  2,  609, 
we  find  ''remorseless,  treacherous, 
lecherous,  kindless  villain. ' '  The  usual 
meaning  given  to  the  word  as  here 
found  is  without  affection  or  kindness; 
unnatural— &  weak  and  ineffective 
meaning  considering  the  strong  adjec- 
tives that  have  preceded  it.  Some 
years  ago  I  suggested  that  the  word 
meant  childless,  such  a  reproach  having 
been  considered  very  degrading  in  the 


early  times  of  aU  nations.  On  sub- 
mitting this  gloss  to  the  late  Edwin 
Booth  he  made  the  objection  that  Ham- 
let was  not  likely  to  have  "made  a 
kick  at  the  old  king's  sterility."  It 
seems  to  me  that  this  is  just  what  he 
would  have  done,  for  he  boasts  to 
Ophelia  of  his  own  virility.  See  Hml. 
Ill,  3,  260.  The  combination  of  the 
affix  less  with  an  adjective  is,  to  say 
the  least,  unusual.  It  is  almost  always 
used  with  nouns,  as  childless,  homeless, 
armless,  etc.,  etc.     See  kind. 

kindly,  adj.  Natural ;  in  keeping  with 
the  natural  qualities  or  properties  of 
things.  Thus,  by  "  the  kindly  fruits  of 
the  earth  "  is  meant  the  natural  fruits. 
In  As.  II,  3, 53,  frosty,  but  kindly  means 
suited  to  his  age.  In  IHVI.  Ill,  1,  131, 
the  bishop  has  a  kindly  gird  has  re- 
ceived various  interpretations.  Some 
make  it  "a  rebuke  appropriate  to  the 
occasion;"  others  explain  it  as  "a 
gentle  rebuke;"  others  again  as  "a 
reproach  in  kind." 

kindly,  adu.  1.  Pertinently ;  aptly.  Rom. 
II,  4,  59. 

2.  In  a  manner  suited  to  the  occasion. 
Shr.  Ind.  I,  66. 

King  Edward  IV,  dr.p.    RIII. 

King  Henry  IV,  dr.p.    IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

King  Henry  V,  dr.p.     HV. 

King  Henry  VI,  dr.p.  IHVI.,  2HVI.  and 
3HVI. 

King  Henry  Vlll,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

King  John,  dr.p.    John. 

King  of  France,  dr.p.    All's. 

King  of  France,  dr.p.    Lr. 

King  Richard  II,  dr.p.    RII. 

King  Richard  III,  dr.p.    RIII. 

kirtle.  "Few  words  have  occasioned 
such  controversy  among  the  commen- 
tators on  our  old  plays  as  this,  and  all 
for  want  of  knowing  that  it  is  used  in  a 
two-fold  sense,  sometimes  for  the  jacket 
merely,  and  sometimes  for  the  train  or 
upper  petticoat  attached  to  it.  A  full 
kirtle  was  always  a  jacket  and  petticoat, 
a  half -kirtle  ^a  term  which  frequently 
occurs)  was  either  the  one  or  the  other. " 
Gifford. 


SIS 


153 


ENO 


Under  the  word  half-kirtle  Nares  tells 
us  that  it  was  a  common  dress  of 
courtesans ;  it  seems  to  have  been  a 
short-skirted  loose-bodied  gown ;  but 
not  a  bed-gjown,  though  it  might  also 
be  worn  as  such.  Pilgr.  363;  2HIV. 
II,  4,  297. 
kiss.  No  need  of  a  definition,  but  there 
are  two  passages  that  will  bear  remark. 
In  Tw.  V,  1,  22,  the  expression  conclu- 
sions to  he  as  kisses,  if  your  four 
negatives  make  your  two  afflrma- 
tives,  has  occasioned  some  comment. 
War  burton  says:  "What  monstrous 
absurdity  have  we  here  ?  The  Clown 
is  affecting  to  argue  seriously  and  in 
form.  I  imagine  the  poet  wrote,  so 
that  conclusion  to  be  asked  is,  i.e.,  so 
that  the  conclusion  I  have  to  demand 
of  you  is  this,  if  your  four,  etc. "  Upon 
this,  Coleridge  remarks :  "  Surely  War- 
burton  could  never  have  wooed  by 
kisses  and  won,  or  he  would  not  have 
flounder-flatted  so  just  and  humorous, 
nor  less  pleasing  than  humorous  an 
image  into  so  profound  a  nihility.  In 
the  name  of  love  and  wonder,  do  not 
four  kisses  make  a  double  affirmative  ? 
The  humor  lies  in  the  whispered  '  No ' 
and  the  inviting  'Don't! '  with  which 
the  maiden's  kisses  are  accompanied, 
and  thence  compared  to  negatives, 
which  by  repetition  constitute  an  af- 
firmative." 

The  line  in  Hml.  II,  2,  182,  being  a 
god-kissing  carrion,  has  drawn  forth 
much  discussion.  Furness  fills  four 
closely-printed  pages  with  the  observa- 
tions of  the  corns.,  and  then  the  mean- 
ing is  not  made  clear.  In  the  Folios 
and  Quartos  it  reads  good  kissing. 
Warburton  changed  good  kissing  to 
god-kissing,  and  has  been  followed  by 
many  modern  eds.  His  remarks  are 
more  in  the  nature  of  a  sermon  than  a 
note.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  in 
all  his  conversations  with  Folonius, 
Hamlet  apparently  seeks  to  puzzle  and 
befog  the  old  man.  This  probably  ac- 
counts for  the  intricacy  of  thought  and 
expression  in  the  present  case.  It  is  easy 


to  imagine  satisfactory  and  beautiful  ex- 
planations of  this  passage,  but  whether 
they  embody  Sh.  ideas  or  not  is  another 
question. 

kissing-comfits.  Sugar-plums  perfumed 
to  sweeten  the  breath.  Wiv.  V,  5, 
22. 

kitchen,  v.  To  entertain  in  the  kitchen. 
Err.  V,  1,  418. 

knap.    1.   To  break  off   short.    Merch. 
Ill,  1,  10. 
2.  To  rap.    Lr.  II,  4, 125. 

knave.  1.  A  boy.  Often  used  without 
implying  badness,  and  frequently  as  a 
term  of  endearment.  LLL.  Ill,  1,  144. 
In  Scotch,  often  used  to  signify  a  male, 
as  in  knave-bairn. 
2.   A  servant.     Lr.  II,  2,  144;  0th.  I, 

1,  126.  In  old  versions  of  the  New 
Testament  "Paul,  a  servant  of  Jesus 
Christ,"  is  rendered  "  a  knave  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

knee.  Lend  me  your  knees  =  aid  me  in 
my  supplication.     Meas.  V,  1,  436. 

knoll.  Sounds ;  probably  a  variant  of 
knell.     Kins.  I,  1. 

knot-grass.  A  common  weed,  the  Poly- 
gonum aviculare.  It  is  low,  straggling 
and  having  numerous  and  prominent 
joints,  whence  the  name.  It  was  a 
common  superstition  that  children  and 
other  young  animals  fed  upon  a  decoc- 
tion of  knot-grass  became  stunted  or 
dwarfed.  Some  say  that  the  term 
"  hindering  "  applied  to  it  in  Mids.  Ill, 

2,  329,  means  that  it  clogs  the  plow  or 
harrow  and  thus  hinders  the  workman. 
But  the  connection  in  which  it  occurs 
points  to  the  first  interpretation  as 
being  the  true  one.  Furness  suggests 
that  "hindering"  applies  not  only  to 
knot-grass  but  to  Hermia ;  hence  it 
becomes  in  reality,  a  botanical  pun. 

knot-pated.     Thick-headed.     IHIV.    II, 

4,  79. 
knots.    Beds  or  plots  in  which  a  garden 

is  laid  out.     RIl.  Ill,  4,  46. 
know.   To  acknowledge ;  to  realize.   Mob. 

II,  2,  73. 
known.  Been  acquainted  with  each  other. 

Ant.  II,  6,  86 ;  Cym.  I,  4,  36. 


LA 


154 


LAM 


MR^f^JA.  1.  An  exclamation  signifying 

Qfr^Bv!     ^^^^ '  There  now !  Tw.  Ill,  4, 

Nl^ll     111  ;  Wint.  II,  3,  50. 

r.^~e-^^  2.  Probably  a  euphemism  for 
Lord,  and  used  as  a  mild  form  of  as- 
severation. Wint.  I,  1,  86  ;  Hml.  IV, 
5,  57. 

3.  A  musical  note  in  Guido's  scale.  LLL, 
IV,  2,  102 ;  Lr.  I,  2,  149. 

laborsome.  Elaborate.  Hml.  I,  2,  59 ; 
Cym.  Ill,  4,  167. 

labras.     (Spanish.)    Lips.    Wiv.  I,  1, 166. 

lace.  To  adorn  with  ;  material  fastened 
on.  Sonn.  LXVII,  4  ;  Mcb.  II,  3,  118  ; 
Cym.  II,  2,  22.     See  mutton. 

lade.  To  empty ;  to  drain.  3HVI.  Ill, 
2,  139. 

Lady  Anne,  dr.p.  Widow  to  Edward, 
Prince  of  Wales,  and  daughter  to  Earl 
of  Warwick.     RIII. 

Lady  Capulet,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Capulet 
and  mother  to  Juliet.     Rom. 

Lady  Faulconbridge,  dr.p.  Mother  to 
Robert  and  Philip  Faulconbridge.  John. 

Lady  Qrey,  dr.p.  Afterwards  queen  to 
Edward  IV.    3HVI.;  RIII. 

Lady  Macbeth,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Macbeth. 
Mcb. 

Lady  Macduff,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Macduff. 
Mcb. 

Lady  Montague,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Mon- 
tague.   Rom. 

Lady  Mortimer,  dr.j}.  Daughter  to  Glen- 
dower.     IHIV. 

Lady  Northumberland,  dr.p.    2HIV. 

Lady  Percy,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Hotspur. 
See  Percy,  Lady.     IHIV. 

lady-bird.  Staunton  claims  that  this 
term  was  usually  applied  to  women  of 
loose  manners,  and  that  the  "  God  for- 
bid "  in  the  nurse's  exclamation  means, 
"  G<xi  forbid  that  such  a  term  should 
be  applied  to  her."  But  Dyce  sees  in 
it  only  a  term  of  endearment,  and  that 
the  "  God  forbid  "  is  properly  an  ellipsis 
of  '•  Gtod  forbid  that  any  accident  should 
keep  her  away. ' '    Dyce  is  most  probably 


correct.  Halliwell,  in  his  "Dictionary 
of  Archaic  Words,"  gives  ladybird 
with  Staunton's  meaning,  but  there  is 
only  one  instance  of  such  use  thus  far 
discovered.  It  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  in  common  use  in  this  sense.  Rom. 
I,  3,  5. 

lady-smock.  The  plant  cardamine  pror 
tensis.     LLL.  V,  2,  903. 

Laertes,  dr.p.    Son  to  Polonius.    Hml. 

Lafeu,  dr.p.    An  old  lord.     All's. 

lag,  n.  The  last  or  lowest  class  of  people. 
Tim.  Ill,  6,  90. 

lag,  adv.  Late ;  tardy ;  coming  short  of. 
RIIL  11,1,  90;  Lr.  1,2,  6. 

lag,  V.     To  move  slowly.     RII.  I,  3,  214. 

lag-end.  The  latter  end ;  the  last  part. 
IHIV.  V,  1,  24  ;  HVIII.  I,  3,  35. 

laid.  Waylaid.  The  country  i.s  laid  = 
set  on  its  guard  to  arrest.  2HVL  IV, 
10,4. 

lakin.  A  contraction  of  ladykin  =  little 
lady,  an  endearing  term  applied  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  and  used  as  a  mincing 
oath.     Tp.  Ill,  3,  1 ;  Mids.  Ill,  1,  14. 

Lammas-tide.  The  first  of  August  in 
the  old  calendar ;  now  the  twelfth.  So- 
caUed  from  the  Anglo-saxon  hlaf-mcesse 
=  loaf -mass  or  bread-mass,  because  on 
this  day  the  first  fruits  of  the  harvest 
were  offered  at  mass.  In  Scotland  and 
the  North  of  England  this  is  the  time 
when  the  lambs  are  sold,  and  numerous 
fairs,  known  as  "Lammas  Fairs,"  are 
held  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 
Hence,  some  have  erroneously  derived 
the  name  from  lamb. 

Lamond.  In  the  Fl.  Lamound.  It  has 
been  suggested  that  Sir  W.  Raleigh 
was  the  original  of  this  character,  but 
without  good  grounds.  Mr.  C.  E. 
Brown  thinks  that  it  is  an  allusion  to 
Pietro  Monte,  a  famous  cavalier  and 
swordsman,  who  is  mentioned  by  Cas- 
tiglione  as  the  instructor  of  Louis  the 
Seventh's  Master  of  Horse. 

lampass,    A  disease  which   affects  the 


LAN 


155 


LAU 


mouths  of  horses.  Shr.  Ill,  2,  53. 
"  The  bars  [of  the  palate]  occasionally 
swell,  and  rise  to  a  level  with,  and  even 
beyond,  the  edge  of  the  teeth.  They 
are  very  sore,  and  the  horse  feels  badly 
on  account  of  the  pain  he  suffers  from 
the  pressure  of  the  food  on  them.  This 
is  called  the  Lampas.''''     Youatt. 

Lancaster,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Uncle  to 
Richard  II.    RII. 

Lancaster,  Prince  John  of,  dr.p.  Son 
to  Henry  IV.     IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

lances.  Lancers ;  men  armed  with  lances. 
LLL.  V,  3,  650;  Lr.  V,  3,  50. 

land.  Lawn.  Tp.  IV,  1,  130 ;  LLL.  V, 
2,  310. 

land-carrack.    See  carrack. 

land-damn.  A  word  of  which  the  mean- 
ing is  entirely  conjectural.  It  occurs 
but  once  in  Sh.,  and  certainly  means  to 
inflict  extreme  punishment,  but  what 
or  how  we  know  not.     Wint.  II,  1,  143. 

land-raker.  A  vagabond.  IHIV.  II,  1, 81. 

lank,  V.  To  shrink ;  to  become  lank. 
Ant.  I,  4,  71. 

lantern,     )       A  louvre;  a  window-turret. 

lanthorn.  f   Rom.  V,  3,  84. 

lap.  To  wrap  up.  Mcb.  I,  2,  55 ;  Cym. 
V,  5,  361. 

lapwing.  A  bird ;  the  Vanellus  crista- 
tus ;  called  also  the  peeivit  or  peetvee 
from  its  cry.  It  is  about  as  large  as  a 
pigeon,  and  is  familiar  to  every  one 
who  has  had  occasion  to  cross  waste 
lands  in  Great  Britain.  Like  some 
other  ground-nesting  birds  it  has  a  habit 
of  luring  intruders  away  from  its  nest 
by  fluttering  along  the  ground  as  if  it 
were  wounded  or  had  a  broken  wing, 
and  in  this  way  enticing  the  would-be 
capturer  to  a  distance,  when  it  suddenly 
takes  flight  and  regains  its  nest  by  a 
circuitous  route.  This  habit  of  decep- 
tion has  made  the  lapwing  a  symbol  of 
insincerity,  and  has  given  rise  to  the 
proverb :  "  The  lapwing  cries  most  far- 
thest from  her  nest."  Ray's  "Prov- 
erbs." Ado.  Ill,  1,25;  Err.  IV,  2,  27. 
Another  characteristic  which  the  lap- 
wing shares  with  some  other  ground- 
nesting  birds  is  that  the  young  are  so 


forward  that  the  moment  the  shell 
is  hatched  the  young  are  able  to 
run  about,  and  often  do  so  with 
part  of  the  shell  adhering  to  their 
bodies.  Most  writers  speak  of  the  shell 
adhering  to  the  head,  but  this  I  have 
never  seen ;  but  even  the  newly-hatched 
chickens  of  common  barn-door  fowl 
are  often  seen  carrying  portions  of  the 
sheU  on  their  backs.      Hml.  V,  2,  193. 

lapsed,  p.p.  Surprised ;  taken ;  appre- 
hended.   Tw.  Ill,  3,  36 ;  Hml.  Ill,  4, 107. 

lard.     To  ornament.     Hml.  IV,  5,  38. 

large.  Unrestrained  ;  free  ;  licentious. 
Mcb.  Ill,  4,  11 ;  Ado.   II,  3,  206;  Rom. 

II,  4,  102. 

largess.  Donation ;  bounty.  Mcb.  II, 
1,  14. 

lark.  The  European  sky-lark,  famed  for 
its  song  while  soaring  in  the  heavens. 
Cym.  II,  3,  21 ;  Rom.  Ill,  5,  31.  "  The 
toad  having  very  fine  eyes  and  the  lark 
very  ugly  ones,  was  the  occasion  of  a 
common  saying  among  the  people  that 
the  toad  and  lark  had  changed  eyes.'''' 
Warhurton. 

laroon.  A  thief.  (French,  larron.)  Wiv. 
I,  4,  71. 

lass-lorn.  Forsaken  by  his  mistress  or 
sweetheart.     Tp.  IV,  1,  68. 

latch.  1.  To  catch  ;  to  lay  hold  of.  Mcb. 
IV,  3,  195. 

2.  To  anoint;  to  besmear.  Mids.  Ill,  2, 
36.  Schm.  doubts  the  propriety  of  this 
definition  of  the  word,  but  there  seems 
to  be  good  authority  for  it. 

lated,   p.p.     Belated ;    benighted.    Mcb. 

III,  3,  6 ;  Ant.  Ill,  11,  30. 

lath.  A  wooden  sword  used  by  clowns ; 
hence,  a  contemptuous  term  for  a  sword 
in  the  handsof  a  weakling.  Tit.  II,  1, 41. 

latten.  A  coarse  kind  of  brass ;  a  metal 
incapable  of  taking  a  fine  temper  or 
holding  a  keen  edge.     Wiv.  I,  1,  165. 

Launce,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Proteus.  Gent. 

Launcelot  Gobbo,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Shy- 
lock.     Merch. 

laund.  A  glade  or  open  space  in  the 
woods.  The  old  form  of  lawn.  3HVI. 
Ill,  1,  2  ;  Kins.  Ill,  1. 

launder.    To  wash.    CompL  17, 


LAU 


156 


L'EN 


Laurence,  Friar,  dr. p.  A  Franciscan. 
Rom. 

Lavache,  dr. p.    A  clown.    All's. 

Lavinia,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  Titus  An- 
dronicus.     Tit. 

lavolta.  A  dance  consisting  chiefly  in 
high  bounds  and  whirls.  Troil.  IV,  4,  88. 

law-day.  A  court  day  ;  a  day  on  which 
the  judges  sit  to  administer  justice, 
0th.  Ill,  3,  140. 

lay.  A  wager.  0th.  II,  3, 330 ;  Gym.  1, 4, 59. 

leading.  The  power  of  leading ;  general- 
ship.   IHIV.  IV,  3,  17. 

leaguer.  A  camp;  generally  used  to 
signify  the  camp  of  the  assailants  in  a 
siege.    AU's.  Ill,  6,  27. 

Leander.  A  youth  of  Abydos  who  was 
in  lo\e  with  Hero,  the  priestess  of 
Venus  in  Sestus.  Guided  by  a  lamp 
displayed  by  Hero,  he  swam  across  the 
Hellespont  every  night  to  meet  her  and 
returned  before  daybreak.  One  stormy 
night  his  strength  was  unequal  to  the 
task  and  he  was  drowned.  Next  morn- 
ing his  body  was  cast  up  on  the  shore 
of  Sestus,  whereupon  Hero  cast  herself 
into  the  sea  and  perished.  The  story 
of  Hero  and  Leander  is  alluded  to 
several  times  in  Sh.  Gent.  Ill,  1,  H7  ; 
Rom.  II,  4,  44 ;  As.  IV,  1,  100. 

Lear,  dr.p.    King  of  Great  Britain.    Lr. 

learn.  To  teach.  Tp.  I,  2,  365;  Ado. 
IV,  1,  31 ;  RII.  IV,  1,  130.  A  use  of 
the  word  which  is  now  regarded  as  in- 
correct. 

leash.  A  set  of  three,  from  the  string 
or  thong  for  leading  greyhounds,  to 
which  usually  three  dogs  were  attached. 
The  leash  of  drawers  are  Tom,  Dick 
and  Francis,  who  have  just  been  named. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  7. 

leasing.  Lying.  Tw.  I,  5,  105 ;  Cor.  V, 
2,  22. 

leather-coats.  The  apples  generally 
known  as  golden  russets  or  russetings. 
2HIV.  V,  3,  44. 

leave,  n.  License;  licentiousness.  Ven. 
ofW  ;  3HVL  III,  2,  34. 

leave,  r.  1.  To  part  with.  Hml,  III,  4,  91, 
2.  To  desist  from:  to  leave  off.  Gent. 
11,6,  17:  March.  V,  1,43. 


Le  Beau,  dr.p.    A  courtier.    As. 

Leda.  The  daughter  of  Thesti  us  and  wife 
of  Tyndareus.  She  was  a  very  beauti- 
ful woman,  and  Jupiter  fell  in  love 
with  her.  In  order  to  gain  access  to 
her  he  transformed  himself  into  a  swan. 
Wiv.  V,  5,  7.  The  accounts  given  by 
the  ancient  writers  of  the  paternity  of 
her  children  are  very  much  confused. 
She  was  the  mother  of  Castor  and 
Pollux  and  other  children,  including  the 
famous  Helen,  the  wife  of  Menelaus  and 
the  cause  of  the  Fall  of  Troy. 

leech.    A  physician.    Tim.  V,  4,  84. 

leer.  1.  An  amorous  and  smiling  look. 
Wiv.  I,  3,  50. 

2.  Complexion ;  color.  As.  IV,  1,  67 ; 
Tit.  IV,  2,  119. 

leese.    To  loose.    Sonn.  V,  14. 

leet.  A  manor  court  or  private  juris- 
diction for  petty  offences ;  also  a  day  on 
which  such  court  is  held.  Nares.  Shr. 
Ind.  II,  89 ;  0th.  III.  3,  140.   ^ee  sealed. 

leg.  A  bow ;  an  obeisance.  Cor.  II,  1, 
78  ;  Tim.  I,  2,  241. 

lege.    To  allege.    Shr.  I,  2,  28. 

leiger,    )       Ambassador   or   messenger. 

leidger.  )  Meas.  Ill,  1,  59 ;  Cym.  I,  5,  80. 
See  also  lieger. 

legerity.  Lightness;  nimbleness.  HV. 
IV,  1,  23. 

legs.  As  proper  a  man  as  ever  went  on 
four  legs.  Tp.  II,  2,  62.  The  usual 
form  of  the  proverb  is  :  "As  proper  a 
man  as  ever  went  on  two  legs,"  but 
Stephano,  seeing  four  legs  sticking  out 
from  under  one  gaberdine,  thinks  this 
a  man  with  four  legs  and  alters  the 
proverb  to  suit.     See  neaVs-leather. 

leman.  A  lover ;  a  paramour  (either 
masculine  or  feminine).  Wiv.  IV,  2, 
172 ;  Tw.  II,  3,  26. 

Lennox,  dr.p.  A  Scottish  nobleman. 
Mcb. 

Leonardo,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Bassanio. 
Merch. 

lenten.  Spare  (like  the  fare  in  Lent). 
Tw.  I,  5,  9 ;  Hml.  II,  2,  329. 

I'envoy.  A  technical  term  (old  French) 
signifying  a  sort  of  postscript ;  a  fare- 
well or  moral  at  the  end  of  a  poem  or 


LET 


157 


LIM 


prose  piece.  LLL.  Ill,  ],  72,  73,  etc. 
The  expression  the  Venvoy,  found  in 
lines  88  and  89,  is  rather  awkward  as 
using  both  the  English  and  French 
articles  together  before  the  same  noun, 
1'  (le)  being  the  French  for  the.  But 
this  form  was  and*  still  is  in  common 
use. 

let,  n.    A  hindrance.     HV.  V,  2,  65. 

let,  V.  To  hinder.  Gent.  Ill,  1,  113; 
Hml.  I,  4,  85. 

lethe.  1.  A  river  in  Hades  whose  waters 
were  said  to  have  the  property  of 
causing  those  who  drank  of  them  or 
bathed  in  them  to  forget  everything 
that  had  occurred  in  their  past  lives. 
Hml.  I,  5,  83 ;  Tw.  IV,  1,  66 ;  2HIV.  V, 
2,  72. 
2.  Death.     Cses.  Ill,  1,  206. 

level,  n.  The  direction  of  an  aim.  All's. 
11,1,159;  HVIII.  1,2,2. 

level,  V.  To  aim,  RIII.  IV,  4,  202; 
Merch.  I,  2,  41 ;  Ant.  V,  2,  339. 

lets.     Hindrances.     Kins.  Ill,  5. 

Leonato,  dr.p.  Governor  of  Messina. 
Ado. 

Leonatus  Posthumus,  dr.p.  Husband 
to  Imogen.     Cym. 

Leonine,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Dionyza.  Per. 

Leontes,  dr.p.    King  of  Sicilia.     Wint. 

Lepidus,  Marcus  ^milius,  dr.p.  A  tri- 
umvir.    Ant. 

lewdly.  Wickedly ;  badly.  2HVI.  II,  1, 
167. 

lewdster.    A  Ubertine.    Wiv.  V,  8,  23. 

llbbard.  A  leopard.  LLL.  V,  2,  551. 
"The  knee-caps  in  old  dresses  and  in 
plate-armour  frequently  represented  a 
libbard's  (i.e.,  a  leopard's)  head."  Dyce. 

liberal.     Licentious ;  wanton.     Ado.  IV, 

1,  93;  Hml.  IV,  7,  171;  0th.  II,  1,  165. 
liberty.     Freedom  from  rules,     Hml.  II, 

2,  421.  This  passage  has  given  rise  to  a 
great  deal  of  conjecture.     See  writ. 

license.    Licentiousness.   Meas.  Ill,  2,  216. 

Lie  has.  He  was  the  attendant  or  servant 
of  Hercules  and  was  sent  by  the  latter 
to  his  wife,  Deianira,  for  a  robe  suitable 
for  him  to  wear  while  offering  a  sacri- 
fice to  Jupiter.  Deianira  sent  a  garment 
steeped  in  the  blood  of  Nessus,  and  as 


soon  as  it  had  grown  warm  on  the  body 
of  Hercules,  the  latter  suffered  the 
most  excruciating  tortures.  Maddened 
by  the  pain  which  he  endured,  he  threw 
his  faithful  servant,  Lichas,  into  the 
sea.     Merch.  II,  1,  32;   Ant.  IV,  12,  45. 

lictors.  Officers  who  attended  the  magis- 
trates in  ancient  Rome,  clearing  the 
way  and  performing  other  duties.  Ant. 
V,  2,  214. 

lie.  To  dwell;  to  abide.  Gent.  IV,  2, 
137;  Shr.  IV,  4,  56 ;  Tw.  Ill,  1,  8. 

liefest.     Best  beloved.     2HVI.  Ill,  1,  164. 

lifter.  A  thief.   Troil.  I,  2, 129.   (Punning.) 

lieger.     An  ambassador.     Cym.  I,  5,  80. 
"A  lieger    ambassador  is  one    that 
resides  in  a  foreign    court  to  promote 
his  master's  interests. "     Johnson. 

Kg.  To  rest:  to  lie.  HV.  Ill,  2,  125. 
Sh.  puts  this  word  in  the  mouth  of  the 
Scottish  captain,  Jamy,  as  a  Scotticism. 
It  is  old  English  and  is  used  by  Spencer 
and  Chaucer.  As  a  dialect  word  it  is 
used  to-day  in  the  North  of  England 
more  than  in  Scotland.  See  Tennyson's 
"  Northern  Farmer. " 

Ligarius,  dr.p.  A  Roman  conspirator. 
Caes. 

liggens.  Shallow's  oath,  by  God^s  liggens. 
2HIV.  V,  3,  69. 

Said  to  be  manufactured  for  Shallow, 
but  this  is  doubtful, 

lightly.  Usually ;  commonly,  RIII.  Ill, 
1,  94,     Nares. 

light-o'-love.  "  An  old  tune  of  a  dance, 
the  name  of  which  made  it  a  proverbial 
expression  of  levity,  especially  in  love 
matters.  Sir  John  Hawkins  recovered 
the  original  tune  from  an  old  MS. ,  and 
it  is  inserted  in  the  notes  to  Much  Ado 
About  Nothing.''''  Nares.  The  music 
and  some  of  the  words  may  be  found  in 
the  New  Variorum  Ed.  of  Ado.,  by  Dr. 
Furness,  page  181. 

Limander.  Bottom's  blunder  for  Leander. 
q.v.    Mids.  V,  1,  198. 

limbeck.  An  alembec;  a  still.  Sonn. 
CXIX,  2 ;  Mcb.  I,  7,  67. 

limber.     Easily  set  aside.    Wint.  I,  2,  47. 

limb-meal.  Limb  by  Umb.  Cym.  II,  4, 
147.    See  inch-meal. 


LIM 


158 


LIV 


limbo  (lirabus).  1.  The  borders  of  hell  or 
hell  itself ;  usually  supposed  to  be  a 
region  outside  of  hell  where. those  who 
have  not  received  the  grace  of  Christ, 
while  living,  and  yet  are  not  actually 
condemned,  have  their  abode.  Limbus 
patrum,  a  prison  on  the  outer  circle  of 
hell  where  are  confined  those  righteous 
who  died  before  the  coming  of  Christ. 
2.  A  cant  expression  for  prison.  Err. 
IV,  2,  32 ;  HVIII.  V,  4,  67. 

Lincoln,  Bishop  of,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

lime,  n.  1.  A  well-known  substance  of 
which  mortar  is  made.  It  is  strongly 
alkaline  and  was  frequently  added  to 
wine  and  beer  to  correct  acidity.  IHIV. 

II,  4,  137. 

2.  Bird-lime;   a  sticky  substance  used 

for  catching   birds.    Tp.   IV,    1,  246; 

Gent.  Ill,  2,  68;  Mcb.  IV,  2,  34. 

lime,  V.     1.    To    smear    with    bird-lime. 

2HVI.  1,3,  91;  Tw.  Ill,  4,  82;   Hml. 

III,  3,  68. 

2,  To  add  lime  to  wine  to  correct  its 

acidity.     Wiv.  I,  3,  15. 
limit.    To   appoint.    Meas.   IV,   2,   175; 

Mcb.  II,  3,  58. 
limn.     To  draw  ;   to   paint.     As.  II,  7, 

194. 
line.    1.  To  draw  ;  to  delineate.    As.  Ill, 

2,97. 

2.  To  pad ;  to  stuff.    Tim.  IV,  1,  14. 

3.  To  bribe.    Cym.  II,  3,  72. 

4.  To  fortify  ;  to  strengthen.    John  II, 
1,  352  ;  IHIV.  II,  3,  86 ;  Mcb.  I,  3,  112. 

line-grove.  Supposed  to  be  a  misprint 
for  lime-grove.    Tp.  V,  1,  10. 

ling.  1.  A  fish  {molva  vulgaris)  which 
is  extensively  used  as  food  in  a  salted 
and  dried  condition  like  codfish.  This 
is  probably  what  the  clown  means  in 
All's.  Ill,  2,  14.  "  The  clown  probably 
uses  ling  for  meagre  food  in  general, 
as  he  uses  Isbels  for  waiting-women 
generally."  Cowden  Clarke. 
2.  The  name  is  also  applied  to  moorland 
plants — heather,  broom,  etc.,  and  Dyce 
and  some  others  claim  that  the  word 
"  long  "  in  Tp.  I,  1, 70  should  be  "  ling. " 

lining.  Padding ;  stuffing  ;  something  to 
fill  out.  •  LLL.  V,  2,  791. 


link.  A  torch.  Shr.  IV,  1,  137.  It 
was  a  common  trick  to  color  or 
blacken  old  hats  by  holding  them  over 
the  smoky  flame  of  a  pitch  torch.  In 
Mihil  Mumchance  (wrongly  attributed 
by  Steevens  to  Greene)  we  read :  "This 
cozenage  is  used,  likewise,  in  selling  old 
hats  found  upon  dung-hills,  instead  of 
newe,  blackt  over  with  the  smoake  of 
an  old  linke." 

linsey-woolsey.  Cloth  made  of  flax  and 
wool ;  hence  a  mixture  of  ill-assorted 
things  ;  a  farago.    All's.  IV,  1,  13. 

linstock.  "  A  curved  stick  with  a  cock 
at  one  end  to  hold  a  gunner's  match, 
and  a  sharp  point  at  the  other  to  stick 
it  upright  in  the  ground."  "Kersey's 
Dictionary."  The  old  means  of  firing 
a  cannon.     HV.  Ill,  chor.  33. 

Lion.  A  character  in  the  interlude.  Mids. 

lip,  V.    To  kiss.     0th.  IV,  1,  72. 

Lipsbury  pinfold.  The  location  of  Lips- 
bury  has  never  been  found  out.  Capell 
says:  "This  we  may  know,  and  with 
certainty,  that  it  was  some  village  or 
other  famed  for  boxing  ;  that  the  boxers 
fought  in  a  ring  or  enclosed  circle  and 
that  this  ring  was  called  '  Lipsbury 
pinfold.'"  Nares  thought  it  might 
"  mean  the  teeth  as  being  the  pinfold 
within  the  lips."  Collier's  MS.  gives 
"Finsbury,"  and  Jennen's  suggests 
"Ledbury."  Kent  evidently  meant  a 
place  or  enclosure  where  he  could  thrash 
Oswald  without  fear  of  interruption. 
Lr.  II,  2,  9. 

list.  Boundary  ;  enclosure.  Meas.  I,  1,  6 ; 
Hml.  IV,  5,  99. 

lither.    Soft ;  pliant.     IHVI.  IV,  7,  21. 

litigious.      Doubtful ;   precarious.     Per. 

III,  3,  3. 

littered.  Born  ;  a  term  generally  applied 
to  puppies  and  kittens,  but  used  by 
Autolycus  in  regard  to  himself.    Wint. 

IV,  3,  25. 

livelihood.  Semblance  of  life.  All's.  I, 
1,  58. 

livery.  A  law  phrase,  signifying  the  act 
of  delivering  a  freehold  into  the  posses- 
sion of  the  heir  or  purchaser.  RII.  II, 
3,  129 ;  IHIV.  IV,  3,  62. 


LIV 


159 


LOB 


living.  Active  ;  present ;  convincing. 
0th.  Ill,  3,  409. 

lizard.  The  common  gray  lizard  of 
England  is  the  Lacerta  agilis,  a  slender 
animal  with  four  legs  and  a  long  tail. 
In  Shakespeare's  time  it  was  a  general 
belief  that  the  harmless  little  lizard 
was  armed  with  a  venomous  little  sting 
(2HVI.  Ill,  2,  335),  and  the  same  idea 
is  quite  common  even  at  the  present 
time.  This  was  probably  the  reason 
why  the  lizard  and  a  very  similar-look- 
ing, though  radically  different,  animal, 
the  newt,  formed  an  ingredient  in  the 
broth  of  witches.  It  is  needless  to  say 
that  the  lizard  is  quite  harmless  and, 
indeed,  forms  a  very  pretty  and  inter- 
esting pet.  Like  the  chameleon  it  lives 
wholly  upon  insects.     See  newt. 

loach.  A  kind  of  fish.  IHIV.  II,  1,  23. 
The  comparison  here  has  drawn  forth 
much  comment  from  Sh.  editors,  but 
without  satisfactory  results.    See  hawk. 

lob,  n.  A  lout ;  something  large  or  thick. 
Thou  lob  of  spirits.  Mids.  II,  1,  16. 
Johnson  correctly  says  that  the  word 
indicates  inactivity  of  body  and  dulness 
of  mind.  Dyce  says  that  as  Puck  could 
fly  "swifter  than  arrow  from  the  Tar- 
tar's bow,'-  and  could  "put  a  girdle 
round  about  the  earth  in  forty  minutes, ' ' 
the  Fairy  could  hardly  mean,  as  Mr. 
Collier  supposes,  "to  reproach  Puck 
with  heaviness. "  This  is  all  weU  enough 
for  a  man  to  say,  because  even  a  Verne 
did  not  suggest  that  he  could  do  it  in 
less  than  eighty  days.  But  light  would 
go  round  the  world  while  Puck  was 
making  a  couple  of  flaps  with  his  wings, 
and  electricity  in  still  less  time.  If  the 
fairy  could  have  done  it  in  forty  seconds 
she  might  well  call  Puck  a  slow,  loutish 
creature.  That  the  word  indicates  large 
size  is  seen  m  the  name  lob-worm 
given  to  a  large,  slow-moving  kind 
of  earth-worm  often  used  by  anglers 
for  bait. 

lob,  V.  To  hang  down  in  a  wearied  and 
sluggish  manner.     HV.  IV,  2,  47. 

lockram.  A  cheap  kind  of  linen.  Cor. 
II,  1,  225.     So  called  from  Locrenan, 


the  place  in  Brittany  where  it  was 
made. 

locusts.  Undoubtedly  the  fruit  (long 
pods)  of  the  carobtree  (ceratonia  siliqua) 
and  not  insects.  0th.  I,  3,  354.  These 
pods,  when  in  good  condition,  are  quite 
sweet.  They  are  known  as  "  John  the 
Baptist's  bread." 

lodestar.  The  leading  star;  the  pole 
star.     Lucr.  179 ;  Mids,  I,  1,  183. 

Lodovico,  dr.p.  Kinsman  to  Brabantio. 
Merch. 

lodged.  Growing  grain  is  said  to  be 
lodged  when  it  is  laid  flat  by  wind  and 
rain.  RII.  Ill,  3,  162 ;  Mcb.  IV,  1,  55. 
See  bladed. 

loffe.    To  laugh.    Mids.  II,  1,  55. 

loggats.  A  popular  game  in  which  small 
logs  are  thrown  at  a  stake  fixed  in  the 
ground.  Hml.  V,  1,  100.  Hanmer, 
Capell  and  most  of  the  smaU  glossaries 
make  it  the  same  as  nine-pins,  but 
Nares  shows  that  this  is  a  mistake. 

loggerhead.    A  blockhead ;  a  dolt.    LLL. 

IV,  3,  204;  IHIV.  II,  4,  4. 

long.    To  belong.     Meas.  II,  2,  59 ;  HV. 

11,4,  80;  Per.  II,  Intro.  40. 
Longaville,  dr.p.    A  lord  attendant  on 

the  King  of  Navarre.     LLL. 
longly.     Fondly  ;  lovingly.   Shr.  1, 1, 170. 
long  of.  On  account  of ;  because  of.  Mids. 

Ill,  2,  339 ;  Cym.  V,  5,  272. 
long-staff    sixpenny  strikers.     Fellows 

that  infest  the  road  with  long  staves  and 

rob  men  of  sixpences.    IHIV.  II,  1,  82. 
Longsword,    William,    dr.p.     Earl    of 

Salisbury.    John. 
loof .    To  luff  ;  to  bring  close  to  the  wind. 

Ant.  Ill,  10,  18. 
loon.    A  low  contemptible  fellow.    Mcb. 

V,  3,  11. 

looped.    FuU  of  holes.     Lr.  Ill,  4,  31. 

loose,  V.  To  discharge  an  arrow.  HVIII. 
V,  4,  60. 

loose,  n.  The  discharge  of  an  arrow. 
LLL.  V,  2,  750. 

Lord,  A,  dr.p.  A  character  in  the  Induc- 
tion.   Shr. 

Lord  Abergavenny,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

Lord  Bardolph,  dr.p.  An  enemy  to  the 
king.    2HIV. 


LOR 


160 


LTTC 


Lord  Chief  Justice  of  the  King's  Bench, 
dr.p.    3HIV. 

Lord  Clifford,  dr.p.  A  Lancastrian. 
2HVI.  andSHVI. 

Lord  Fitzwater,  dr.p.    RII. 

Lord  Grey,  dr.p.  Son  to  Lady  Grey. 
RIII. 

Lord  Hastings,  dr.p.  2HIV.,  3HVI.  and 
RIII. 

Lord  Lovel,  dr.p.    RIII.    See  Lovel. 

Lord  Mowbray,  dr.p.  An  enemy  to  the 
king.    2HIV. 

Lord  Rivers,  dr.p.  Brother  to  Lady 
Grey.    3HVI. 

Lord  Ross,  dr.p.    RII. 

Lord  Sands,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

Lord  Say,  dr.p.    2HVI. 

Lord  Scales,  dr.p.  Governor  of  the 
Tower.    2HVI. 

Lord  Scroop,  dr.p.  An  enemy  to  the 
king.    HV. 

Lord  Stafford,  dr.p.   A  Yorkist.   3HVI. 

Lord  Stanley,  dr.p.    RIII. 

Lord  Talbot,  dr.p.  Afterwards  Earl  of 
Shrewsbury.    IHVI. 

Lord  Willoughby,  dr.p.    RII. 

"Lord  have  mercy  on  us."  The  in- 
scription which  used  to  be  placed  on 
the  doors  of  houses  visited  by  the  plague 
to  warn  persons  not  to  approach  them. 
LLL.  V,  2,  419. 

Lord's  tokens.  Plague  spots.  It  was 
supposed  that  when  these  appeared 
there  was  no  hope  of  recovery.  LLL. 
V,  2,  424. 

Lorenzo,  dr.p.  The  lover  of  Jessica. 
Merch. 

lots  to  blanks.  Very  great  odds.  Cor. 
V,  2,  10. 

lottery,  A  prize;  that  which  falls  to 
one's  share  by  lot.     Ant.  II,  2,  248. 

Louis,  dr.p.  The  Dauphin  of  France.  John. 

Louis,  dr. />.  The  Dauphin  of  France.  HV. 

Louis  XI,  dr.p.    King  of  France.    3HVI. 

lout,   )  n.    An  awkward,  foolish  fellow ; 

lowt,  j  a  bumpkin.  Gent.  IV,  4,  71 ; 
Wint.  I,  2,  301 ;  Cym.  V,  2,  9. 

lout,    I  V.    To  make  a  fool  of.    IHVI. 

lowt,  )     IV,  3,  13. 

love-day.  A  day  for  the  amicable  settle- 
ment of  differences.    Tit.  1, 1,  4. 


Lovel,  Lord,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Richard 
III. 

This  was  Francis,  Lord  Lovell  and 
Holland,  who  is  referred  to  in  the 
famous  lines  quoted  ante  under  Catesby. 
He  escaped  from  the  battle  of  Bosworth 
and  reached  Flanders  and  Burgundy, 
whence  he  returned  with  two  thousand 
men  to  support  the  impostor  Lambert 
Sininel.  Some  say  that  he  was  slain  at 
the  battle  of  Stoke  ;  others,  that  he  es- 
caped and  found  refuge  in  a  secret 
vault  in  his  old  home.  In  1708  there 
was  found  in  this  vault  a  skeleton,  with 
remnants  of  jars,  etc.  It  is  supposed 
that  the  skeleton  was  his  and  that  he 
had  eventually  starved  to  death. 

Lovell,  Sir  Thomas,  dr.j).    HVIII. 

loves.  Of  all  loves  =  for  love's  sake,  i.e., 
for  the  sake  of  the  love  between  us. 
Wiv.  II,  2,  119 ;  Mids.  II,  2,  154.  In 
0th.  Ill,  1,  13  the  Fl.  and  most  modern 
eds.  read  for  love'^s  sake ;  the  Quarto 
reads  of  all  loves. 

love-in-idleness.  The  pansy  or  heart's- 
ease — viola  tricolor.  Mids.  II,  1,  168 ; 
Shr.  I,  1,  156. 

lown.  A  base  feUow.  0th.  II,  3,  96; 
Per.  IV,  6,  19.    Same  as  loon. 

lozel.  A  faint-hearted,  cowardly,  worth- 
less feUow.    Wint.  II,  3,  109. 

lubber.  A  heavy,  inactive  fellow.  G«nt. 
II,  5,  47 ;  Tw.  IV,  1,  14 ;  Troil.  Ill,  3, 
139.  Mrs.  Quickly  uses  Lubber's  head 
for  Libbard's  head  in  2HIV.  II,  1,  30. 

luce.  A  British  fish,  very  similar  in  ap- 
pearance and  habits  to  the  American 
pickerel.  It  is  called  a  jack  when  small, 
a  pike  when  in  its  middle  stage,  and  a 
luce  or  lucie  when  full  grown.  Sir 
Thomas  Lucy,  the  poet's  old  enemy, 
bore  three  luces  in  his  coat  of  ai'ms. 
Slender  increases  them  to  a  dozen,  and 
Evans,  seeming  to  understand  the  word 
according  to  his  own  pronunciation, 
calls  them  "louses;"  the  word  louse 
in  old  English,  Scottish,  and  some 
English  dialects  being  pronounced  loos 
or  luce.  He  therefore  remarks  that  a 
dozen  white  louses  do  become  an  old 
coat  well,  that  it  is  a  familiar  beast  to 


LTJC 


161 


LUC 


man  and  signifies  love,  because,  as 
Bos  well  says,  "it  does  not  desert  man 
in  distress. ' '  Some  have  detected  a  pun 
in  the  "salt  fish"  and  the  "luce  salt- 
ant  "  (leaping) ;  but  the  proper  word  for 
that,  in  the  case  of  fish,  is  haurient. 
But  then  we  must  not  look  for  accuracy 
at  the  hands  of  Shallow.  Commenting 
on  this  passage,  Verplanck  says  :  "The 
English  commentators  have  been  much 
perplexed  here,  and  pronounce  the 
passage  'an  heraldic  puzzle.'  Did  not 
Shakespeare  merely  intend  to  ridicule 
the  pedantry  of  heraldry  so  common 
in  his  days,  and  doubtless,  like  all  other 
pedantry,  often  blundering?"  Wiv. 
I,  1,  16 ;  and  see  prick. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  Sh. 
found  a  hint  for  the  speeches  of 
Slender,  Shallow  and  Evans  in  Hollin- 
shed's  "Chronicles  of  Ireland."  This 
is  quite  possible,  for  Sh.  would  seize 
upon  any  facts  or  even  forms  of  expres- 
sion that  suited  his  purpose,  no  matter 
where  they  came  from.  To  such  an 
extent  is  this  true  that  somebody  gave 
him  the  sobriquet  of  "  The  Great  War- 
wickshire Thief. "  The  passage  in  ques- 
tion reads  as  follows  :  "  Having  lent 
the  king  his  signet  to  seal  a  letter,  who 
having  powdered  erinuts  ingrailed  in 
the  seal ;  '  "WTiy,  how  now.  Wise, '  quoth 
the  king,  '  what,  hast  thou  lice  here  ? ' 
'And  if  it  like,  your  majesty,'  quoth 
Sir  William,  '  a  louse  is  a  rich  coat,  for 
by  giving  the  louse  I  part  arms  with 
the  French  king,  in  that  he  giveth  the 
flower  de  Uce.'  Whereat  the  king 
heartily  laughed  to  hear  how  prettily 
so  biting  a  taunt  was  suddenly  turned 
to  so  pleasant  a  conceit." 

In  view  of  this  passage,  Schm.  sug- 
gests that  the  luce  of  Slender  and 
Shallow  may  be  the  "  fiower-de-luce !  " 
No  one  can  read  the  line  I,  1,  23  in- 
telligently and  adopt  Schm.  idea. 

Luce,  dr. p.    Servant  to  Adriana.     Err. 

Lucentio,  dr. p.    Son  to  Vicentio.    Shr. 

Lucetta,  dr. p.   Waiting- woman  to  Julia. 
Gent. 

Luciana,  dr. p.    Sister  to  Adriana.     Err. 


Lucifer.  Satan.  Wiv.  I,  3,  84;  2HIV. 
II,  4,  360  ;  HV.  IV,  7,  145.  The  name 
literally  means  the  light-bringer,  hence 
its  application  to  the  common  lucif  er  or 
light-bringing  match.  The  poets  claim 
that  before  his  fall  Satan  was  called 
Lucifer,  and  in  the  authorized  version 
of  the  Bible  (Isaiah  xiv,  12)  the  name  is 
applied  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  King  of 
Babylon.  It  is  to  this  passage,  doubt- 
less, that  Sh.  makes  Wolsey  refer  in  his 
speech  (HVIII.  Ill,  2,  371) :  And  when 
he  falls,  he  falls  like  Lucifer,  Never 
to  hope  again. 

Lucilius,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Brutus  and 
Cassius.    Cses. 

Lucilius,  dr.p.    Servant  to  Timon.    Tim. 

Lucina.  The  Roman  goddess,  who  pre- 
sided over  the  birth  of  children.  Her 
name  is  derived  from  the  Latin  word 
lux,  light,  because  she  brings  children 
into  the  light.    Cym.  V,  4,  43. 

Lucio,  dr.p.    A  fantastic.    Meas. 

Lucius,  dr.p.  A  lord,  flatterer  of  Timon. 
Tim. 

Lucius,  dr.p.    A  servant.    Tim. 

Lucius,  dr.p.    Servant  to  Brutus.     Caes. 

Lucius,  dr.p.    Son  to  Titus.    Tit. 

Lucius,  Caius,  dr.p.  General  of  the 
Roman  forces.     Cym. 

lucky  days.  In  Sh.  time  great  attention 
was  paid  to  this  surperstitious  fancy, 
and  se\  eral  allusions  to  it  are  found  in 
the  plays.  Thus,  in  Wint.  Ill,  3,  142, 
the  shepherd  says  to  the  clown  :  Tis  a 
lucky  day,  hoy;  and  weHl  do  good 
deeds  onH.  In  the  old  almanacs  the 
days  supposed  to  be  favorable  or  un- 
favorable are  enumerated,  allusion  to 
which  occurs  in  Webster's  Duchess  of 
Malfy  (1623) : 
By  the  almanac,  I  think. 
To  choose  good  days  and  shun  the 
critical. 
This  was  no  doubt  the  controlling  idea 
of  the  speakers  in  John  III,  1,  86  and 
Mcb.  IV,  1,  134.  Even  at  this  day  the 
superstition  has  a  deep  hold  on  the 
popular  mind,  e.g.,  the  widespread  feel- 
ing that  it  is  unlucky  to  begin  anj'-  im- 
portant undertaking  on  Friday. 


LUC 


162 


LTJH 


LucuIIus,    dr.p.      A    lord,    flatterer    of 

Timon.    Tim. 
Lucy,  Sir  William,  dr.p.     IHVI. 

Lud's-Town.  The  ancient  name  of  Lon- 
don. Cyra.  Ill,  1,  33.  "  Trinovantum, 
called  Caer  Lud,  and  by  corruption  of 
the  word  Caer  Lo7idon,  and  in  process 
of  time  London,  was  rebuilt  by  Lud, 
Cassibelan's  elder  brother. "    Grey, 

lug.  To  drag ;  to  pull.  Tim.  IV,  3,  31 ; 
Hml.  Ill,  4,  212.  Liig  is  also  an  old 
word  for  the  ear — whether  of  an  animal 
or  the  projection  on  some  inanimate 
object  like  a  jug  or  pail.  Hence,  lugged 
signifies  not  only  dragged  but  eared. 
Thus  a  lugged  bear  (IHIV.  I,  2,  83)  has 
been  held  by  many  coms.  to  mean  a 
bear  whose  ears  had  been  pulled  by 
dogs.  Others  as  one  that  was  merely 
lugged  or  dragged  through  the  streets. 
Lugged  seems  also  to  have  signified 
gelded,  and  a  lugged  bear  has  been  ex- 
plained as  a  gelded  bear  (see  "Century 
Dictionary"),  a  doubtful  gloss,  as  we 
have  no  evidence  that  bears  were  ever 
gelded. 

lumpish.  Heavy;  dull;  spiritless.  Gtent. 
Ill,  2,  62. 

lunes.  Mad  freaks ;  fits  of  lunacy.  Wint. 
II,  2,  30.  Also  in  modern  editions  of 
Wiv.  IV,  2,  22,  and  Troil.  II,  3,  139, 
lunes  has  been  substituted  for  lines. 

Lupercal,  The  Feast  of.  "The  Roman 
festival  of  the  Lupercalia  {-ium,  or 
-toritm),  whatever  may  be  the  etymology 
of  the  name,  was  in  honor  of  the  god 
Pan.  It  was  celebrated  annually  on  the 
Ides  (or  13th)  [1,5th?]  of  February,  in  a 
place  called  the  Lupercal  at  the  foot  of 
Mount  Aventine.  A  third  company 
of  Lupercij  or  priests  of  Pan,  with 
Antony  for  its  chief,  was  instituted  in 
honor  of  Julius  Caesar. "     Craik. 

It  is  a  tradition  that  the  grotto  near 
the  western  angle  of  the  Palatine  Hill 
in  ancient  Rome  was  the  den  of  the  she- 
wolf  that  suckled  Romulus  and  Remus. 
Near  it  was  the  Ficus  Ruminalis,  the 
fig-tree  beneath  which  Romulus  and 
Remus  were  left  by  the  retiring  waters 
of  the  Tiber. 


The  Luperci  assembled  on  the  day  of 
the  Lupercalia,  and  to  the  god  they 
sacrificed  goats  and  young  dogs  as  ap- 
propriate sacrifices  to  Lupercus,  the 
god  of  fertility.  After  the  sacrifice 
was  over,  the  Luperci  partook  of  a  meal, 
at  which  {key  were  plentifully  supplied 
with  wine.  They  then  cut  the  skins  of 
the  goats  which  they  had  sacrificed  into 
pieces,  with  some  of  whicll  they  covered 
parts  of  their  body  in  imitation  of  the 
god  Lupercus,  who  was  represented 
half -naked  and  half -covered  with  goat- 
skin. The  other  pieces  of  the  skins 
they  cut  into  thongs,  and  holding  them 
in  their  hands  they  ran  through  the 
streets  of  the  city,  touching  or  striking 
with  them  all  persons  whom  they  met 
in  their  way,  and  especially  women,  who 
even  used  to  come  forward  voluntarily 
for  the  purpose,  since  they  believed  that 
this  ceremony  rendered  them  fruitful. 
Cses.  I,  1,  72,  and  III,  2,  100. 
lurch.  1.  To  filch;  to  steal.  Wiv.  II, 
2,26. 

Schm.  defines  this  word  as  "to  lurk," 
and  lurk  is  defined  as  "to  lie  hidden 
and  in  wait."    SoalsoSkeat.    But  Cot- 
grave  in  defining  the  word  Fortraire 
explains  it  as  "to  lurch  ;  to  purloyne  ; 
withdraw  from. "    And  it  would  seem 
on  a  careful  reading  of  Falstaff 's  words 
that   this   is  the  meaning  here.    Ben 
Jonson   in    The   Silent   Woman   has: 
"  You  have  lurched  your  friends  of  the 
better  half  of  the  garland  by  concealing 
this  part  of  the  plot." 
2.  As  it  occurs  in  Cor.  II,  2,  105,  He 
lurched  all  swords    of  the  garland, 
Skeat,  followed  by  Schni.,  defines  it  as 
to  "pilfer,  steal,  rob,  plunder."    But 
surely  not  to  pilfer  or  steal  in  the  brunt 
of  seventeen  battles.    The  meaning,  of 
course,  is  evident,  and  as  Malone  puts 
it:  "To  'lurch  all  swords  of  the  gar- 
land '  was  to  gain  from  all  other  warriors 
the  wreath  of  victory  with  ease  and  in- 
contestable superiority."    The  expres- 
sion in  this  case  is  probably  from  an 
old  game  mentioned  by  Cotgrave  and 
called  "Lurcbe,"  and  "a  lurch"  was 


LTTB 


163 


LYC 


the  term  used  in  this  game  when  one 
person  gained  every  point  before  an- 
other made  one, 
lure.    A  figure  stuffed  to  resemble  a  bird 
and  used  by  falconers   to   allure   the 
hawk.     Shr.  IV,  1,  195. 
luscious.    In  0th.   I,  3,  354,  this  word 
evidently  has  the  usual  meaning — sweet 
to  excess.     As  it  occurs  in  Mids.  II,  1, 
251,  it  may  have  the   same  meaning 
applied  to  the   sense  of   smeU.     Thus 
Drayton,  in  his  "  Polyolbion,"  has : 
The  azur'd  Hare-bell  next,  with  them, 

they  neatly  mixt ; 
To  allay  whose  lushious  smell,  they 

Woodbine  plac't  betwixt. 
But  some  give  it  the  sense  of  lush,  q.v. , 
and  Theobald  changed  it  from  luscious, 
as  in  the  FL,  to  lush.    Of  this  Johnson 
tells  us  :  "  On  the  margin  of  one  of  my 
folios  an  unknown  hand  has  written 
lush  Woodbine,  which  I  think  is  right. " 
And  Ritson  says :    "  Lush   is   clearly 
preferable  in  point  of   sense  and  ab- 
solutely necessary  in  point  of  metre." 
In  regard  to  the  latter  point  Furness 
notes :  "  It  can  be  no  disgrace  to  accept 
this  line  as  an  Alexandrine : 
Quite  6  I  ver  c^n  |  oped  |  with  Ids  |  - 
cioCis  I  woodbine, 
where  the  resolved  syllables  of  '  lus-ci- 
ous  '  need  not  be  harshly  nor  strongly 
emphasised." 
lush.    Juicy;  succulent;  fresh.    Tp.  II, 

1,52. 
lust.  1.  Desire;  wLsh.  TroU.  IV,  4, 134. 
2.  Pleasure;  delight.  Lucr.  1,384;  Tim. 
IV,  3,  492. 
lustig  {lustique  in  the  Fl).  Lusty  ;  cheer- 
ful. All's.  II,  3,  45.  This  word  occurs 
frequently  in  old  plays.  Capell  notes 
that  "An  old  play,  that  has  a  great  deal 
of  merit,  called  The  Weakest  goeth  to 
the  Wall  (printed  in  1600 ;  but  how  much 
earlier  written,  or  by  whom  written, 
we  are  no  where  informed),  has  in  it  a 
Dutchman  called  Jacob  Van  Smelt,  who 
speaks  a  jargon  of  Dutch  and  our 
language,  and  upon  se\eral  occasions 
uses  this  very  word,  which  in  English 
is  lusty." 


lustihood.  Vigor  ;  energy  ;  high  animal 
spirits.  Ado.  V,  1,  76.  Reason  and 
respect  make  livers  pale  and  lustihood 
deject.  Troil.  II,  2,  50.  The  liver  was 
supposed  to  be  the  seat  of  courage  and 
energy. 

luxurious.  Lustful ;  unchaste.  Ado.  IV, 
1,  42  ;  HV.  IV,  4,  20. 

luxury.  Lust ;  lasciviousness.  Meas.  V, 
1,  506;  Hml.  I,  5,  83;  Lr.  IV,  6,  119. 
This  is  the  only  sense  in  which  this 
word  is  used  by  Shakespeare. 

Lychorida,  dr. p.   Nurse  to  Marina.   Per. 

Lycurgus.  The  famous  legislator  of 
Sparta.     Referred  to  in  Cor.  II,  1,  60. 

He  was  the  son  of  Eunomus,  King  of 
Sparta,  and  brother  of  Polydectes.  The 
latter  succeeded  his  father  as  king  of 
Sparta  and  afterwards  died,  leaving 
his  wife  with  child.  She  proposed  to 
Lycurgus  to  destroy  her  offspring  if  he 
would  share  the  throne  with  her.  He 
seemingly  consented ;  but  when  the 
child  was  born  he  openly  proclaimed 
him  king,  and  as  next  of  kin  acted  as 
his  guardian.  But  being  charged  by 
the  opposite  party  with  ambitious  de- 
signs, he  left  Sparta  and  travelled  ex- 
tensively during  many  years.  Mean- 
while things  in  Sparta  fell  into  disorder, 
and  on  his  return  he  was  hailed  as  the 
one  man  who  could  restore  order.  He 
undertook  the  task  and,  having  con- 
sulted the  Delphic  oracle,  he  obtained 
for  his  institutions  the  approval  of  the 
god.  He  then  exacted  from  the  people 
a  promise  that  they  would  not  make 
any  alteration  in  his  laws  before  his 
return.  And  now  he  left  Sparta  to 
finish  his  life  in  voluntary  exile  in 
order  that  his  countrymen  might  be 
bound  by  their  oath  to  preserve  his 
constitution  inviolate  for  ever.  Where 
and  how  he  died  nobody  could  tell.  He 
vanished  from  the  earth  like  a  god, 
leaving  no  traces  behind  but  his  spirit, 
and  he  was  honored  as  a  god  at  Sparta, 
with  a  temple  and  yearly  sacrifices 
down  to  the  latest  times.  The  date  of 
Lycurgus  is  variously  given,  but  it  is 
impossible  to  place  it  later  than  B.C.  825. 


LTM 


IM 


MAC 


lyra.  A  bloodhound  ;  so  called  because  it 
was  held  by  the  hunter  in  a  lym,  learn 
or  leash  until  slipped  in  pursuit  of  the 
game.    Lr.  Ill,  6,  72. 

Lymoges.  O,  Lymoges!  O,  Austria! 
John  III,  1,  115.  "  Shakespeare,  in  the 
person  of  Austria,  has  conjoined  the 
two  well-known  enemies  of  Richard 
Coeur-de-Lion.  Leopold,  Duke  of  Aus- 
tria, threw  him  into  prison  in  a  former 
expedition  (in  1193),  but  the  castle  of 
Chaluz,  before  which  he  fell  (in  1199), 
belonged  to  Vidomar,  Viscount  of 
Limoges."  Blake.  The  cause  of  the 
siege,  as  related  by  French,  was  that  a 
vassal  of  Vidomar  found,  as  was  re- 
ported to  King  Richard,  a  treasure  of 
golden  statues,  representing  a  Roman 
emperor,  with  his  wife,  sons  and  daugh- 
ters, seated  at  a  golden  table,  and  was 
required  to  yield  up  the  prize  to  Richard, 


Suzerain  of  the  Limousin.  On  Vido- 
mar's  refusal  he  was  besieged  in  his 
castle  at  Chaluz-Chabrol,  before  which 
the  heroic  king  received  the  wound  of 
which  he  died  twelve  days  after,  viz.^ 
April  6, 1 199.  The  archer  who  pierced  his 
shoulder  with  an  arrow  (of  which  wound 
he  died)  was  Bertrand  de  G-ourdon. 
Austria  in  the  old  play  [The  Trouble- 
some Raigne  of  King  John]  is  called 
Lymoges,  the  Austrich  duke.  HoUin- 
shed  says:  *'The  same  year  Philip, 
bastard  sonne  to  King  Richard,  to 
whom  his  father  had  given  the  castell 
and  honour  of  Coniacke,  killed  the  Vis- 
count of  Lymoges  in  revenge  of  his 
father's  death. " 

Lysander,  dr. p.  In  love  with  Hermione. 
Mids. 

Lysimachus,  dr.p.  Governor  of  Mity- 
lene.    Per. 


AB.  The  queen  of  the  fairies. 
Rom.  I,  4,  53,  This  passage 
is  the  first  that  has  been  dis- 
covered containing  the  name 
Mab  as  that  of  the  fairy  queen.  There 
has  been  much  discussion  as  to  the 
.  origin  of  the  name,  but  no  satisfactory 
conclusion  has  been  reached. 
Macbeth,  dr.p.    General  of  the  Scottish 

army.    Mcb. 
Macbeth,  Lady,  dr.p.    Wife  to  Macbeth. 
Mcb. 

Shakespeare's  play  has  made  the 
names  of  Macbeth  and  his  wife  known 
wherever  the  English  language  is 
spoken.  It  is  therefore  greatly  to  be 
regretted  that  he  should  hav©  given 
such  an  erroneous  and  unjust  view  of 
of  their  characters  as  he  has  embodied 
in  his  drama,  and  it  is  well  for  the 
reader  to  bear  in  mind  that  Macbeth 
and  the  other  dramatis  personce  of  the 
play  are  purely  the  creations  of  the 
poet ;  grand  and  wonderful  creations, 
no  doubt,  but  entirely  fictitious  and 


not  at  all  historical.  Indeed,  several  of 
the  characters  have  no  place  whatever 
in  history,  and  the  main  facts  are 
merely  imaginary.  Macbeth,  instead 
of  being  the  bloodthirsty  and  unscru- 
pulous tyrant  that  Sh.  represents  him 
to  be,  was  a  just  and  wise  monarch, 
and  the  best  authorities  agree  that  his 
reign  was  one  of  unusual  peace  and 
prosperity.  Sir  Walter  Scott  condenses 
the  real  history  of  Macbeth  as  follows : 
"Duncan,  by  his  mother,  Beatrice,  a 
grandson  of  Malcolm  II,  succeeded  to 
the  throne  on  his  grandfather's  death 
in  1033 ;  he  reigned  only  six  years. 
Macbeth,  his  near  relation,  also  a  grand' 
child  of  Malcolm  II,  though  by  the 
mother's  side,  was  stirred  up  by  am- 
bition to  contest  the  throne  with  the 
possessor.  The  Lady  of  Macbeth  also, 
whose  real  name  was  Graoch,  had 
deadly  injuries  to  avenge  on  the  reign- 
ing prince.  She  was  the  granddaughter 
of  Kenneth  IV,  killed  1003  fighting 
against  Malcolm  II ;  and  other  causes 


MAC 


165 


MAL 


for  revenge  animated  the  mind  of  her 
who  has  been  since  painted  as  the  stern- 
est of  women.  The  old  annalists  add 
some  instigations  of  a  supernatural 
kind  to  the  influence  of  a  vindictive 
woman  over  an  ambitious  husband. 
Three  women  of  more  than  human 
stature  and  beauty  appeared  to  Mac- 
beth in  a  dream  or  vision  and  hailed 
him  successively  by  the  titles  of  Thane 
of  Cromarty,  Thane  of  Moray  (which 
the  king  afterwards  bestowed  on  him), 
and  finally  by  that  of  King  of  Scots ; 
this  dream,  it  is  said,  inspired  him  with 
the  seductive  hopes  so  well  expressed 
in  the  drama. 

"  Macbeth  broken©  law  of  hospitality 
in  his  attempts  on  Duncan's  life.  He 
attacked  and  slew  the  king  at  a  place 
called  Bothgowan,  or  the  Smith's  House, 
near  Elgin,  in  1039,  and  not,  as  has 
been  supposed,  in  his  own  castle  of 
Inverness.  The  act  was  bloody,  as 
was  the  complexion  of  the  times ;  but,  in 
very  truth,  the  claim  of  Macbeth  to  the 
throne,  according  to  the  rule  of  Scottish 
succession,  was  better  than  that  of 
Duncan.  As  a  king,  the  tyrant  so 
much  exclaimed  against  was  in  reality 
a  firm,  just  and  equitable  prince.  Ap- 
prehensions of  danger  from  a  party 
which  Malcolm,  the  eldest  son  of  the 
slaughtered  Duncan,  had  set  on  foot  in 
Northumberland,  and  still  maintained 
in  Scotland,  seem,  in  process  of  time,  to 
have  soured  the  temper  of  Macbeth  and 
rendered  him  formidable  to  his  nobility. 
Against  Macduff,  in  particular,  the 
powerful  Maormor  of  Fife,  he  had 
uttered  some  threats  which  occasioned 
that  chief  to  fly  from  the  court  of  Scot- 
land. Urged  by  this  new  counsellor, 
Siward,  the  Danish  Earl  of  Northum- 
berland, invaded  Scotland  in  the  year 
1054,  displaying  his  banner  in  behalf  of 
the  banished  Malcolm.  Macbeth  en- 
gaged the  foe  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
his  celebrated  castle  of  Dunsinane.  He 
was  defeated,  but  escaped  from  the 
battle,  and  was  slain  at  Lumphanan 
in  1056." 


Macmorris,  dr.p.  An  Irish  officer  in 
Henry  the  Fifth's  army.     HV. 

maculate.  Stained;  impure.  LLL.  1, 2, 98. 

mad.   Wild  ;  untrained.    IHVI.  V,  3, 191. 

made.  Endowed  with  a  fortune.  Tw. 
Ill,  4,  57. 

Maecenas,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Octavius 
Caesar.     Ant. 

maggot-pie.  A  magpie;  a  bird  whose 
color  is  partly  black  and  partly  white, 
and  which  is  noted  for  its  power  of 
mimicry.     Mcb.  Ill,  4,  125. 

magnifico.  A  title  given  to  Venetian 
grandees.  Merch.  Ill,  2, 282;  0th.  1, 2, 12. 

Maid  Marian.  A  character  in  the  morris 
dance.    IHIV.  Ill,  3,  128. 

mailed.  Covered  as  with  a  coat  of  mail. 
2HVI.  II,  4,  31. 

main.    1.  Ahandatdice.  IHIV.  IV,  1,  47. 
2.  The  mainland.     Lr.  Ill,  1,  6. 

main-course.    A  main-sail.    Tp.  I,  1,  40. 

mained.  Maimed.  2HVI.  IV,  2,  176. 
Cade  evidently  gives  it  this  form  so  as 
to  make  a  pun  on  Maine.  Some  eds. 
suppose  that  mained  is  a  misprint  for 
maimed  and  correct  it,  thus  destroying 
the  joke. 

mainly.  Forciblv  ;  mightily.  IHIV.  II, 
4,  222  ;  Troil.  IV,  4,  87. 

makeless.  Mateless;  widowed.  Sonn. 
IX,  4. 

malady.  Disease.  Of  man  and  beast 
the  infinite  tnalady  =  "every  kind  of 
disease  incident  to  man  and  beast." 
Johnson.  R.  G.  White  suggests  in- 
fectious for  infinite.     Tim.  Ill,  0,  109. 

Malcolm,  dr.-p.  Son  to  King  Duncan. 
Mcb. 

Malkin.  A  familiar  name  for  Mary, 
hence  kitchen  malkin  =  a  servant 
wench.     Cor.  II,  1,  224 ;  Per.  IV,  3,  34. 

Mall.  A  diminutive  of  Mary  ;  old  form 
of  our  Moll.     Tp.  II,  2,  50. 

There  has  been  much  speculation  as 
to  the  identity  of  Mistress  MaU,  referred 
to  in  Tw.  I,  3,  135,  but  without  reaching 
a  positive  conclusion.  Steevens  claimed 
that  the  reference  was  to  Mary  Frith, 
better  known  as  Mall  Cutpurse,  the 
heroine  of  Middleton  and  Dekker's 
comedy,    The  Roaring   Girl,  but  this 


MAL 


166 


HAB 


Mall  was  only  eleven  or  thirteen  when 
Sh.  play  was  written.  The  best  author- 
ities are  agreed  that  the  allusion  is  to  a 
mere  impersonation  and  not  to  any 
particular  individual. 

mallecho.  Mischief.  Probably  from  the 
Spanish  tnalhecho  ==  mischief.  Hml. 
Ill,  3,  146. 

malt-horse.    See  horse. 

malt-worm .  One  who  drinks  malt  liquor. 
IHIV.  II,  1,  83. 

Malvolio,  dr. p.    Steward  to  Olivia.    Tw. 

Mamillius,  dr.p.  The  young  prince  of 
Sicilia.    Wint. 

mammering.  Hesitating;  muttering.  0th. 

III,  3,  70. 

mammet.  A  puppet ;  a  doll.  Rom.  Ill, 
5,  186 ;  IHIV.  II,  3,  95.  That  in  the 
first  of  these  passages  mammet  means 
*'  puppet  "  (used  as  a  term  of  reproach) 
is  certain ;  but  in  the  second  passage 
m,ammets  perhaps  means  (as  Gifford 
first  suggested)  "breasts"  (from  mam- 
ma).   Dyce. 

mammock.  To  tear  in  pieces.  Cor.  I, 
3,  71. 

man.  To  tame  a  hawk.  A  term  in  fal- 
conry.    Shr.  IV,  1,  196. 

manage.  1.  Management.  Tp.  I,  2,  70; 
Merch.  Ill,  4,  25. 

2.  Measures;  means.    RII.  I,  4,  39. 

3.  Training  ;  government.     RII.  Ill,  3, 
179. 

mandragora,  )  A  plant  noted  for  its 
mandrake.  )  soporific  qualities.  The 
root  usually  has  two  branches,  and  this 
gives  it  a  resemblance  to  the  human 
figure.  It  was  said  to  utter  shrieks 
when  uprooted  and  to  cause  madness 
and  even  death  to  those  who  tore  it 
from  the  ground.    2HIV.  I,  2,  17 ;  Rom. 

IV,  3,  47;  0th.  111,3,330. 
mankind,  adj.     Masculine.     Wint.    II, 

3,  67  ;  Cor.  IV,  2,  18. 

manned.  Furnished  with  a  servant. 
2HIV.  I,  2,  18  and  59. 

manner.  Custom  ;  practice.  Hml.  I,  4, 
16. 

We  give  this  common  and  simple 
word  a  place  so  es  to  have  the  oppor- 
tunity of  saying  that  in  the  foregoing 


passage  it  is  not  a  misprint  for  manoi . 
A  suggestion  of  this  kind  seems  to  have 
perennial  vitality  amongst  unfledged 
Shakespearean  critics. 

manner.  To  be  taken  with  the  manner 
=  to  be  caught  in  the  act.  LLL.  I,  1, 
202;  Wint.  IV,  4,  752. 

man-queller.  A  slayer  of  men ;  a  mur- 
derer.   2HIV.  II,  1,  58. 

manure.    To  cultivate.    0th.  I,  3,  329. 
This  word  has  entirely  changed  its 
meaning;    it  originally    signified    "to 
work  with  the  hand, ' '  being  a  contracted 
form  of  manoeuvre. 

mappery.  The  study  of  maps ;  theory 
as  opposed  to  real  practice  in  warfare. 
Troil.  I,  3,  205. 

marble.    Everlasting;  like  marble.  Tim. 

IV,  3,  193. 

marble-constant.   Firm  as  marble.  Ant. 

V,  2,  240. 

Marcellus,  dr.p.    An  officer.    Hml. 
Marcellus,  dr.p.  A  Roman  tribune.  Caes. 
March,  Earl  of,  dr.p.   Edward  Mortimer. 

IHIV. 
March -chick.    A    chicken    hatched   in 

March  ;  precocious.     Ado.  I,  3,  58. 
marches.    Frontiers;    borders.     HV.   I, 

2,  140. 
marchpane.    A  kind   of   sweet   biscuit 

composed  largely  of  sugar  and  pounded 

almonds.     Rom.  I,  5,  9. 
Marcius,  Caius,  dr.p.    A  noble  Roman, 

surnamed  Coriolanus.    Cor. 
Marcius,  Young,    dr.p.    Son   to    Caius 

Marcius  Coriolanus.     Cor. 
Marcus   Andronicus,    dr.p.    A  tribune 

and  brother  to  Titus  Andronicus.     Tit. 
Marcus   Brutus,    dr.p.    A   conspirator 

against  Julius  Caesar.    Caes. 
Mardian,  dr.p.    Attendant  on  Cleopatra. 

Ant. 
mare.    The  nightmare.    2HIV.  II,  1,  86. 
"  The  Hostess  had  threatened  to  ride 

Falstaff  like  the  Incubus  or  Nightmare; 

but  his  allusion  (if  it  be  not  a  wanton 

one)  is  to  the  Gallows^  which  is  ludic- 
rously called  the  Timber  or  Two-legged 

Mare."    Steevens. 
To  ride  the  wild  mare  =  to  play  at 
3HIV.   II,    4,    208.     This   is 


MAR 


167 


MAS 


the  interpretation  given  by  Douce 
and  accepted  by  most  corns.  But  it 
seems  to  me  that  Falstaff's  expression 
means  more  than  this. 

Mareschall,  William,  dr.p.  Earl  of  Pem- 
broke.   John. 

Margarelon,  dr.p.  Bastard  son  to  Priam. 
Troil. 

Margaret,  dr.p.  Attendant  on  Hero. 
Ado. 

Margaret,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  Reignier 
(Renee),  Eang  of  Anjou ;  queen  and 
afterwards  widow  to  Henry  VI.  IHVI., 
2HVI.,  3HVI.  andRIII. 

Margery  Jourdain,  dr.p.  A  witch.  2HVI. 
See  Jourdain. 

margent.    1.    Margin.    LLL.  V,  2,  8. 
2.    Glosses     or     comments     frequently 
printed  on  the  margins  of  old  books. 
Hml.  V,  2,  162. 

Maria,  dr.p.  A  lady  attending  on  the 
Princess  of  France.     LLL. 

Maria,  dr.p.    Attendant  on  Olivia.     Tw. 

Mariana,  dr.p.  A  neighbour  to  a  widow 
of  Florence.     All's. 

Mariana,  dr.p.  The  betrothed  of  Angelo. 
Meas. 

Marina,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  Pericles.  Per. 

marlc.  God  bless  the  mark.  Merch.  II, 
2,  25.  God  save  the  mark.  Rom.  Ill, 
2,  53.     See  hless. ' 

Marlc  Antony,  dr.p.  The  Roman  trium- 
vir.    Caes. 

Marquis  of  Dorset,  dr.p.  Son  to  Lady 
Grey.     RIII. 

Marquis  of  Montague,  dr.p.  A  Yorkist. 
3HVL 

married.  Examine  every  married  linea- 
inent.  Rom.  I,  3,  83.  In  the  Fl.  and 
all  other  early  texts  except  the  Quartos 
this  passage  reads,  several  lineam^ents. 
Prof.  Dowden.  in  his  new  ed.  of  this 
play,  says:  "The  word,  as  used  here 
for  mutually  dependent,  is  illustrated 
by  the  '  well-tuned  sounds  By  unions 
married '  of  Sonn.  VIII ;  but  several 
has  the  authority  of  all  texts  except  Q. " 

marry.  An  exclamation  supposed  to  have 
been  derived  from  the  name  of  the 
Virgin  Mary.  Gent.  I,  1,  130 ;  Tw.  IV, 
2,  109 ;  Cym.  I,  1,  76. 


marry-trap.  An  exclamation  of  insult 
when  a  man  was  caught  in  his  own 
stratagem.    Johnson.    Wiv.  I,  1,  170. 

Mars.  An  ancient  Roman  god  subse- 
quently identified  with  the  Greek,  Ares. 
He  was  the  son  of  Jupiter  and  Juno, 
and  next  to  Jupiter  enjoyed  the  highest 
honors  at  Rome.  He  was  worshipped 
as  the  god  of  war,  and  his  priests,  the 
Salii,  danced  in  full  armour,  and  the 
place  dedicated  to  warlike  exercises  was 
called  after  his  name,  Caynpus  Martins. 
The  wolf  was  sacred  to  him  in  his  char- 
acter of  war-god,  and  the  wood-pecker 
was  dedicated  to  him  as  to  a  god  gifted 
with  prophetic  powers.  He  is  generally 
represented  as  driving  a  chariot  drawn 
by  his  sister,  Bellona.  Mars''  hot  minion 
(Tp.  IV,  1,  97)  =  Venus.  Her  son,  of 
course,  is  Cupid.     See  Venus. 

Mars.  One  of  the  planets.  The  astrologers 
claimed  that  the  influence  of  this  planet 
on  the  destinies  of  humanity  was  very 
great.     All's.  I,  1,  206 ;  IHVI.  I,  2,  1. 

mart.    To  traffic.     Cym.  I,  6,  151. 

Martext,  Sir  Oliver,  dr.p.    A  vicar.    As. 

Martius,  dr.p.  Son  to  Titus  Andronicus. 
Tit. 

Martlemas.  A  corruption  of  Martinmas. 
The  feast  of  St.  Martin,  which  occurs 
November  11th.  Used  of  a  person  in 
the  decline  of  life.     2HIV.  II,  2,  110. 

mary-buds.  Flowers  of  the  marigold. 
Cym.  II,  3,  25. 

mastic.  A  word  of  no  well-ascertained 
meaning  which  occurs  in  Troil,  I,  3,  73. 
In  the  Fl.  it  reads  Masticke.  Rowe 
changed  this  to  mastiff;  Boswell  sug- 
gested mastive,  and  Orger,  nasty.  R. 
G.  White  notes  that  "mastix,  said  to 
be  the  feminine  of  mastigia,  w^as  used 
to  mean  a  whip  or  scourge,  especially  of 
a  moral  kind,"  and  quotes  a  passage 
from  the  Arcadia  in  support  of  its  use 
here.  He  further  says  mastic  "  has 
generally  been  regarded  as  an  error 
for  '  mastiff  ' — an  epithet,  the  appro- 
priateness of  which  to  the  jaws  of 
Thersites  I  cannot  see,  as  he  was  one 
of  those  barking  dogs  that  never  bite." 
Fleay,  who  thought  that  the  character 


MAT 


lt58 


MED 


of  Thersites  was  a  satirical  portrait  of 
Dekker,  sees  in  mastic  an  allusion  to 
the  Histrio-mastix,  or,  The  Player 
Whipt  of  that  writer,  one  of  whose 
lines  was  probably  aimed  at  Shak;^- 
speare.    The  line  is 

That  when  he  shakes  his  furious  speare. 
But  is  it  not  possible  that  the  epithet 
was  applied  to  Thersites  because  he  was 
such  an  incessant  talker  that  his  jaws 
were  always  moving  as  if  he  were 
chewing  (masticating)  ?" 

match.  An  appointment.  Wiv.  II,  2, 
304. 

mate.  To  confound ;  to  paralyze.  Mcb. 
V,  1,  86. 

maund.    A  hand-basket.    Compl.  36. 

mazed.  Confused ;  bewildered ;  literally, 
lost  in  a  maze  or  labyrinth.     Mids.  II, 

I,  113;  IHVI.  IV,  2,  47;  HVIII.  II,  4, 
185.  This  word  is  not  a  contraction  of 
amazed  as  it  is  sometimes  printed  and 
glossed. 

mazzard.  The  head.  A  modification  of 
mazar,  a  bowl.    Hml.  V,  1,  97 ;   0th. 

II,  3,  157. 

meacock.  Tame;  cowardly;  spiritless. 
Shr.  II,  1,  315. 

meard.  Johnson  defines  this  word,  as  it 
occurs  (Meas.  IV,  2,  86) :  "  sprinkled, 
defiled."  Blackstone:  "  mingled,  com- 
pounded," from  the  French  meler.  But 
is  it  not  rather  a  form  of  the  A.S.  vncel, 
a  part  or  portion,  and  meaning :  were 
he  art  and  part  with  that  which  he 
corrects,  as  the  Scotch  would  say. 

meander.  A  winding  way.  Through 
forthrights  and  meanders  =  straight 
paths  and  crooked  or  winding  ways. 
Tp.  Ill,  3,  3. 

measles.  Originally  signified  leprosy, 
though  now  used  for  a  very  different 
disorder.  The  origin  is  the  old  French 
word  meseau  or  mesel,  a  leper.  Cot- 
grave  has  "  meseau,  a  meselled,  scurvy, 
leaporous,  lazarous  person. ' '  The  word 
still  retains  somewhat  of  its  original 
meaning  in  the  case  of  hogs  or  pork, 
and  we  speak  of   measly  pork.    Cor. 

III,  1,  78. 

measure.    1.  Reach.    Gent.  V,  4,  127. 


2.  A  grave  and  dignified  dance.  The 
word  is  frequently  used  in  a  punning 
sense,  as  in  Rom.  I,  4,  10  and  RII.  Ill, 
4,  7. 

meazel.  The  old  spelling  of  measle ;  a 
leper;  spoken  in  contempt  of  a  mean 
person.     Cor.  Ill,  1,  78. 

mechanical,  n.  A  handicraftsman  ;  a 
mechanic.     Mids.  Ill,  2,  9  ;  Caes.  I,  1,  3. 

medal.  Defined  by  Schm.  and  others  as 
"a  portrait  in  a  locket."  Wint.  I,  2, 
307. 

meditance.    Premeditation.     Kins.  I,  1. 

medius  fidius.  "  An  old  Latin  oath, 
apparently  short  for  me  dius  Fidius 
adiuvet,  may  the  divine  Fidius  help 
me  I  If  fidius  stands  for  filius,  then 
it  means,  may  the  divine  son  of  Jupiter 
help  me  !  The  reference  in  that  case 
is  most  likely  to  god  Hercules. ' '  Skeat  • 
Kins.  Ill,  V. 

meddle.  1.  To  mix;  to  mingle.  Tp.  I, 
2,22. 

2.  To  have  to  do  with.  Tw.  II,  4,  275. 
In  this  instance = to  fight,  cf.  comeddle. 

Medea  was  the  daughter  of  JEtes,  King 
of  Colchis.  She  was  celebrated  for  her 
skill  in  magic.  When  Jason  came  to 
Colchis  in  search  of  the  golden  fleece, 
she  fell  in  love  with  the  hero,  assisted 
him  in  accomplishing  the  object  of  his 
adventure  and  afterward  fled  with 
him  as  his  wife  to  Greece,  taking  her 
younger  brother  Absyrtus  with  her. 
Her  father  pursued  her  and  when  she 
was  nearly  overtaken,  she  murdered 
Absyrtus,  cut  his  body  into  pieces  and 
strewed  them  on  the  road  so  that  her 
father  might  be  delayed  in  gathering 
the  limbs  of  his  child.  (2HVI.  V,  2,  .59.) 
When  Jason  and  she  reached  lolcus 
they  found  JEson,  the  aged  father  of 
Jason,  still  alive,  and  Medea  restored 
him  to  youth  by  injecting  the  juice  of 
magic  herbs  into  his  veins.  (Merch.  V, 
1,  15.)  After  some  years,  however, 
Jason  deserted  Medea  in  order  to  marry 
Glance  or  Creusa,  daughter  of  Creon, 
the  king  of  the  country.  Medea  took 
fearful  vengeance  for  the  insult.  She 
killed  her  two  children  that  she  had  by 


MED 


MEL 


Jason  and  sent  Glauce  a  poisoned  gar- 
ment which  burned  her  to  death  when 
she  put  it  on.  Creon  likewise  perished 
in  the  flames.  She  then  fled  to  Athens 
in  a  chariot  drawn  by  winged  dragons. 
Others  relate  that  she  fled  to  Hercules 
at  Thebes,  he  having  promised  her  his 
assistance,  while  yet  in  Colchis,  in  case 
of  Jason  being  unfaithful  to  her.  She 
cured  Hercules,  who  was  seized  with 
madness.  At  length  Medea  is  said  to 
have  become  immortal,  to  have  been 
honored  with  divine  worship,  and  to 
have  married  Achilles  in  Elysium. 

medicine.  A  physician.  (French  medi- 
cin.)  All's.  II,  1,  75 ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  598  ; 
Mcb.  V,  2,  27. 

medlar.  A  tree,  the  fruit  of  which  is 
small  and  in  shape  like  an  apple,  but 
flat  at  the  top  and  only  fit  to  be  eaten 
when  very  ripe  or  mellow.  The  Mespi- 
lus  germanica.  Ellacombe  tells  us  that 
"Shakespeare  only  used  the  common 
language  of  his  time  when  he  described 
the  medlar  as  only  fit  to  be  eaten  when 
rotten.  But,  in  fact,  the  medlar  when 
fit  to  be  eaten  is  no  more  rotten  than  a 
ripe  peach,  pear  or  strawberry,  or  any 
other  fruit  which  we  do  not  eat  till  it 
has  reached  a  certain  stage  of  softness. 
There  is  a  vast  difference  between  a 
ripe  and  a  rotten  medlar,  though  it 
would  puzzle  many  of  us  to  say  when  a 
fruit  (not  a  medlar  only)  is  ripe,  that  is, 
fit  to  be  eaten.  The  Japanese  alwajs 
eat  their  peaches  in  an  unripe  state  ; 
they  regard  a  ripe  peach  as  rotten.'^ 
Chaucer  gives  the  medlar  a  very  pro- 
minent place  in  his  description  of  a 
beautiful  garden  ;  and  certainly  a  fine 
medlar-tree  "ful  of  blossomes "  is  a 
handsome  ornament  on  any  lawn. 

In  As.  Ill,  2,  125  there  is  an  obvious 
pun  between  meddler  and  medlar. 
Also  in  Tim.  IV,  3,  307.  In  Meas.  IV, 
3,  184  it  is  used  as  a  term  of  contempt 
for  a  woman,  undoubtedly  with  the 
same  meaning  implied  in  Rom.  II,  1, 
38,  but  which  cannot  be  discussed  here. 
In  the  early  days  of  printing  the 
wood  of  the  medlar-tree  was  used  for 


making  type,  it  being  close-grained  like 
that  of  the  pear  and  apple. 

meed.    1.  Reward;  hire.     As.  II,  3,  58; 
RIII.  I,  3,  139 ;  Cym.  Ill,  5,  168. 
2.  Merit ;  worth.    3HVI.  II,  1,  36 ;  Tim. 
I,  1,  288. 

meered,  )       This  word  has  given  rise  to 

mered.  f  much  discussion.  It  is  meered 
in  the  Fl ;  mered  in  some  other  editions. 
Schm.  explains  it  as  sole,  entire  (mere) ; 
Nares,  as  defined,  limited.  To  m^ear 
(meaning  to  bound)  occurs  in  Spenser 
and  in  North's  "  Plutarch,"  and  meere- 
stone  is  an  old  word  for  boundary 
stone.    Ant.  Ill,  13,  10. 

mehercle.   By  Hercules.    LLL.  IV,  2,  80. 

meiny,   |       A  company  belonging  to  or 

menie.  )  attending  upon  a  particular 
person ;  from mesnie,  old  French,  which 
Roquefort  defines,  "  famille,  maisoH, 
tons  ceux  qui  la  composent."  Nares. 
Often,  but  erroneously,  confounded  with 
the  English  word  many.  Lr.  II,  4,  35. 
Meynie,  in  Cor.  Ill,  1,  66,  is  in  most 
modern  editions  changed  to  m,any  and, 
perhaps,  properly  so. 

Meleager.  This  name  does  not  occur  in 
Sh.,  but  there  are  several  references  to 
him.  Prince'' s  heart  of  Calydon,  2HV1. 
I,  1,  235,  and  the  boar  of  Thessaly, 
Ant.  IV,  13,  2.  He  was  the  son  of 
CEneus  and  Althea,  and  was  one  of  the 
most  famous  -lEtolian  heroes  of  Caly- 
don. He  took  part  in  the  Argonautic 
expedition,  and  on  his  return  home  he 
found  the  fields  of  Calydon  wasted  by 
an  enormous  boar  which  Diana  had 
sent  against  the  country  as  a  punish- 
ment, because  CEneus,  the  king,  once 
neglected  to  offer  up  a  sacrifice  to  the 
goddess.  Meleager,  with  a  band  of 
heroes,  went  out  to  hunt  the  boar. 
Amongst  the  company  was  the  fair 
maiden  Atalanta,  but  the  heroes  refused 
to  hunt  with  her  until  Meleager,  who 
was  in  love  with  her,  overcame  their 
opposition.  Atalanta  gave  the  animal 
the  first  wound,  and  it  was  then  slain 
by  Meleager.  He  presented  the  hide  to 
Atalanta,  but  his  mother's  brothers, 
the  sons  of  Thestius,  took  it  from  her, 


MEL 


170 


MEB 


whereupon  Meleager,  in  a  rage,  slew 
them.  This,  however,  was  the  cause  of 
his  own  death,  for  which  see  Althea. 
Althea,  repenting  too  late  of  what  she 
had  done,  put  an  end  to  her  life,  and 
his  wife,  Cleopatra  (not  the  heroine  of 
Sh.  play),  died  of  grief. 

mell.  To  meddle ;  to  have  to  do  with. 
All's.  IV,  3,  257. 

Melun,  dr. p.    A  French  lord.  John. 

Matthew  Paris  tells  us  that  Melun, 
before  his  death,  made  the  confession 
which  is  given  in  John  V,  4.  In  the  old 
play  of  The  Troublesome  Raigne  of 
King  John,  may  be  found  the  details  of 
the  agreement  between  the  dauphin 
and  sixteen  of  his  nobles,  and  the  oath 
by  which  they  bound  themselves  to 
execute  their  English  allies  and  deprive 
their  heirs  of  their  seigniories.  Melun 
was  one  of  the  sixteen. 

memorize.  To  make  memorable ;  to  make 
glorious.  HVIII.  Ill,  2,  52;  Mcb.  I, 
2,40. 

Menas,  dr.p.    Friend  to  Pompey.    Ant. 

Menec  rates,  dr.p.  Friend  to  Pompey. 
Ant. 

Menelaus,  dr.p.  Brother  to  Agamemnon. 
Troil. 

Menelaus  was  the  son  of  Plisthenes  or 
Atreus  and  the  younger  brother  of 
Agamemnon.  He  was  king  of  Lace- 
daemon,  and  married  to  the  famous 
Helen,  by  whom  he  became  the  father 
of  Hermione.  When  Helen  had  been 
carried  of  by  Paris,  Menelaus  and 
Ulysses  sailed  to  Troy  in  order  to 
demand  her  restitution.  Menelaus  was 
hospitably  treated  by  Antenor,  but  the 
journey  was  of  no  avail,  and  the  Trojan, 
Antimachus,  even  advised  his  fellow- 
citizens  to  kill  Menelaus  and  Ulysses. 
Thereupon  Menelaus  and  his  brother, 
Agamemnon  resolved  to  march  against 
Troy  with  all  the  forces  that  the  Greeks 
could  muster.  Agamemnon  was  chosen 
the  commander-in-chief.  In  the  Trojan 
war  Menelaus  was  under  the  special 
protection  of  Juno  and  Minerva,  and 
distinguished  himself  by  his  bravery  in 
battle.      He    killed    many    illustrious 


Trojans,  and  would  have  slain  Paris 
also  in  single  combat  had  not  the  latter 
been  carried  off  by  Venus  in  a  cloud. 
Menelaus  was  one  of  the  heroes  con- 
cealed in  the  wooden  horse  (see  horse)^ 
and  as  soon  as  Troy  was  taken  he  and 
Ulysses  hastened  to  the  house  of  Dei- 
phobus,  who  had  married  Helen  after 
the  death  of  Paris,  and  put  him  to  death 
in  a  barbarous  manner.  Menelaus  is 
said  to  have  been  secretly  introduced 
into  the  chamber  of  Deiphobus  by  Helen, 
who  thus  became  reconciled  to  her 
former  husband.  He  was  among  the 
first  that  sailed  away  from  Troy,  ac- 
companied by  his  wife,  Helen,  and 
Nestor,  but  he  was  eight  years  wander- 
ing about  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean 
before  he  reached  home.  Henceforth 
he  lived  with  Helen  at  Sparta  in  peace 
and  wealth,  and  his  palace  is  said  to 
have  shone  in  its  splendor  like  the  sun 
or  the  moon. 

Menenius  Agrippa,  dr.p.  Friend  to  Corio- 
lanus.     Cor. 

Menteith,  dr.p.  A  Scottish  nobleman. 
Mcb. 

Menteith.  A  district  in  the  south  of 
Perthshire,  Scotland,  laying  between 
the  Leith  and  the  Forth.  It  is  not  a 
county  as  Schm.  saj^s.     IHIV.  I,  1,  73. 

Mephistophilus.  A  disparaging  nick- 
name applied  by  Pistol  to  Slender.  Wi  v. 
I,  1,  132.  Mephistophilus  was  the  name 
of  a  supposed  familiar  spirit  in  the  old 
legend  of  Sir  John  Faustus,  and  con- 
sequently the  principal  agent  in  Mar- 
lowe's play  of  Dr.  Faustus. 

Mercade,  dr.p.  A  lord  attending  on  the 
Princess  of  France.     LLL. 

mercatante.  Italian  for  merchant  and 
used  in  same  sense.  Shr.  IV,  2,  63.  In 
some  editions  marcautant.  See  mer- 
chant. 

merchant.  A  fellow ;  a  chap ;  probably 
equivalent  to  peddler  or  chapman. 
IHVI.  II,  3,  57 ;  Rom.  II,  4,  153.  Used 
also  in  a  better  sense.   Merch.  Ill,  2, 242. 

Mercurial.  Like  Mercury;  swift^footed. 
Mercury  had  wings  on  his  feet.  Cym. 
IV,  2,  310.    See  Mercury 


MEB 


171 


MEB 


Mercury.  This  was  the  name  of  the 
Roman  god  of  commerce  and  gain,  the 
origin  of  the  word  being  exactly  the 
same  as  that  of  our  word  vier chant. 
His  statue  in  Rome  had  a  purse  in  its 
hand  to  signify  his  functions.  The 
Romans  of  later  times  identified  this 
god  of  merchants  and  tradespeople  with 
the  Greek,  Hermes,  and  transferred  all 
the  attributes  and  myths  of  the  latter 
to  the  former.  But  the  Fetiales  or 
College  of  Priests  never  recognized  the 
identity  of  the  two,  and  instead  of  a 
caduceus  used  a  sacred  branch  as  the 
emblem  of  peace.  In  all  the  references 
in  Sh.,  however,  the  allusions  are  to  the 
attributes  of  Hermes,  who  was  the  son 
of  Jupiter  and  Maia,  the  daughter  of 
Atlas,  He  was  born  in  a  cave  of  Mount 
Cyllene  in  Arcadia.  A  few  hours  after 
his  birth  he  escaped  from  his  cradle, 
went  to  Pieria  and  stole  some  of  the 
oxen  of  Apollo.  That  he  might  not  be 
discovered  by  the  traces  of  his  footsteps 
he  wore  sandals  and  drove  the  oxen  to 
Pylos,  where  he  killed  two  and  con- 
cealed the  rest  in  a  cave.  When  he 
returned  to  Cyllene  he  found  a  tortoise 
at.  the  entrance  of  his  native  cave.  He 
took  the  shell  of  the  animal,  drew 
strings  across  it  and  thus  invented  the 
lyre,  on  which  he  immediately  played. 
Apollo,  by  his  prophetic  power,  had,  in 
the  meantime  discovered  the  thief  and 
charged  Hermes  with  the  crime  before 
his  mother,  Maia.  She  showed  to  the 
god  the  child  in  its  cradle,  but  Apollo 
carried  him  before  Jupiter  who  com- 
manded him  to  return  the  oxen.  Hermes 
then  conducted  Apollo  to  Pylos  and 
restored  to  him  his  oxen,  but  when 
Apolio  heard  the  sounds  of  the  lyre  he 
was  so  charmed  that  he  allowed  Hermes 
to  keep  the  cattle. 

An  account  of  the  adventures  of 
Mercury  (Hermes)  and  the  services  that 
he  rendered  to  the  gods  would  fill  a 
large  book.  His  principal  function 
was  that  of  herald  to  the  gods,  hence  he 
was  regarded  as  the  god  of  eloquence, 
since  eloquence  is  one  of  the  most  im- 


portant of  the  arts  employed  by  heralds 
and  messengers.  And  as  messengers 
should  also  be  endowed  with  cunning, 
he'was  known  as  the  god  of  thieves  and 
liars.  Tw.  I,  5,  105.  He  was  also  the 
acknowledged  author  of  many  inven- 
tions. His  principal  attributes  are :  1. 
A  travelling  hat,  with  a  broad  brim, 
which  in  later  time  was  adorned  with 
two  little  wings.  2.  His  staff,  which, 
instead  of  being  entwined  with  white 
ribbons  like  the  ordinary  herald's  staves, 
was  entwined  with  two  serpents.  See 
caduceus.  The  staff,  in  later  times,  is 
further  adorned  with  a  pair  of  wings 
expressing  the  swiftness  with  which 
the  messenger  of  the  gods  moved  from 
place  to  place.  3.  The  sandals.  They 
were  beautiful  and  golden,  and  carried 
the  god  across  land  and  sea  with  the 
rapidity  of  the  wind.  At  the  ankles 
they  were  provided  with  wings. 

The  planet  Mercury  is  evidently  re- 
ferred to  by  Autolycus.  Wint.  IV,  3. 
25.  The  old  astrological  beliefs  were 
strongly  held  in  the  days  of  Sh.,  and 
the  influence  of  the  planet  Mercury 
upon  human  destiny  was  supposed  to 
tend  powerfully  towards  an  endowment 
of  the  characteristics  of  the  god  whose 
name  it  bore. 

Mercutio,  dr. p.   Friend  to  Romeo.  Rom. 

mere.  Complete ;  entire.  0th.  II,  2,  3  ; 
Cym.  IV,  2,  92.  Used  as  an  adverb 
(=  merely)  in  AU's.  Ill,  5,  58. 

mere,     )       Entire;  absolute;  only.  0th. 

mered.  j  II,  2,  3 ;  Troil.  I,  3,  111 ;  Ant. 
Ill,  2,  10  ;  Cym.  V,  5,  335. 

merely.  Simply ;  absolutely  ;  quite.  Tp. 
I,  1,59;  Hml.  I,  2,  137. 

mermaid.  A  fabulous  creature,  half 
woman  and  half  fish.  Schm.  says  the 
word  is  synonymous  with  -siren,  but 
this  is  not  strictly  correct,  although  Sh. 
frequently  applies  the  word  interchange- 
ably, as  in  Err.  Ill,  2,  45  and  168,  and 
elsewhere.  See  siren.  Mermaid  was 
old  slang  for  a  woman  of  bad  char- 
acter. Of  the  passage :  And  heard 
a  mermaid  on  a  dolphin^s  back,  etc. 
(Mids.  II,  1,  150),  Furness  tells  us  that 


MER 


173 


MES 


"this  speech  of  Oberon  has  been  the 
subject  of  more  voluminous  specu- 
lation than  any  other  twenty-five  lines 
in  Shakespeare.  Perhaps,  not  unnatur- 
ally. Let  an  allegory  be  once  scented 
and  the  divagations  are  endless."  Ac- 
cording to  Rowe,  it  amounted  to  no 
more  than  a  compliment  to  Queen 
Elizabeth,  who  is  meant  by  the  "fair 
vestal,  throned  by  the  west. "  In  regard 
to  this  all  are  agreed.  But  Warburton 
went  further  and  claimed  that  the  mer- 
maid was  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  the 
dolphin  being  the  dauphin  of  France, 
son  of  Henry  II,  to  whom  Mary  was 
married.  See  dauphhi.  The  superla- 
tive abilities  and  attractions  of  Mary 
are  set  forth  in  the  line  :  uttering  such 
(iulcet  and  harmonious  breath;  and 
by  the  stars  that  shot  madly  from  their 
spheres  are  "meant  the  earls  of  North- 
umberland and  Westmoreland,  who  fell 
in  her  quarrel ;  and  principally  the 
great  duke  of  Norfolk,  whose  projected 
marriage  with  her  was  attended  with 
such  fatal  consequences. ' '  The  allegory 
is  certainly  very  close.  Marshall  and 
others  think  it  refers  to  the  entertain- 
ment given  to  Elizabeth  at  Kenilworth 
in  1575,  and  that  the  stars  that  shot 
madly  from  their  spheres  were  fire- 
works! 1  But  this  is  certainly  a  very 
unpoetical  conception  and  one  entirely 
unworthy  of  the  passage  under  consider- 
ation. He  identifies  the  mermaid  on 
the  dolphin  with  Arion  "riding  aloft 
upon  his  old  friend  the  dolphin^''''  as 
described  by  Laneham  in  his  account  of 
the  festivities.  Arion  must  have  made 
a  rare  old  mermaid. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  in  this  connection 
that  Mary,  in  her  own  day,  was  carica- 
tured under  the  symbol  of  a  mermaid. 
See  Strickland's  "Queens  of  Scotland," 
art.  Mary. 

The  point  is  one  of  intense  interest, 
and  those  who  desire  to  study  the  sub- 
ject thoroughly  will  find  the  material 
in  Furness's  ed.  of  Midsummer  NighV s 
Dream,,  where  nearly  seventeen  closely 
printed  royal  octavo  pages  are  devoted 


to  it.  The  following  quotation  from 
Furness  cannot  fail  to  interest  our 
readers :  "In  the  copy  of  Hanmer's 
'  Shakespeare,'  which  Mrs.  F.  A.  Kemble 
used  in  her  Public  Readings,  and 
which  she  gave  to  the  present  editor, 
there  is  in  the  margin  opposite  this 
passage  the  following  MS.  note  by  that 
loved  and  venerated  hand  :  '  It  always 
seems  to  me  the  crowning  hardship  of 
Mary  Stuart's  hard  life  to  have  had 
this  precious  stone  thrown  at  her  by 
the  hand  of  Shakespeare — it  seems  to 
me  most  miserable,  even  when  I  think 
of  all  her  misery,  that  she  should  have 
had  this  beautiful,  bad  record  from  the 
humanest  man  that  ever  lived,  and,  for 
her  sins,  the  greatest  poet — ^and  she  that 
was  wise  (not  good)  and  prosperous,  to 
have  this  crown  of  stars  set  on  her 
narrow  forehead  by  the  same  hand.'  " 
But  although  Sh.  as  a  poet  paid  Eliza- 
beth this  glowing  compliment,  evidently 
before  he  realized  her  true  character, 
when  she  came  to  die  he  had  not  one 
word  of  sorrow  or  of  praise  to  utter  in 
her  behalf. 

Merops.  A  king  of  the  Ethiopians.  His 
wife,  Clymene,  became  the  mother  of 
Phaethon  by  Helios  (the  Sun).  See 
Pho'thon.     Gent.  Ill,  1,  1.53. 

meshed.   Mashed ;  brewed.   Tit.  Ill,  2, 38. 

mess.  1.  A  party  eating  together;  a 
company.  John  I,  1,  190;  Hml.  V.  2, 
89.  Lower  messes  ==  persons  of  inferior 
rank;  properly  those  who,  at  meals, 
sat  below  the  salt — at  the  lower  end  of 
the  table.    Wint.  I,  2,  227. 

2.  A  party  of  four.  Thus  Cotgrave 
gives;  "A  messe.  (Vulgairement)  Le 
nombre  de  quatre."  Mess  came  to 
signify  a  set  of  four,  because  at  great 
dinners  the  company  was  usually  ar- 
ranged into  fours,  which  were  called 
messes.  LLL.  IV,  3,  207 ;  do.  V,  2, 361 ; 
3HVI.  I,  4,  73. 

3.  A  small  quantity  ;  as  much  as  would 
serve  for  a  meal.  2HIV.  II,  1,  103; 
0th.  IV,  1,  211. 

Messala,  dr.p.  Friend  to  Brutus  and 
Cassius.     Caes. 


MET 


173 


MIL 


metaphysical.  Supernatural.  Mcb.  1, 5, 30, 

Metellus  Cimber,  dr. p.  Conspirator 
against  Julius  Caesar.     Caes. 

mete=yard.  A  measuring  yard.  Shr. 
IV,  3,  153. 

mew.  "  Mew  is  the  place,  whether  it  be 
abroad  or  in  the  house,  in  which  the 
Hawk  is  put  during  the  time  she  casts 
or  doth  change  her  feathers. "  Holme's 
"Academy  of  Armory  and  Blazon." 
Shr.  I,  1,  87;  John  IV,  2,  57;  RIII.  I, 
1,  38,  and  133. 

mettle.    1.  Material;  quality.    HV.  Ill, 

1,  27 ;  Mcb.  I,  7,  73. 

2.  Disposition ;   courage ;   temper.     Tw. 

Ill,  4,  300 ;  Tp.  II,  1, 183  ;  IHIV.  II,  4, 13. 
meyny.    The  multitude ;  probably  a  form 

of  many.    Cor.  Ill,  1,  66. 
Michael,  dr  .p.  A  follower  of  Cade.  2HVI. 
Michael,  Sir,  dr. p.     Friend  to  Archbishop 

of  York.     IHIV.  and  2HIV. 
micher.    A  sneak;  a  truant.    IHIV.  II, 

4,  450. 
miching.    Secret;   sneaking.    Hml.  Ill, 

2,  146. 

mickle.  Much ;  great.  Err.  Ill,  1,  45 ; 
HV.  II,  1,  70 ;  Rom.  II,  3,  15.  A  word 
almost  obsolete  in  the  time  of  Sh.,  but 
still  in  use  in  Scotland  in  the  form 
"muckle,"  which  is  a  mere  variant. 
There  is  an  old  proverb :  "  Many  a 
pickle  make  a  mickle,"  or,  as  Ray  gives 
it :  "Many  littles  make  a  mickle."  By 
a  strange  perversion  this  proverb  is 
frequently  altered  to  "Many  a  mickle 
make  a  muckle,"  which  is  nonsense,  as 
mickle  and  muckle  are  merely  different 
forms  of  the  same  word. 

Midas.  The  son  of  Gordius  and  Cybele, 
is  said  to  have  been  a  wealthy  but 
effeminate  king  of  Phrygia,  a  pupil  of 
Orpheus  and  a  great  patron  of  the 
worship  of  Bacchus.  It  is  said  that 
while  a  child,  ants  carried  grains  of 
wheat  into  his  mouth  to  indicate  that 
one  day  he  should  be  the  richest  of  all 
mortals.  On  one  occasion  Silenus,  the 
companion  and  teacher  of  Bacchus,  had 
gone  astray  in  a  state  of  intoxication 
and  was  caught  by  the  country  people 
in  the  rose  gardens  of  Midas,    He  was 


bound  with  wreaths  of  flowers  and 
led  before  the  king.  Midas  received 
Silenus  kindly,  and  after  treating  him 
with  hospitality  he  led  him  back  to 
Bacchus  who,  in  his  gratitude,  allowed 
Midas  to  ask  a  favor  of  him.  Midas,  in 
his  folly,  desired  that  all  things  which 
he  touched  should  be  changed  into  gold. 
The  request  was  granted,  but  as  even 
the  food  which  he  touched  became  gold 
he  implored  the  god  to  take  his  favor 
back.  Bacchus  accordingly  ordered  him 
to  bathe  in  the  source  of  Pactolus,  near 
Mount  Tmolus.  This  bath  saved  Midas, 
but  from  that  time  the  river  always 
had  abundance  of  gold  in  its  sand. 
Merch.  Ill,  2,  103.  On  one  occasion, 
when  Pan  and  Apollo  were  engaged  in 
a  musical  contest  on  the  flute  and  lyre, 
Midas  was  chosen  to  decide  between 
them.  The  king  decided  in  favor  of 
Pan,  whereupon  Apollo  changed  his 
ears  into  those  of  an  ass.  Midas  con- 
trived to  conceal  them  under  his 
Phrygian  cap,  but  the  servant  who 
used  to  cut  his  hair  discovered  them. 
The  secret  so  much  harassed  this  man 
that,  as  he  could  not  betray  it  to  a 
human  being,  he  dug  a  hole  in  the  earth 
and  whispered  in  it ;  "  King  Midas  has 
ass's  ears."  He  then  filled  the  hole  up 
again  and  his  heart  was  relieved.  But 
on  the  same  spot  a  reed  grew  up  which 
in  its  whispers  betrayed  the  secret. 
Midas  is  said  to  have  killed  himself  by 
drinking  the  blood  of  an  ox. 

middest.  The  middle  ;  the  thick.  2HVI. 
IV,  8,  64. 

middle=earth.  The  world.  A  man  of 
middle-earth  (Wiv.  V,  5,  86)  evidently 
means  one  who  belongs  to  the  space 
between  the  sky  and  the  infernal 
regions. 

Milan,  Duke  of,  dr.}).  Father  to  Silvia. 
Gent. 

milch.  Moist ;  shedding  tears.  Hml.  II, 
2,  548. 

milliner.  A  man  dealing  in  fancy  articles. 
Wint.  IV,  4,  193. 

mill-sixpence.  A  coin  (sixi^ence)  on  which 
the  impression  was  made  by  a  screw 


mi 


174 


MIX 


press  instead  of  with  a  bannner.  Such 
coins  were  introduced  about  1572  and 
were,  in  many  respects,  superior  to  the 
old  ones.     Wiv.  I,  1,  158. 

millstones.  *'To  weep  millstones"  is  a 
proverbial  expression  signifying  not  to 
weep  at  all.  RIII.  I,  3,  353.  Troil.  I, 
2,  157. 

mince.  1.  To  make  small ;  hence  to 
extenuate  or  palliate.  0th.  II,  3,  247  ; 
Ant.  I,  2,  109. 
2.  To  act  in  an  affected  and  delicate 
manner,  as,  for  example,  to  take  small 
steps.  Wiv.  V,  1,  9 ;  Merch.  Ill,  4,  67 ; 
Troil.  I,  2,  279. 

For  the  passage  in  Lr.  IV,  6,  119,  it 
has  been  suggested  by  Collier's  MS. 
corrector  that  minces  is  a  misprint  for 
mimics.  This  is  certainly  a  good  sug- 
gestion ;  counterfeiting  or  mimicking 
virtue  seems  more  expressive  here  than 
m,incing,  even  if  we  accept  an  old 
definition  of  mincing  given  by  Cotgrave 
{s.v.  m,ineux) — squeamish,  quaint,  coy. 

mine.  To  undermine ;  to  sap ;  to  destroy. 
As.  I,  1,  22. 

mineral.  Anything  that  is  mined  or  dug 
out  of  a  mine.     Hml.  IV,  1, 26.    See  ore. 

Minerva.  Identified  by  the  Romans  with 
the  Greek  goddess  Athena.  Various 
accounts  are  given  of  her  birth  and 
parentage,  one  being  that  she  was  the 
daughter  of  Jupiter  without  a  mother. 
Jupiter  being  tormented  with  severe 
pains  in  his  head  ordered  Vulcan  to 
split  his  skull  open.  This  was  done, 
and  Minerva  sprang  forth  with  a  mighty 
shout  and  clad  in  complete  armour. 
She  was  the  goddess  of  all  wisdom  and 
of  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  her  in- 
ventions are  many  and  important.  She 
was  believed  to  have  invented  nearly 
every  kind  of  work  in  which  women 
were  employed,  and  she  herself  was 
skilled  in  such  work,  as  witness  her 
contest  with  Arachne.  See  Arachne. 
She  assumes  the  character  of  a  warlike 
divinity,  but,  unlike  Mars,  she  preserves 
men  from  slaughter  when  prudence 
demands  it  and  repels  the  savage  love 
of  war  shown  by  Mars,  and  conquers 


him.  In  the  reign  of  Cecrops  both 
Neptune  and  Minerva  contended  for 
the  possession  of  Athens.  The  gods  re- 
solved that  whichever  of  them  produced 
a  gift  most  useful  to  mortals  should  have 
possession  of  the  land.  Neptune  struck 
the  ground  with  his  trident  and  straight- 
way a  horse  appeared.  Minerva  ( Athena) 
then  planted  the  olive.  The  gods  there- 
upon decreed  that  the  olive  was  more 
useful  to  man  than  the  horse  and  gave 
the  city  to  the  goddess.  From  her  it 
was  called  A-thenae. 

minikin.  Small  and  pretty.  Lr.  Ill,  6,  45. 

minion.  The  best ;  the  choice.  Mcb.  II, 
4,  15.  From  the  French  mignon,  which 
Cot.  defines  as  pleasing,  gentle,  kind. 
Skeat  suggests  that  the  use  of  the  word 
with  a  sinister  meaning  was  probably 
borrowed  from  the  Italian  mignone,  a 
favorite.  But  the  transition  from  favor- 
ite, in  the  good  sense  of  one  well-beloved, 
to  favorite,  a  servile  follower,  is  obvious 
and  easy. 

minimus.  Anything  very  small.  Mids. 
Ill,  2,  329. 

Minos.  A  king  and  lawgiver  of  Crete. 
His  wife,  Pasiphse,  gave  birth  to  a 
monster,  Minotaur  us,  which  had  a  bull's 
body  and  a  human  head.  Others  say 
a  human  body  and  a  bull's  head.  The 
monster  was  kept  in  the  labyrinth  con- 
structed by  Daedalus  at  Cnosus.  See 
Daedalus.  Minos  made  war  against  the 
Athenians  and  Megarians  and  compelled 
the  former  to  send  either  every  year  or 
every  nine  years,  a  tribute  of  seven 
youths  and  seven  maidens  who  were 
devoured  in  the  labyrinth  by  the  Mino- 
taurus.  The  monster  was  slain  by 
Theseus.    3HVI.  V,  6,  22. 

Minotaur.    IHVI.  V,  3,  189.    See  Minos. 

minute-jacks.  Fickle  time-servers  ;  liter- 
ally, fellows  that  watch  their  minutes 
to  make  their  advantage.  Tim.  Ill,  6, 
107. 

minutely.  Every  minute.  Mcb.  V,  2, 
18.  This  word,  in  this  sense,  has  now 
fallen  into  disuse,  like  the  word  pre- 
sently as  meaning  at  present,  which  is 
used  only  in  Scotland,  where  they  speak 


XIB 


175 


HON 


of  a  person  as  "  presently  residing  " — 
meaning  residing  at  present.  In  Sh. 
time  this  was  one  of  the  ordinary  sig- 
nifications of  the  word. 

mirable.    Admirable.    Troil.  IV,  5,  142. 

miraculous  harp.  The  reference  in  Tp. 
II,  1,  87,  to  the  miraculous  harp  may 
be  either  to  that  of  Amphion  or  that  of 
Apollo.  Amphion  and  his  brother 
Zethus  having  taken  Thebes  and  put 
Lycus,  the  king,  and  his  wife,  Dirce,  to 
death  because  Lycus  had  repudiated 
their  mother,  they  fortified  the  city  by 
a  wall,  and  it  is  said  that  when  Amphion 
played  the  lyre  the  stones  moved  of 
their  own  accord  and  formed  the  wall. 
Apollo,  by  means  of  his  harp,  raised 
the  walls  of  Ti-oy.  Phillpotts  says : 
"  If  Gonzalo  makes  Carthage  and  Tunis 
into  one  city,  his  word  has  more  power 
than  Amphion 's  harp,  which  raised  the 
walls  of  Thebes." 

Miranda,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  Prosper©. 
Tp. 

miscreate.    Illegitimate.     HV.  I,  2,  16. 

misdoubt,  n.  Suspicion ;  apprehension. 
2HVI.  Ill,  1,  332. 

misdoubt,  v.  To  mistrust.  Wiv.  II,  1, 
192;  LLL.  IV,  3,  194. 

miser.  A  miserable  wretch.  Not  neces- 
sarily a  hoarder  of  money.  IHVI.  V, 
4,7. 

misery.  Wretchedness;  poverty.  Cor. 
II,  2,  131.  Grenerally  explained  here  as 
avarice,  but,  as  Schm.  well  says,  quite 
unnecessarily. 

misgraffed.    Ill-placed/    Mids.  I,  1,  137. 

misprise,  )       1.  To  undervalue;  to  slight. 

misprize.  \   As.  I,  1,  177  ;  TroU.  IV,  5,  74. 
From  the  French  mepriser. 
2.  To  mistake.     Mids.  Ill,  2,  74. 

misprised.    Mistaken.    Mids.  Ill,  2,  74. 

misprision.    1.   The  taking  of  one  thing 
for  another ;  mistake ;  error.    Ado.  IV, 
1,  187;  LLL.  IV,  3,  98 ;  IHIV.  I,  3,  27. 
2.  Contempt;  undervaluing.    All's.  II, 
3,  159. 

miss.    Misconduct.    Ven.  53. 

missingly.  With  regret.   Wint.  IV,  1,  34. 

missive.  A  messenger,  Mcb.  I,  5,  7 ; 
Ant.  II,  2,  78. 


mist.  To  bedew;  to  cover  with  mist. 
Lr.  V,  3,  264. 

mistempered.      1.    Badly    tempered    or 
hardened  (as  steel).     Rom.  I,  1,  94. 
2.  Ill-tempered ;  angry.     John.  V,  1,  12. 

misthinlc.  To  think  ill  of.  3H VI.  II,  5, 108. 

mistreadings.    Sins.     IHIV.  Ill,  2,  11. 

mistress.  1.  A  term  of  courtesy  used 
in  Sh.  time  in  speaking  of  or  to  women 
(except  those  of  high  rank)  indiscrimin- 
ately, whether  they  were  married  or 
not.  Even  in  the  beginning  of  the  last 
century  it  was  customary  to  style  an  un- 
married lady,  mistress.  Wiv.  V,  5, 194. 
2.  The  small  ball  at  the  game  of  bowls, 
now  called  the  Jack,  at  which  the 
players  aim.     Nares.    Troil.  Ill,  2,  52. 

mixture.  But  when  the  planets  In  evil 
mixture  to  disorder  wander.  Troil. 
I,  3,  95.  "I  believe  the  poet,  according 
to  astrological  opinions,  means  when 
the  planets  form  malignant  configura- 
tions, when  their  aspects  are  evil  to- 
wards one  another.  This  he  terms  evil 
mixture. ' '    Johnson. 

mobled.  Having  the  head  wrapped  up 
or  muffled.     Hml.  II,  2,  525. 

modern.  Commonplace.  As.  II,  7,  156 ; 
AU's.  II,  3,  2.    Mcb.  IV,  3,  170. 

module.  An  image  ;  not  the  real  thing. 
John  V,  7,  58. 

moe.    More.    RII.  II,  1,  239. 

moiety.  A  portion.  Lr.  1, 1,  7.  Properly 
a  half,  from  the  Latin  medius,  the 
middle.  It  has  this  meaning  in  All's. 
Ill,  2,  69. 

moist  star.  The  moon.  Hml.  I,  1,  118. 
See  moon. 

moldwarp.  A  mole.  {Scotch  mody wart.) 
IHIV.  Ill,  1,  149. 

mome.  A  dolt;  a  blockhead.  Err.  Ill, 
1,33. 

momentany.  Lasting  but  a  moment ; 
momentary.     Mids.  I,  1,  143. 

Monarcho.  The  nickname  of  a  crack- 
brained  Italian  who  attracted  a  great 
deal  of  attention  just  before  Sh.  time. 
He  fancied  that  he  was  emperor  of  the 
world.     LLL.  IV,  1,  101. 

Montague,  dr.p.  At  variance  with  Capu- 
let.    Romeo's  father.    Rom. 


HON 


176 


HOB 


Montague,  Lady,  dr,p.  Wife  to  Mont- 
ague.   Rom. 

Montague,  Marquis  of,  dr. p.  A  Yorkist. 
3HVI. 

Montano,  dr.p.  Governor  of  Cyprus. 
0th. 

Montgomery,  Sir  John,  dr.p.    3HVI. 

montant.  An  old  fencing  term,  meaning 
an  upright  blow  or  thrust.     Cot.     Wiv. 

II,  3,    27.    cf.  Montanto,  applied   by 
Beatrice  to  Benedick.     Ado.  I,  1,  30. 

month's  mind.  Sometimes  defined  as 
monthly  commemoration  of  the  dead, 
but  used  ludicrously  to  mean  a  great  or 
strong  desire.  Croft  explains  it  as  a 
woman's  longing  such  as  sometimes 
occurs  in  pregnancy.    Gent.  I,  2,  137. 

Montjoy,  dr.p.    A  French  herald.    HV. 

monumental.  Ancestral.  All's.  IV,  3,  20. 

mood.    Anger.    Gent.  IV,  1,  51 ;  Rom. 

III,  1,  13. 

moon.  The  moon  was  believed  not  only 
to  govern  the  tides  (Hml.  I,  1,  118)  and 
to  exert  a  powerful  influence  over  the 
condition  of  men  and  plants  (Troil.  Ill, 
3,  184),  but  to  be  the  source  of  dew. 
The  dew-drops  were  supposed  to  be  the 
tears  of  the  moon.  Mids.  Ill,  I,  204  ; 
Mcb.  Ill,  5,  24. 

moon-calf.  Literally,  a  person  or  con- 
ception influenced  by  the  moon ;  an 
abortion ;  a  monster.     Tp.  II,  2,  115. 

moonish.  Inconstant;  capricious;  change- 
able like  the  moon.     As.  Ill,  2,  430. 

Moonshine,  dr.p.  A  character  in  the 
Interlude.     Mids. 

moonshine,  sop  o'  th'.  Kent's  emphatic 
threat :  Fll  make  a  sop  o'  W  moon- 
shine of  you  (Lr.  II,  2,  35)  has  called 
forth  much  comment,  some  of  which 
seems  more  realistic  than  poetical.  Thus 
Nares  even  goes  so  far  as  to  suggest 
that  Kent  threatens  to  convert  Oswald 
into  a  dish  known  as  "eggs  in  moon- 
shine," and  in  illustration  of  his  ex- 
planation he  actually  gives  a  cookery 
recipe  for  this  culinary  preparation  I 
Entwisle  says :  "  Plainly,  Kent's  in- 
tention is  to  make  a  '  sop  '  of  him  in  the 
sense  of  steeping  him  in  his  own  blood, 
by  the  consenting  light  of  the  moon. " 


Clarke  thinks  that  Kent  means:  "I'll 
beat  you  flat  as  a  pancake."  It  is 
evident  that  none  of  these  conveys  a 
meaning  precisely  equivalent  to  that 
intended  by  Sh,  Moonshine  has  always 
been  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  un- 
substantial of  entities ;  "  a  sop  o'  the 
moonshine  "  is  the  next  thing  to  nothing ; 
to  convert  Oswald  into  that,  would  be 
to  almost  annihilate  him,  so  that  Kent's 
threat  is  equivalent  to  saying,  in  the 
vernacular,  though,  perhaps,  less  poetic 
language,  of  to-day:  "I  won't  leave  a 
grease  spot  of  you."  The  moon  was 
shining  and  so  there  was  light  enough 
for  "  thrust  and  ward." 

mop,  n.  A  nod  ;  a  grimace.  Tp.  IV,  1,  47. 

mop,  V.  To  make  grimaces.  Lr.  IV,  1,  64. 

mopping.  Making  grimaces.  Lr.  IV,  1,62. 

Mopsa,  dr. 2).    A  shepherdess.     Wint. 

moral.  A  hidden  meaning.  Ado.  Ill,  4, 
78 ;  Shr.  IV,  4,  79  ;  HV.  Ill,  6,  35. 

Morgan,  dr.p.  Assumed  name  of  Belarius. 
Cym. 

Morocco,  Prince  of,  dr.p.  Suitor  to 
Portia.     Merch. 

Morisco.     A  morris  dancer.    2HVI.  Ill, 

I,  365. 

morning's  love.    See  Aurora  and  Cepha- 

lus. 
morris.    1.   A  morris-dance,  q.v.    All's. 

II,  2,  25. 

2.  The  nine  tnen'^s  morris.  Mids.  II,  1, 
98.  In  the  Var.  Sh.  (1821)  James  ex- 
plains this  as  follows  :  "  In  that  part  of 
Warwickshire  where  Shakespeare  was 
educated,  and  in  the  neighbouring  parts 
of  Northamptonshire,  the  shepherds 
and  other  boys  dig  up  the  turf  with 
their  knives  to  represent  a  sort  of  im- 
perfect chessboard.  It  consists  of  a 
square,  sometimes  only  a  foot  in  dia- 
meter, sometimes  three  or  four  yards. 
Within  this  is  another  square,  every 
side  of  which  is  parallel  to  the  ex- 
ternal square,  and  these  squares  are 
joined  by  lines  drawn  from  each  comer 
of  both  squares  and  the  middle  of  each 
line.  One  party  or  player,  has  wooden 
pegs,  the  other  stones,  which  they  move 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  take  up  each 


M0& 


177 


MOR 


other's  men,  as  they  are  called,  and  the 
area  of  the  inner  square  is  called  the 
pound,  in  which  the  men  taken  up  are 
impounded.  These  figures  are  al  ways  cut 
upon  the  green  turf,  or  leys  as  they  are 
called,  or  upon  the  grass  at  the  end  of 
ploughed  lands,  and  in  rainy  seasons 
never  fail  to  be  choked  up  with  mud." 
Cotgrave,  Douce,  Strutt,  Wright  and 
others  describe  various  modifications  of 
the  game  which  in  some  forms  is  a  very 
old  one. 

morris^dance.  The  morris  dance,  or 
Moorish  dance,  was  used  on  festival 
occasions,  particularly  on  May  Day  and 
other  seasons  of  great  licence.  HV. 
II,  4,  25.  It  appears  that  a  certain  set 
of  personages  were  usually  represented 
in  the  May  Day  morris-dance,  who  have 
been  thus  enumerated.  1.  The  Bavian 
or  fool.  2.  Maid  Marian  or  the  Queen 
of  May,  the  celebrated  mistress  of  Robin 
Hood.  3.  The  friar,  that  is,  Friar  Tuck, 
chaplain  to  the  same  personage.  4. 
Her  gentleman-ushei;  or  paramour.  5. 
The  hobby-horse.  6.  The  clown.  7.  A 
gentleman.  8.  The  Maypole.  9.  Tom 
Piper.  10, 11.  Foreigners,  perhaps  Moris- 
cos.  12.  The  domestic  fool  or  jester. 
It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  all  these 
personages  were  always  there,  but 
allusions  to  all,  or  most  of  them,  are 
found  in  various  places.  It  is  difficult 
to  trace  any  part  of  these  dances  clearly 
to  Moorish  origin,  and  the  presumption 
is  chiefly  founded  upon  the  names 
Morris  and  Morisco.    Nares. 

morris  pike.  A  formidable  weapon  used 
often  by  the  English  mariners  and  some- 
times by  soldiers.  Supposed  to  be  of 
Moorish  origin,  hence  the  name.  Err. 
IV,  3,  28. 

mort.  French  for  death ;  hence  a  hunt- 
ing term  for  a  certain  flourish  or  notes 
blown  at  the  death  of  the  deer.  Wint. 
I,  2,  118. 

mortal.  In  the  passage  moi'tal  in  folly 
(As.  II,  4,  5(5),  this  word  has  given  the 
commentators  some  trouble.  Johnson 
explains  it  as  abounding  in  folly,  the 
word  mortal  being   an   English   pro- 


vincialism for  much  or  viery^  as  mortal 
tall,  mortal  little.  Other  meanings 
have  been  suggested,  but  none  are 
satisfactory,  and  Staunton  thinks  that 
there  is  a  meaning  that  we  have  not 
yet  discovered.  Rosalind's  reply:  "Thou 
speakest  wiser  than  thou  art  ware  of," 
would  seem  to  indicate  a  deeper  meaning. 
The  expression,  human  mortals, 
(Mids.  II,  1,  101)  has  given  rise  to  a 
question  as  to  whether  the  fairies,  with 
Oberon  and  Titania,  were  mortal,  like 
men,  or  immortal,  and  the  argument 
has  been  conducted  with  some  bitter- 
ness. In  line  135  Titania  speaks  of  a 
human  female,  a  votaress  of  her  order, 
who  "  being  mortal  of  that  boy  did  die," 
which  would  seem  to  imply  that  Titania 
herself  was  not  mortal.  But  this  ques- 
tion, like  everything  else  connected 
with  these  creations  of  the  imagination, 
is  unsettled,  and  will  no  doubt  remain  so. 

morrow.  To-morrow.  Mids.  I,  1,  223; 
Rom.  II,  2,  186. 

mort  de  ma  vie.  French  for  death  of 
my  life  ;  a  common  French  oath.  HV. 
Ill,  5,  11. 

mort-du-vinaigre.  Literally,  death  of 
vinegar ;  a  ridiculous  and  probably 
meaningless  oath  used  by  ParoUes. 
All's.  II,  3,  50. 

mort  Dieu.  French  for  death  of  God; 
same  as  'Sdeath,  which  is  a  contraction 
for  God's  death.    2HVI.  I,  1,  123. 

mortified.    1.    Dead ;  insensible ;  numb. 
Lr.  II,  3,  15 ;  Caes.  II,  1,  324. 
2.  Ascetic ;   retired    from    the    world. 
Mcb.  V,  2,  5 ;  LLL.  I,  1,  28. 

The  phrase,  the  m^ortified  man  (Mcb. 
V,  2,  5),  may  mean  either  a  hermit,  i.e., 
one  who  is  dead  to  the  world  and  its 
passions,  or  a  man  who  is  physically 
dead.  The  Clarendon  Press  ed.  takes 
the  latter  view,  and  adds:  "If  *the 
mortified  man '  really  means  the  dead, 
the  word  bleeding  in  the  former  line 
may  have  been  suggested  by  the  well- 
known  superstition  that  the  corpse  of  a 
murdered  man  bled  afresh  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  murderer.     It  is  true  that 

.     this  interpretation  gives  an  extravagant 


MOR 


178 


MOT 


sense,  but  we  have  to  choose  between 
extravagance  and  feebleness." 

Mortimer,  Edmund,  dr.p.  Earl  of  March. 
IHIV. 

Mortimer,  Lady,  dr.p.  Daughter  to 
Glendower.    IHIV. 

Mortimer,  Sir  Hugh,  dr.p.  Uncle  to  the 
Duke  of  York.    3HVI. 

Mortimer,  Sir  John,  dr.p.  Uncle  to  the 
Duke  of  York.    3HVI. 

Morton,  John,  dr.p.  Bishopof  Ely.  RIII. 

Morton,  dr.p.  Servant  to  the  Earl  of 
Northumberland.    2HIV. 

mose.  "  To  mose  in  the  chine,  a  disorder 
in  horses,  by  some  called  mourning  in 
the  chine."    Nares.    Shr.  Ill,  2,  51. 

mot.  Motto ,  device.  Schm.  Motto,  or 
word,  as  it  was  sometimes  called.  Rolfe. 
Lucr.  830.  These  definitions  seem  to 
me  scarcely  to  meet  the  case.  That  the 
word  mot  is  French  for  the  English 
term  word  is  true,  but  here  it  evidently 
has  a  sinister  meaning.  Cotgra  ve  gives 
as  one  of  the  definitions  of  mot :  a  quip^ 
cut,  nip,  frumpe,  scoffe,  jeast.  Here 
it  evidently  signifies  a  mark  of  disgrace. 

Moth,  dr.p.     A  fairy.     Mids. 

Moth,  dr.p.    Page  to  Armado.    LLL. 

mother.  The  disease  hysterica  passio. 
Lr.  II,  4,  56. 

The  disease  called  the  m^other  or 
hysterica  passio  in  Sh.  time  was  not 
thought  peculiar  to  women.     Percy. 

The  passage  in  Cym.  Ill,  4,  51 :  Some 
jay  of  Italy  Whose  itnother  was  her 
painting,  is  one  of  the  cruces  of  the 
play.  Johnson  explains  it  as:  "The 
creature  not  of  nature,  but  of  painting. " 
In  support  of  this,  reference  has  been 
made  to  Lr.  II,  2,  60,  a  tailor  made 
thee.  And  in  Cym.  IV,  2,  82,  we  find  : 
No,  nor  thy  tailor,  rascal, 
Who  is  thy  grandfather  ;   he  made 

those  clothes, 
Which,  as  it  seems,  make  thee. 

Clarke  and  Wright  say :  "  If  the  text 
be  right,  the  meaning  probably  is, 
whose  mother  aided  and  abetted  her 
daughter  in  her  trade  of  seduction." 
A  rather  forced  gloss,  of  which  Ingleby 
properly  remarks:   "By  no  ingenuity 


is  it  possible  to  make  '  whose  mother 
was  her  painting  "  mean  "whose  mother 
was  her  bawd.' " 

Various  emendations  have  been  pro- 
posed. Thus,  Theobald  read  "plant- 
ing" for  "painting;"  Hanmer  read 
"feathers"  for  "mother;"  and  the 
Collier  MS.  corrector  read:  "Who 
smothers  her  with  painting."  Hallo- 
well  wrote  a  pamphlet  in  condemnation 
of  this  emendation,  and  Singer  ("  Shake- 
speare Vindicated,"  page  307)  makes 
some  quite  severe,  though  erroneous 
remarks.  The  emendation  is  quite  as 
good  as  any  that  has  been  proposed, 
but  Johnson's  explanation  seems  to 
remove  any  need  for  alteration. 

moth  of  peace.  A  mere  idler  ;  one  who 
consumes,  but  does  not  work.  0th.  I, 
3,  257. 

motion,  n.  1.  Motive;  that  which  makes 
to  move.     Cor.  II,  1,  56. 

2.  Impulse;  tendency  of  the  mind  or 
feelings ;  will.  Meas.  I,  4,  59  ;  Merch. 
V,  1,  86 ;  John  IV,  2,  255 ;  0th.  I,  3,  95. 

3.  Offers;  requests.  Meas.  V,  1,  541; 
Err.  I,  1,  60  ;  Cor.  II,  2,  57. 

4.  A  puppet  show,  and  also  a  single 
puppet.  Lucr.  1326;  Wint.  IV,  3,  103; 
Gent.  II,  1,  100. 

The  passage  in  Meas.  Ill,  2,  118,  has 
given  rise  to  some  discussion,  but  the 
best  authorities  define  motion  there  as 
puppet.    See  interpret. 

In  Meas.  Ill,  1,  120,  the  expression, 
this  warm  motion,  does  not  seem  to 
refer  wholly  to  the  mere  movement  of 
the  limbs  and  organs.  The  term  motion, 
generally  applied  to  puppets,  etc.,  is 
here  used  metaphorically  to  signify  the 
human  body. 

Unshaked  of  motion.  Cses.  Ill,  1, 
70.  Malone,  with  whom  Dyce  agrees, 
says  "  unShaked  by  suit  or  solicitation, 
of  which  the  object  is  to  move  the 
person  addressed."  Craik  explains  as 
"unshaken  in  his  motion,"  but  this  is 
not  in  accordance  with  the  facts,  the 
pole  star  being  supposed  to  have  no 
motion.  The  obvious  meaning  is  "un- 
moving,"  the  of  here  having  the  sense 


MOT 


179 


MTTC 


of  by,  as  in  Hml.  I,  1,  25,  and  II,  1,  64 : 
And  thus  do  we  of  wisdom  and  of 
reach. 
motion,  v.  To  propose ;  to  counsel.  IHVI. 

1,  3,  63. 

motive.    1.  Cause;  one  who  moves.   Tim. 

V,  4,  27;  Ant.  11,2,96. 
2.  Instrument ;  that  which  moves.  All's. 

IV,  4,  20 ;  Troil.  IV,  5,  57. 
motley,  n.     1.    The   parti-colored  dress 

worn  by  fools;  hence,  sometimes  used 

for  the  fool  himself.     As.  II,  7,  34,  58 ; 

do.  Ill,  3,  79 ;  Lr.  I,  4,  160. 
motley ,  adj.  Of  different  colors ;  so-called 

because  spotted ;  originally  applied  to 

curdled  milk.    Skeat.    As.  II,  7,  43.     A 

long  motley  coat,  guarded  with  yellow. 

HVIII.,  Prol.  16.   Yellow  was  the  fool's 

color.     See  guarded. 
motley  -  minded.     Foolish;   having   the 

mind  of  a  motley  or  fool.     As.  V,  4,  41. 
mould.    Earth  ;  men  of  mould  =  mortal 

men,  i.e.,  made  of  the  earth.     HV.  Ill, 

2,  23.  "Mr.  Grant  White  is  altogether 
mistaken  when  he  says  that '  a  man  of 
mould  is  a  man  of  lai'ge  frame,  and  so 
of  strength,  of  prowess.'  "  Dyce.  The 
word,  in  the  sense  we  have  given,  was 
in  frequent  use  among  the  old  poets. 
If  Nyni,  Bardolph  and  Pistol  had  been 
men  of  strength  and  prowess  they  would 
not  have  asked  mercy  of  Fluellen. 

Mouldy,  dr. p.    A  recruit.    2HI V. 

Mountanto.  See  moyitanto  or  montant. 
Beatrice  calls  Benedick  Signor  Moun- 
tanto to  indicate  that  she  considered 
him  a  mere  fencer.    Ado.  I,  1,  30. 

mountebank,  n.  One  who  mounts  on  a 
bench  (banco)  to  advertise  his  nostrums 
at  fairs  and  street  corners.  Err.  V,  1 , 
238 ;  Hml.  IV,  7,  142. 

mountebank,  v.  To  impose  upon  after 
the  manner  of  a  quack.    Cor.  Ill,  2, 133. 

mouse,  n.  A  term  of  endearment  very 
common  in  old  authors  and  therefore 
presumably  in  frequent  use  in  Sh.  time. 
Hml.  Ill,  4,  183. 

mouse,  V.  To  tear  in  pieces.  John  II, 
1,  354. 

mouse-hunt.  A  weasel,  sometimes  a 
stoat.     As  all  animals  of  this  family 


are  believed  to  be  very  amorous  (see 
ante,  fitchew),  the  name  was  often 
applied  to  men  who  were  inclined  to 
run  after  women.  Some  think  that  the 
origin  of  the  word  was  mouse,  used  as 
a  term  of  endearment  (see  m,ouse), 
hence  mouse-htiyit  =  a  hunter  after 
dears.    Rom.  IV,  4,  11. 

mouth,  n.  Voice  or  cry.  Mids.  IV,  1, 122; 
IHVI.  II,  4,  12.  Not  the  bark  as  some 
corns,  explain  it. 

mouth,  v.  To  join  mouths ;  to  kiss.  Meas. 
Ill,  2,  194. 

mouthed,  adj.  Open;  gaping.  Sonn. 
LXXVII,  6  ;  IHIV.  I,  3,  97. 

mow.    A  grimace.     Tp.  IV,  1,  47. 

moy.  A  word  originated  by  Pistol  from 
a  misunderstanding  of  the  French  m,oi 
(me)  which  he  supposed  to  be  something 
valuable  offered  as  ransom  by  the 
French  soldier.  HV.  IV,  4,  14.  John- 
son thought  that  by  m.oy  Pistol  under- 
stood a  piece  of  money,  probably  a 
moidore ;  Douce  laughs  at  this  and 
suggests  muy  or  muid,  a  French 
measure  for  corn.  But  if  Pistol  did  not 
understand  moi  it  is  very  unlikely  that 
he  would  have  understood  muid.  Be- 
sides, he  asks  it  par  donnezm,oi  (pardon 
me)  means  a  ton  of  moj^s.  It  is  evident 
that  this  word,  like  much  else  that 
Pistol  utters  in  this  passage,  is  mere 
gibberish,  and  that  is  where  the  humor 
lies. 

Mowbray,  Thomas,  dr.p.  Duke  of  Nor- 
folk.   RII. 

Mowbray,  Lord,  dr.p.  In  league  against 
Henry  IV.    2HIV. 

muck-water.  A  word  of  uncertain  mean- 
ing. Mock-water  in  the  Fl.  • "  A  jocular 
term  of  reproach  used  by  the  Host,  in 
the  Merry  Wives  of  WindsoPj  to  the 
French  Dr.  Caius.  Considering  the 
profession  of  the  Doctor  and  the  coarse- 
ness of  the  Host,  there  can  be  no  doubt, 
I  think,  that  he  means  to  allude  to  the 
mockery  of  judging  of  diseases  by  the 
water  or  urine,  which  was  the  practice 
of  all  doctors,  regular  and  irregular, 
at  that  time,  and  the  subject  of  much, 
not  ill-placed,  jocularity.     Mock-water 


HUD 


180 


MUS 


must  mean,  therefore,  '  you  pretending 
water-doctor.''  A  very  few  speeches 
before,  the  same  speaker  calls  Dr.  Caius 
King  Urinal,  and  twice  in  the  folio  wing 
scene  Sir  Hugh  threatens  to  knock  his 
V-  urinals  about  his  costard  or  head.  Can 
anything  be  more  clear  ?  Mr.  Steevens' 
interpretation,  relating  to  the  water  of 
a  jewel,  would  be  good  if  anything  had 
led  to  the  mention  of  a  Jewell,  or  the 
alluding  to  it."  Nares.  See  cride- 
game. 

muddy-mettled.  Dull-spirited;  irresolute. 
Hnil.  II,  2,  59i.     c/.  mettle. 

mulled.    Insipid ;  flat.    Cor.  IV,  5,  240. 

multipotent.  Almighty.  Troil.  IV,  5, 129. 

mumble-news.  A  teU-tale;  a  prattler. 
LLL.  V,  2,  464. 

muniments.  Expedients ;  instruments. 
Cor.  I,  1,  122. 

mural.  WaU.  Mids.  V,  1,  208.  In  the 
Fl.  morall ;  changed  by  Pope  to  mural. 
White  says  that  "the  use  of  'mural' 
for  '  wall '  is  an  anomally  in  English, 
and  is  too  infelicitous  to  be  regarded  as 
one  of  Shakespeare's  daring  feats  of 
language."  In  his  first  edition  he  re- 
tained moral;  in  his  later  edition  he 
adopted  the  emendation  of  Collier's 
MS.  and  gave  wall  down.  Hanmer 
read  mure  all  down.  Mure^  meaning 
wall,  is  found  in  2HIV.  IV,  4,  119,  and 
the  compound  immure,  in  Troil.,  Prol. 
8.    Mural  is  properly  an  adjective. 

murdering-piece.  A  cannon  loaded  with 
case  and  sometimes  with  chain  shot. 
Hml.  IV,  5,  95. 

mure.    A  waU.    2HIV.  IV,  4,  119. 

murmur.  Rumour.  ''Twas  fresh  in 
murmur  =  was  a  recent  rumour.  Tw. 
I,  2,  32. 

murrion.  Afflicted  with  the  murrain. 
Mids.  II,  1,  97. 

Muses.  According  to  the  earliest  writers 
the  Muses  were  the  inspiring  goddesses 
of  song  and,  according  to  later  notions, 
divinities  presiding  over  the  different 
kinds  of  poetry  and  over  the  arts  and 
sciences.  As  regards  their  parentage, 
the  most  common  notion  was  that  they 
were  the   daughters    of   Jupiter   and 


Mnemosyne  and  born  in  Pieria,  at  the 
foot  of  Mount  Olympus.  They  were 
worshipped  chiefly  on  Mount  Helicon, 
in  Pieria,  and  on  Mount  Parnassus. 
Near  the  latter  mountain  was  the 
famous  Castalian  Spring,  well  known 
as  sacred  to  the  Muses.  They  were  nine 
in  number,  their  names  and  attributes 
being  as  follows :  1.  Calliope,  the  Muse 
of  epic  poetry,  represented  with  a  tablet 
and  stylus,  or  reed  pen,  and  sometimes 
with  a  roll  of  paper.  2.  Clio,  the  Muse 
of  history ;  appears  in  a  sitting  atti- 
tude, with  an  open  roll  of  paper,  or  an 
open  chest  of  books.  3.  Euterpe,  the 
Muse  of  lyric  poetry,  with  a  flute.  4. 
Melpomene,  the  Muse  of  tragedy,  with 
a  tragic  mask,  the  club  of  Hercules,  or 
a  sword ;  her  head  is  surrounded  with 
vine  leaves,  and  she  wears  the  cothurnus 
or  buskin,  such  as  were  worn  by  tragic 
actors.  5.  Terpsichore,  the  Muse  of 
choral  dance  and  song ;  appears  with 
a  lyre  and  the  plectrum,  an  instrument 
for  striking  the  lyre.  6.  Erato,  the 
Muse  of  erotic  poetry  and  mimic  imita- 
tion ;  sometimes  also  has  the  lyre.  7. 
Polymnia  or  Polyhymnia,  the  Muse  of 
the  sublime  hymn;  usually  appears 
without  any  attribute,  in  a  pensive  or 
meditating  attitude.  8.  Urania,  the 
Muse  of  astronomy  ;  with  a  staff  point- 
ing to  a  globe.  9.  Thalia,  the  Muse  of 
comedy  and  of  merry  and  idyllic  poetry; 
appears  with  a  comic  mask,  a  shepherd's 
staff,  or  a  wreath  of  ivy.  Sometimes 
the  Muses  are  seen  with  feathers  on 
their  heads,  alluding  to  their  contests 
with  the  Sirens.  See  Sirens,  None  of 
the  Muses  is  referred  to  by  name  in 
Sh.  The  nine  Muses  are  referred  to  in 
Mids.  V,  1,  52.  References  to  Muse  in 
this  sense  are  found  in  HV.,  Prol.  1, 
and  0th.  II,  1,  128. 
muset,  (  The  opening  in  a  fence  or 
musit.  )  thicket  through  which  a  hare 
or  other  beast  of  sport  is  accustomed 
to  pass.  Nares.  Ven.  683.  In  Kins. 
Ill,  1,  the  word  does  not  mean  "hiding- 
place,"  but  the  opening  through  which 
the  hiding-place  is  reached. 


MUS 


181 


MYS 


music.  Of  the  phrase  "  Let  him  ply  his 
music"  (Hml.  II,  1,  73)  no  quite  satis- 
factory explanation  has  been  given. 
Clarke  explains  it :  "  Let  him  conduct 
himself  in  any  style  and  at  any  rate  he 
chooses."  Hudson:  "Lethimliddlehis 
secrets  out."  Schra.  :  "  Apply  himself 
to  his  music." 

muss.  A  scramble ;  a  row.  Ant.  Ill,  11,91. 
This  word  is  classed  as  colloquial  or 
slang,  and  in  Farmer's  "  Slang  and  Its 
Analogues  "  it  is  set  down  as  American. 
Another  instance  of  the  survival,  on 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  of  Elizabethan 
words  which  have  fallen  into  disuse  in 
England.  It  is  a  common  colloquial 
word  with  us. 

Mustardseed,  dr. p.    A  fairy.    Mids. 

mutes.  Actors  who  appear  on  the  stage 
but  do  not  speak.  Hml.  Ill,  2,  141 ; 
do.  V,  2,  346. 

mutine,n.  A  rebel;  a  mutineer,  John 
II,  1,378;  Hml.  V,  2,  6. 

mutine,  v.    To  rebel.    Hml.  Ill,  4,  83. 

mutiner.    A  mutineer.     Cor.  I,  1,  254. 

Mutius,  dr. p.  Son  to  Titus  Andronicus. 
Tit. 

mutton.  1.  A  sheep,  i.e.,  the  animal 
itself.     Merch.  I,  3,  168. 

2.  The  flesh  of  sheep.  T  w.  1, 3, 130  ;  2HI V. 
V,  1,  28.    In  the  passage  in  T  w.  1, 3, 129 : 

Sir  And.  :  Faith,  I  can  cut  a  caper. 

Sir  Toby :  And  I  can  cut  the  mutton  to't, 
there  is  evidently  a  pun  on  caper  as  a 
sauce,  and  caper  as  a  frolicsome  skip  or 
spring.  It  is  evident  from  this  that 
mutton  and  caper  sauce  together  are  at 
least  as  old  as  the  time  of  Sh. 

3.  A  woman,  especially  in  the  carnal 
sense,  but  not  necessarily  with  an  evil 
meaning.  Thus,  most  glossaries  define 
laced  mutton  (Gent.  I,  1,  102)  as  a  cant 
expression  for  a  courtesan,  and  a  quibble 
is  suggested — courtesans  being  notori- 
ously fond  of  finery  and  also  frequently 
subjected  to  the  whip.  Thus  Du  Bartas 
speaks  of  "Lacing  with  lashes  their 
unpitied  skin. "  But  surely  in  applying 
this  term  to  the  chaste  and  faithful 
Julia,  Speed  never  intended  a  sug- 
gestion of  evil.    The  truth  seems  to  be 


that  many  of  these  cant  phrases  with 
objectionable  meanings  are  good  ordin- 
ary terms  degraded  to  euphemisms. 
Myrmidons,  The.  An  Achaean  race  in 
Thessaly,  over  whom  Achilles  ruled  and 
who  accompanied  him  to  Troy.  Troil. 
V,  7,  1.  They  are  said  to  hav  e  inhabited 
originally  the  island  of  ^gina,  and  to 
have  emigrated  with  Peleus  into  Thes- 
saly. Of  the  origin  of  their  name  two 
accounts  are  given.  One  is  that  they 
are  descended  from  Myrmidon,  the  son 
of  Jupiter  and  Eurymedusa,  daughter 
of  Clitos,  whom  Jupiter  deceived  in  the 
disguise  of  an  ant.  Her  son  was  for 
this  reason  called  Myrmidon,  from  the 
Greek  word  for  an  ant.  Another  ac- 
count is  that  Jupiter,  designing  ^gina 
for  the  kingdom  of  his  son,  ^acus,  fur- 
nished the  originally  uninhabited  island 
with  people  by  changing  ants  into  men. 

The  speech  of  the  clown  in  Tw.  II,  3, 
29,  that  the  Myrmidons  are  no  bottle- 
ale  houses,  is  evidently  intended  for  big 
words  without  any  meaning,  and  has 
caused  a  great  waste  of  critical  ingenuity. 

Our  word  myrmidon,  which  signifies 
a  devoted,  but  unscrupulous,  adherent, 
is  derived  from  the  name  of  these 
followers  of  Achilles. 
mystery.  1.  A  secret.  Cor.  IV,  2,  35; 
Hml.  Ill,  2,  382. 

2.  A  trade.  In  Sh.  time,  and  even  down 
to  the  present  day,  even  the  most  com- 
mon trade  is  called  stmys  tery.  Th  us,  the 
shoemaker's  trade  is  spoken  of  as  "the 
art  and  mystery  of  shoemaking."  In 
Sh.  writings  we  find  the  term  applied 
to  the  trade  of  the  hangman  (Meas.  Ill, 

2,  30),  and  even  to  thieving  (Tim.  IV, 

3,  458),  and  to  the  business  of  the  bawd 
(0th.  IV,  2,  30).  In  the  latter  passage 
the  expression :  Your  mystery,  your 
mystery  =  betake  you  to  your  trade. 

3.  Secret  rites.  Lr.  I,  1,  112.  These 
rites  were  practised  only  by  certain  in- 
itiated persons,  and  formed  the  most 
solemn  modes  of  ancient  worship.  They 
consisted  of  purifications,  sacrificial 
offerings,  processions,  hymns,  danceSi 
dramatic  performances  and  the  like. 


NAG 


182 


KAK 


^^^AQ.  A  horse ;  usually  applied 
■rJjKJ  to  a  small  horse,  but  not 
||p/J^  necessarily  a  poor  or  worth- 
^i^'^rhVI  less  horse  as  Schm.  has  it. 
The  word  comes  from  neigh,  the  sound 
made  by  a  horse.  It  would  seem  that 
originally  it  did  not  even  imply  a  small 
horse,  but  simply  a  horse.  In  the  "  Gest 
Hystoriale  of  the  Destruction  of  Troy  " 
we  find  "He  neyt  as  a  nagge."  This 
does  not  seem  to  imply  that  the  word 
was  used  in  the  sense  of  poor,  or  even 
small.  The  word  occurs  thrice  in  Sh, , 
and  in  each  case  with  a  qualifying 
adjective,  two  of  which  denote  in- 
feriority. IHIV.  Ill,  1,  135;  2HIV. 
II,  4,  205 ;  Ant.  Ill,  10,  10. 

Schm.  gives  as  a  second  meaning : 
' '  Term  of  contempt  for  a  loose  woman ;' ' 
but  this  is  scarcely  correct.  In  both 
instances  in  which  Sh.  uses  the  word  in 
this  connection,  it  will  be  found  that 
the  expression  of  contempt  is  to  be 
found  in  the  accompanying  adjective 
and  not  in  the  mere  word  nag,  and  in 
one  of  the  instances  (2HIV.  II,  4,  205) 
it  is  very  evident  that  the  speaker  uses 
bombastic  language  which  he  does  not 
understand.    See  Galloway. 

Naiades.  A  general  name  for  the  nymphs, 
or  female  divinities,  who  presided  over 
fresh  water,  whether  of  rivers,  lakes, 
brooks  or  springs.  Tp.  IV,  1,  128.  See 
Nymphs. 

nail.  1.  The  homy  growth  at  the  ends 
of  the  fingers  and  toes.  Tp.  II,  2,  172 ; 
Err.  IV,  4,   107,  and  numerous  other 


2.  A  spike  of  wood  or  metal.  Gent. 
II,  4,  193;  All's.  II,  2,  26.  The  original 
idea  conveyed  by  the  word  nail  was  a 
piercer.  In  regard  to  the  expression 
"dead  as  nail  in  door"  (2HIV.  V,  3, 
126),  Steevens  says:  "This  proverbial 
expression  is  of  tener  used  than  under- 
stood. The  door-nail  is  the  nail  on 
which,  in  ancient  doors,  the  knocker 


strikes.  It  is  therefore  used  as  a  com- 
parison to  any  one  irrecoverably  dead, 
one  who  has  fallen  (as  Virgil  says) 
multa  morte,  that  is,  with  abundant 
death,  such  as  iteration  of  strokes  on 
the  head  would  naturally  produce." 
This  explanation  is  interesting  and 
ingenious,  but  to  us  it  seems  too  subtle 
and  far-fetched  for  an  everyday  pro- 
verb. Doors  in  the  olden  time  were  not 
the  light  paneled  affairs  now  in  use, 
but  heavy  and  battened  so  as  to  resist 
the  blows  even  of  a  hammer.  The  old 
door  of  the  Tolbooth  in  Edinburgh  re- 
sisted the  fiercest  assaults  of  the  Porteus 
mob,  who  used  sledge  hammers  and 
crowbars,  and  was  only  reduced  by  fire. 
(See  Heart  of  Mid-Lothian.)  In  the 
time  of  Sh.  the  nails  used  in  common 
doors  were  hand-made  of  wrought  iron, 
and  were  bent  over  or  clinched  so  that 
their  usefulness  as  nails  was  destroyed 
until  re-forged.  They  were  therefore 
mechanically  dead.  There  were  many 
such  nails  in  the  door.  But  the  proverb 
is  one  of  those  common  and  often 
meaningless  comparisons  which  the 
common  people  are  apt  to  use.  We 
have  heard  "dead  as  a  stone,"  "dead 
as  a  hammer,"  etc.  See  hob-nail  and 
handsaw.  See  also  "Shakespearean 
Notes  and  New  Readings." 
3.  A  measure  equal  to  2}^  inches  (the 
one-sixteenth  of  a  yard).  Shr.  IV,  3, 109. 
naked.  1.  Without  clothing.  Wint.III, 
2,  212.  Naked  bed  (Ven.  397);  "a 
person  undressed  and  in  bed  was  form- 
erly said  to  be  '  in  naked  bed. '  It  may 
be  observed  that  down  to  a  certain 
period  those  who  were  in  bed  were 
Uterally  naked,  no  night  linen  being 
worn."    Nares. 

2.  Drawn ;  unsheathed.    Err.  IV,  4, 148 ; 
Rom.  I,  1,  39. 

3.  Unarmed.    2HVI.  Ill,  2,  234 ;  0th. 
V,  2,  234. 

4.  Destitute.     Hml.  IV,  7,  44. 


NAR 


183 


NAT 


Narcissus.  A  beautiful  youth,  who  was 
wholly  inaccessible  to  the  feeling  of 
love,  and  the  nymph.  Echo,  who  was 
enamoured  of  him,  died  of  grief. 
One  of  his  rejected  lovers,  however, 
prayed  to  Nemesis  to  punish  him 
for  his  unfeeling  heart.  So  one  day, 
when  Narcissus  was  tired  with  the 
chase,  he  lay  down  to  rest  by  a  stream 
in  the  wood.  Stooping  to  drink,  he 
saw  his  own  image  in  the  water,  and 
Nemesis  caused  him  to  fall  in  love  with 
it.  But  as  he  could  not  approach  or 
embrace  the  object  of  his  affection,  he 
gradually  pined  away  and  his  corpse 
was  metamorphosed  into  the  flower 
which  bears  his  name.  In  the  land  of 
Shades  he  gazes  continually  at  his  own 
image  in  the  river  Styx.    Ant.  II,  5,  96. 

Nathaniel,  Sir,  dr. p.    A  curate.    LLL. 

native,  n.  Origin ;  source.  Cor.  Ill,  1, 129. 

native,  ad/.  Real.  Native  act  and  figure 
of  my  heart  =■  my  real  thoughts.    0th. 

1,  1,  63. 

Which  native  she  did  owe  (LLL,  I, 

2,  111)  =  which  she  naturally  possessed. 
Native  seems  to  be  an  adverb  here. 

natural.    An  idiot.    Tp.  Ill,  2,  37 ;  As. 

I,  2,  52  ;  Rom.  II,  4,  96. 
nature.    1.  Life.    All's.  IV,  3, 272  ;  Mcb. 
1,  5,  51 ;  Hml.  I,  5,  12. 
2.  Innate   affection  of   the   heart   and 
mind.     Hml.  1,  5,  82;  Mcb.  I,  5,  46. 

The  sentence,  One  touch  of  nature 
makes  the  whole  world  kin  (Troil.  Ill, 

3,  175),  is  quoted  by  thousands  who  do 
not  know  the  occasion  of  its  utterance 
and,  indeed,  scarcely  know  that  it  is 
from  Shakespeare.  Therefore,  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  that  it  is  generally 
misunderstood.  In  an  article  in  the 
Galaxy  for  Feb.,  1877,  Grant  White 
calls  attention  to  its  true  meaning, 
which  is  :  "  There  is  one  point  on  which 
aU  men  are  alike,  one  touch  of  human 
nature  which  shows  the  kindred  of  all 
mankind  —  that  they  slight  familiar 
merit  and  prefer  trivial  novelty.  *  *  * 
It  has  come  to  be  always  quoted  with 
the  meaning  implied  in  the  following 
indication  of  emphasis :  '  One  touch  of 


nature  makes  the  whole  world  kin.' 
Shakespeare  wrote  no  such  sentimental 
twaddle.  Least  of  all  did  he  write  it  in 
this  play,  in  which  his  pen  '  pierces  to 
the  dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit, 
and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a 
discemer  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of 
the  heart.'  The  line  which  has  been 
thus  perverted  into  an  exposition  of 
sentimental  brotherhood  among  all  man- 
kind, is,  on  the  contrary,  one  of  the 
most  cynical  utterances  of  an  undis- 
pu table  moral  truth,  disparaging  to  the 
nature  of  aU  mankind,  that  ever  came 
from  Shakespeare's  pen.  *  *  *  Xhe 
meaning  [as  shown  by  the  context]  is 
too  manifest  to  need,  or  indeed,  admit 
a  word  of  comment,  and  it  is  brought 
out  by  this  emphasis :  One  touch  of 
nature  makes  the  whole  world  kin"* — 
that  one  touch  of  their  common  failing 
being  an  uneasy  love  of  novelty.  Was 
ever  poet's  or  sage's  meaning  so  per- 
verted, so  reversed  1  And  yet  it  is  hope- 
less to  think  of  bringing  about  a  change 
in  the  general  use  of  this  line  and  a  cessa- 
tion of  its  perversion  to  sentimental 
purposes,  not  to  say  an  application  of 
it  as  the  scourge  for  which  it  was 
wrought ;  just  as  it  is  hopeless  to  think 
of  changing  by  any  demonstration  of 
unfitness  and  unmeaningness  a  phrase 
in  general  use — ^the  reason  being  that 
the  mass  of  users  are  utterly  thought- 
less and  careless  of  the  right  or  the 
wrong,  the  fitness  or  the  unfitness,  of 
the  words  that  come  from  their  mouths, 
except  that  they  serve  their  purpose 
for  the  moment.  That  done,  what  care 
they  ?  And  what  can  we  expect,  when 
even  the  Globe  edition  of  Shakespeare's 
works  has  upon  its  very  title-page  and 
its  cover,  a  globe  with  a  band  around  it, 
on  which  is  written  this  line  in  its  per- 
verted sense,  that  sense  being  illustrated, 
enforced  and  deepened  into  the  general 
mind  by  the  union  of  the  band-ends  by 
clasped  hands.  I  absolve,  of  course, 
the  Cambridge  editors  of  the  guilt  of 
this  twaddling  misuse  of  Shakespeare's 
line;   it  was  a  mere   publisher's  con- 


NAU 


184 


KEA 


trivance ;  but  I  am  somewhat  surprised 
that  they  even  should  have  ever  allowed 
it  such  sanction  as  it  has  from  its  appear- 
ance on  the  same  title-page  with  their 
names." 

But  the  most  surprising  case  of  in- 
attention to  these  obvious  points,  which 
are  familiar  to  all  close  readers  of  Sh., 
occurs  in  "  The  Henry  Irving  Shake- 
speare." This  admirable  ed.  was,  as 
some  of  our  readers  are  no  doubt  aware, 
prepared  with  special  reference  to 
dramatic  production,  either  on  the  stage 
or  in  private  readings.  This,  of  course, 
involves  the  omission  of  certain  portions 
of  the  text  which,  if  retained,  would 
make  the  play  too  long,  and  we  are  told 
that  *'the  passages  placed  between 
brackets  are  those  which  may,  without 
any  detriment  to  the  story  or  action  of 
the  play,  be  left  out." 

In  the  standard  text  the  passage 
under  consideration  reads  as  follows  : 

One  touch  of  nature  makes  the  whole 
world  kin. 

That  all  with  one  consent  praise  new- 
born gawds. 

Though  they  are  made  and  moulded 
of  things  past, 

And  give  to  dust  that  is  a  little  gilt 

More  laud  than  gilt  o'er-dusted. 
Now,  can  it  be  believed  that  in  this 
passage  all  the  lines  after  kin  are  marked 
for  omission,  thus  striking  out  the  very 
keynote  of  this  part  of  the  speech  of 
Ulysses  and  literally  putting  in  his 
mouth  a  meaning  the  very  opposite  to 
that  intended  ? 

Verily,  this  is  equalled  only  by  the 
preacher  who  chose  for  his  text  a  well- 
known  passage  from  the  Gospel  accord- 
ing to  St.  Matthew:  "Hang  all  the 
law  and  the  prophets  I  " 

It  is  very  certain   that    Sir  Henry 

Irving  never  read  the  proof  of  this  part 

of  the  edition  which  has  been  published 

under  his  name. 

naught.     Improper ;   licentious.     Hml. 

Ill,  2, 157. 
A    meaning   still    retained    in    our 

modem  word  naughty.   Dowden  quotes 

from  "Grace  Abounding,"  where  Bun- 


yan  declares  that  he  never  "  so  much  as 
attempted  to  be  naught  with  women." 
nave.  The  navel.   The  expression  in  Mcb. 

I,  2,  22 :  Till  he  unseam'd  him  from 
the  nave  to  the  chaps,  has  been  the 
subject  of  some  discussion.  A  blow 
which  would  make  a  cut  "  from  the 
navel  to  the  jaws  "  seems  to  be  a  rather 
awkward  one;  "from  the  chaps  to  the 
navel"  would  seem  to  be  the  more 
usual  stroke.  Consequently,  Warburton 
would  read  nape.  But  these  reversals 
of  direction  are  not  unusual  in  Sh.,  cf. 
As.  Ill,  5,  7,  he  that  dies  and  lives. 
With  the  old  two-handed  sword,  strokes 
which  would  have  "unseamed"  from 
the  chaps  to  the  navel  were  not  un- 
known. 

nay  ward.  Towards  nay;  inclining  to  a 
negative.     Wint.  11,  1,  64. 

nayword.  A  watchword.  Wiv.  11,  2, 131. 
In  Tw.  11,  3,  146,  we  find  nayword  in 
most  modern  editions,  but  in  Fl.  and 
some  of  the  older  editions  it  is  ayword. 
Here,  however,  it  evidently  means  by- 
word or  laughing-stock — not  watch- 
word, as  Schm.  has  it. 

neaf,  \       The  hand.    Mids.   IV,   1,  20  ; 

neif.    f  2H1V.  11,  4,  200. 

near.  To  come  near  =  to  touch  in  a 
tender  spot.  IHIV.  1, 2, 14 ;  Rom.  1, 5, 24. 

near-legged.  Knock-kneed.  Shr.  Ill,  2, 58. 

neat,  n.  Horned  cattle  are  known  as 
neat.  Hence,  neaVs  leather  =  leather 
made  from  the  hide  of  an  ox.  Such 
leather  is  especially  fitted  for  making 
the  soles  of  shoes ;  hence  the  expression : 
As  proper  men  as  ever  trod  upon 
neaVs  Leather.    Caes.  I,  1,  29  ;  also  Tp. 

II,  2,  72. 

neat,  adj.  Foppish.  IHIV.  I,  3,  33. 
The  meaning  of  the  word  neat  in  the 
sentence.  Yon  neat  slave^  strike  !  (Lr. 
II,  2,  45)  has  given  rise  to  much  dis- 
cussion. Steevens,  followed  by  Dyce, 
Schmidt,  Wright,  Moberly  and  others, 
defines  it  as  foppish,  finical.  Johnson 
suggested  that  it  meant  "mere  slave, 
very  slave,"  and  Walker  carries  out 
this  idea  by  the  definition,  pure,  un- 
mixed, just  as  unmixed  liquor  is  to-day 


NEB 


185 


HEP 


spoken  of  as  *'neat."  Staunton  gave 
to  neat  a  meaning  connecting  it  with 
neat  cattle,  and  suggesting  that  Oswald 
was  to  be  graded  with  cattle.  Furness 
is  inclined  to  accept  Walker's  interpre- 
tation, which  is  certainly  the  most 
forcible.  Rolfe  objects  to  Johnson's 
definition  (as  modified  by  Walker)  that 
Sh.  nowhere  else  has  neat  =  pure,  un- 
mixed, but,  as  we  have  often  noted  in 
this  glossary,  such  an  objection  carries 
very  little  weight.  Sh.  writings  are 
full  of  instances  of  the  single  use  or 
mode  of  use  of  a  word. 

neb.  Now  signifies  the  beak  of  a  bird, 
but  Sh.  probably  uses  it  in  the  Scotch 
sense  in  which  it  means  the  nose  in 
particular,  but  sometimes  the  face  or 
countenance.     Wint.  I,  2,  183. 

necessitied.  So  poor  as  to  urgently  need 
aid.     All's.  V,  3,  85. 

needful.  Full  of  need ;  wanting  suppKes. 
3HVI.  II,  1,  147. 

needly.    Absolutely.    Rom.  Ill,  2,  117. 

neeld.  A  needle.  Mids.  Ill,  2, 204  ;  John 
V,  2,  157. 

neeze.    To  sneeze.    Mids.  II,  1,  56. 

neglection.  Want  of  care;  disregard. 
IHVI.  IV,  3,  49 ;  Per.  Ill,  3,  30. 

negligence.  Disregard ;  contempt.  Hml. 
IV,  5,  134.     See  spied. 

Ne  intelligis?  Latin  for  do  you  not 
understand?  LLL.  V,  1,  28.  Neintelli- 
gis  in  Fl ;  anne  intelligis  in  some  eds. 

Nemean  lion.  The  valley  of  Nemea, 
between  Cleonae  and  Phlius,  was  in- 
habited by  a  monstrous  lion,  the  off- 
spring of  Typhon  and  Echidna.  Eurys- 
theus  ordered  Hercules  to  bring  him 
the  skin  of  the  monster.  After  using 
in  vain  his  club  and  arrows  against  the 
lion,  he  strangled  the  animal  with  his 
own  hands.  He  returned,  carrying  the 
dead  lion  on  his  shoulders,  but  Eurys- 
theus  was  so  frightened  at  the  gigantic 
strength  of  the  hero  that  he  ordered 
him  in  future  to  deliver  the  account  of 
his  exploits  outside  the  town.  The 
slaying  of  the  Nemean  lion  was  the  first 
of  the  twelve  labors  of  Hercules.  LLL. 
IV,  1,90;  Hml.  1,4,83. 


Nemesis.  A  Greek  goddess,  who  is  usually 
described  as  the  daughter  of  Night, 
though  some  caU  her  a  daughter  of 
Erebus  or  of  Oceanus.  She  is  a  per- 
sonification of  the  moral  reverence  for 
law,  of  the  natural  fear  of  committing 
a  culpable  action,  and  hence  of  con- 
science. From  this  arose  the  idea  of 
her  being  an  avenging  and  punishing 
fate,  who,  like  Justice,  sooner  or  later 
overtakes  the  sinner.  She  is  usually 
represented  in  works  of  art  as  a  virgin 
divinity.  In  the  more  ancient  works 
she  seems  to  have  resembled  Aphrodite 
or  Venus,  whereas  in  the  later  ones  she 
was  more  grave  and  serious.  IHVI. 
IV,  7,  78. 

nephew.  Properly  the  son  of  a  brother 
or  sister,  but  used  by  old  writers  with 
great  latitude.  Thus,  in  IHVI.  II,  5, 
64,  it  signifies  cousin ;  in  0th.  1, 1,  112 
=  grandchild.    See  niece. 

Neptune.  Referred  to  quite  often  in  the 
plays,  and,  by  a  sort  of  metonomy,  the 
name  is  frequently  used  instead  of  the 
ocean  itself,  as  in  Tp.  V,  1,  35,  and 
elsewhere.  Neptune  was  chief  marine 
divinity  of  the  Romans,  who  identified 
him  with  the  Greek  Poseidon  and  trans- 
ferred to  him  all  the  legends  and  attri- 
butes of  that  god.  Poseidon  or  Neptune 
was  the  son  of  Saturn  and  Rhea,  and 
was  therefore  a  brother  of  Jupiter, 
Pluto,  Juno,  Vesta  and  Ceres.  It  was 
determined  by  lot  that  he  should  rule 
over  the  seas.  His  palace  was  in  the 
depths  of  the  sea  near  -lEgae,  in  Euboea, 
where  he  kept  his  horses  with  brazen 
hoofs  and  golden  manes.  With  these 
horses  he  rides  in  a  chariot  over  the 
waves  of  the  sea,  which  become  smooth 
as  he  approaches,  and  the  monsters  of 
the  deep  recognise  him  and  play  around 
his  chariot.  In  conjunction  with  Apollo 
he  built  the  walls  of  Troy  for  Laomedon. 
Laomedon  refused  to  give  these  gods 
the  stipulated  reward  and  even  dismissed 
them  with  threats.  Thereupon  Neptune 
sent  a  marine  monster  which  was  on 
the  point  of  devouring  Laomedon 's 
daughter  when  it  was  killed  by  Hercules. 


NIB 


186 


N£R 


As  a  consequence  Neptune  sided  with 
the  Greeks  in  the  war  with  Troy.  He 
was  regarded  as  the  creator  of  the 
horse  (see  Minerva)  and  horse  and 
chariot  races  were  held  in  his  honor  on 
the  Corinthian  isthmus.  In  works  of 
art  Neptune  may  be  easily  recognised 
by  his  attributes,  the  dolphin,  the  horse 
or  the  trident.  His  figure  does  not 
present  the  majestic  calm  which  charac- 
terises his  brother  Jupiter,  but  as  the 
state  of  the  sea  is  varying,  so  also  is  the 
god  represented  sometimes  in  violent 
agitation  and  sometimes  in  a  state  of 
repose. 

There  is  no  legend  that  he  ever 
metamorphosed  himself  into  a  ram, 
though  he  did  assume  the  form  of  a 
horse  in  order  to  deceive  Ceres  (Demeter ) . 
The  statement  of  Florizel,  in  Wint.  IV, 
4,  28,  is  probably  based  on  the  story 
that  Neptune  was  concealed  among  a 
flock  of  lambs  to  save  him  from  being 
devoured  by  his  father,  Saturn.  See 
Saturn.  A  well  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Mantinea,  in  Arcadia,  where 
this  is  said  to  have  happened,  was 
believed  from  this  circumstance  to  have 
been  called  "Arne,"  or  the  Lamb's 
WeU. 
Nereides.  The  marine  nymphs  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, in  contradistinction  to  the 
Naides  or  the  nymphs  of  fresh  water, 
and  the  Oceanides  or  the  nymphs  of  the 
great  ocean.  There  were  fifty  of  them, 
daughters  of  Nereus  and  Doris.  Their 
names  are  not  the  same  in  all  writers  ; 
one  of  the  most  celebrated  was  Thetis, 
the  mother  of  Achilles.  They  are  des- 
cribed as  lovely  divinities,  dwelling 
with  their  father  at  the  bottom  of  the 
sea,  and  were  believed  to  be  propitious 
to  all  sailors,  and  especially  to  the 
Argonauts.  They  were  worshipped  in 
several  parts  of  Greece,  but  more 
especially  in  her  seaport  towns.  The 
epithets  given  them  by  the  poets  refer 
partly  to  their  beauty  and  partly  to 
their  place  of  abode.  They  are  fre- 
quently represented  in  works  of  art, 
and  commonly  as  youthful,  beautiful 


and  naked  maidens,  and  they  are  often 
grouped  with  Tritons  and  other  marine 
beings.  Sometimes  they  appear  on 
gems  as  half  maidens  and  half  fishes. 
Ant.  II,  2,  211.    See  Nymphs. 

Nerissa,  dr.p.  Waiting-maid  to  Portia. 
Merch. 

Nero.  An  infamous  Roman  emperor.  He 
was  the  son  of  the  Cn.  Domitius  Aheno- 
barbus  and  of  Agrippina,  daughter  of 
Germanicus  Caesar  and  sister  of  Cali- 
gula. Born  December  15th,  a.d.  37;  when 
sixteen  he  married  Octa  via,  the  daughter 
of  Claudius  and  Messalina.  His  mother 
had  married  her  uncle,  the  Emperor 
Claudius,  and  on  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band she  secured  the  succession  for  her 
son,  to  the  exclusion  of  Britannicus, 
the  son  of  Claudius.  Nero  and  Agrip- 
pina soon  quarreled,  however;  the 
mother  threatened  to  take  sides  with 
Britannicus  and  place  him  on  the  throne, 
and  Nero  caused  his  rival  to  be  poisoned. 
Afterwards  he  caused  his  mother  to  be 
assassinated.  This  is  referred  to  in  Hml. 
Ill,  2,  412.  Upon  this  passage  Dowden, 
in  his  edition  of  Hml.,  remarks :  "  Per- 
haps the  coincidences  are  accidental, 
that  Agrippina  was  the  wife  of  Claudius, 
was  accused  of  poisoning  a  husband, 
and  of  living  in  incest  with  a  brother." 
After  this  the  history  of  Nero  became  a 
mere  succession  of  crimes.  He  caused 
the  deaths  of  the  most  eminent  men  in 
Rome,  amongst  them  being  Seneca,  the 
famous  philosopher.  The  burning  of 
Rome  is  generally  laid  to  his  charge, 
and,  to  divert  the  odium  from  himself, 
he  tried  to  throw  it  on  the  Christians, 
many  of  whom  were  put  to  death  in  a 
most  cruel  manner.  It  is  said  that 
while  the  city  was  burning  he  played 
on  a  musical  instrument,  and  this  is 
alluded  to  in  IHVI.  I,  4,  95.  Against 
such  a  monster  a  revolt  was  sure  to 
come.  He  was  driven  from  his  palace  and 
committed  suicide  by  stabbing  in  the 
year  a.d.  68,  in  his  thirty-first  year. 
His  name  has  become  a  sjoionym  for 
cruelty  and  licentiousness.  John  V, 
3,  152. 


NES 


187 


NET 


Nestor,  dr. p.  A  Grecian  commander. 
Troil. 

Nestor  was  King  of  Pylos,  and  in  his 
youth  and  early  manhood  he  was  a 
distinguished  warrior.  He  defeated  both 
the  Arcadians  and  Eleans.  He  took 
part  in  the  fight  of  the  Lapithae  against 
the  Centaurs,  and  he  is  mentioned 
amongst  the  Calydonian  hunters  and 
the  Argonauts.  Although  far  advanced 
in  age,  he  sailed  with  the  other  Greek 
heroes  against  Troy,  Having  ruled 
over  three  generations  of  men,  his 
advice  and  authority  were  deemed  equal 
to  that  of  the  gods,  and  he  was  renowned 
for  his  wisdom,  his  justice  and  his 
knowledge  of  war.  After  the  fall  of 
Troy  he  returned  home  and  arrived 
safely  in  Pylos,  where  he  lived  to  a  full 
old  age,  surrounded  by  brave  and  in- 
telligent sons.  Outside  of  Troilus  and 
Cressida,  in  which  play  he  makes  a 
prominent  figure,  he  is  referred  to  in 
LLL.  IV,  3, 169;  Merch.  1, 1,  56;  IHVI. 
II,  5,  6 ;  3HVI.  Ill,  2,  188. 

Nessus.  A  Centaur,  who  carried  travelers 
across  the  river  Evenus  for  a  small  sum 
of  money.  When  Hercules  and  his  wife, 
Deianira,  went  into  exile  they  had  to 
cross  this  river ;  Hercules  himself  forded 
it,  but  he  entrusted  his  wife  to  the 
Centaur  to  carry  her  across.  Nessus 
attempted  to  outrage  her,  and  Hercules, 
hearing  her  screams,  shot  him  through 
the  heart  with  a  poisoned  arrow  dipped 
in  the  gall  of  the  Lernsean  Hydra.  The 
dying  Centaur  told  Deianira  to  take 
his  blood  with  her  as  it  was  a  sure 
means  of  preserving  the  love  of  her 
husband.  Some  time  after,  Hercules 
prepared  to  offer  a  sacrifice  to  Jupiter 
and  sent  his  servant  to  Deianira  for  a 
suitable  garment  for  the  ceremony.  She 
sent  one,  but  first  dipped  it  in  the  blood 
of  the  Centaur,  as  she  was  afraid  that 
lole,  whom  Hercules  had  carried  off  as 
a  prisoner,  would  supplant  her  in  his 
affections.  As  soon  as  the  robe  be- 
came warm  on  the  body  of  Hercules, 
the  poison  penetrated  all  his  limbs  and 
caused  him  the  most  excruciating  agony, 


and  when  he  tried  to  pull  off  the  gar- 
ment, he  tore  off  great  masses  of  flesh 
with  it.  His  torture  was  so  great  that 
he  put  an  end  to  his  life.  All's.  IV,  3, 
281 ;  Ant.  IV,  12,  43.     See  Lichas. 

nether-stocks.  The  lower  part  of  the 
hose  or  leg-covering,  as  distinguished 
from  the  trunk-hose  or  thigh  covering. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  130. 

nettle.  In  the  Fl.  the  passage  Tw.  II, 
5,  17  reads :  How  now,  my  Mettle  of 
India  ?  This  was  changed  in  the  F2. 
to  vfiy  nettle  of  India,  a  reading  which 
has  been  followed  by  some  eds.  In 
defence  of  the  latter  reading  Mason 
says :  "The  nettle  of  India  is  the  plant 
that  produces  the  cow-itch,  a  substance 
only  used  for  the  purpose  of  tormenting 
by  its  itching  quality,"  and  the  allusion 
is  supposed  to  be  to  Maria's  ability  to 
torment  and  irritate.  I  cannot  find  in 
the  old  pharmacopoeias  that  "nettle  of 
India  "  was  a  synonym  for  cow-itch  or 
cowhage  {Macxma  pruriens).  Mason 
is  mistaken  in  supposing  that  cow-itch 
is  used  only  for  playing  tricks  ;  it  was 
an  important  item  in  the  old  materia 
medica,  being  used  as  a  vermifuge  or 
anthelmintic,  and  if  "  nettle  of  India  " 
had  been  a  synonym,  it  is  probable  that 
it  would  have  been  mentioned  as  such. 
White  gives  the  scientific  name  as 
Urtica  Marina,  which  is  Latin  for 
"sea  nettle."  But  the  sea  nettle  is  a 
jelly  fish,  and  Maria  was  no  jelly  fish. 
The  word  nettle,  both  as  noun  and  verb, 
occurs  frequently  in  Sh.,  and  always  in 
reference  to  the  common  nettle  ( Urtica 
dioica)  and  its  action.  It  seems  to  me 
that  the  Fl.  reading  is  to  be  preferred. 
White  makes  my  metal  of  India=^^  my 
lass  of  gold;"  Rolfe  explains  it  as: 
"  my  golden  girl,  my  jewel,  an  expres- 
sion quite  in  Sir  Toby's  vein. "  Kjiight 
asks:  "Was  Sir  Toby  likely  to  use  a 
common  figure  or  one  so  far-fetched  ? 
If  Shakespeare  had  wished  to  call  Maria 
a  stinging  nettle,  he  would  have  been 
satisfied  with  naming  the  indigenous 
plant— as  he  has  been  in  RII.  and  HIV. 
—without  going  to  the  Indian  seas," 


NEW 


188 


HIC 


news.  In  Rom.  Ill,  5,  124,  the  sentence  : 
These  are  news  indeed  !  as  found  in  the 
Fl.,  is  spoken  by  Juliet.  Collier's  MS. 
corrector  gives  them  to  Lady  Capulet, 
and  they  certainly  might  come  appro- 
priately from  her.  But  it  is  always 
best  to  follow  the  old  reading  where 
possible,  and  as  Dyce  observes,  Juliet's 
words  refer  to  Lady  Capulet's  promise 
(line  105)  :  Fll  tell  thee  joyful  tidings, 
girl. 

newt.  Said  by  Schmidt  and  others  to  be 
a  lizard,  which  it  is  not.  Sh.  speaks  of 
both  lizards  and  newts,  but  whether  he 
recognised  them  as  essentially  different 
'  animals  may  be  an  open  question,  but 
in  Lr.  Ill,  4,  135,  he  evidently  makes  a 
distinction  and  speaks  of  the  wall-newt 
and  the  water,  i.e.,  the  water-newt. 
The  word  was  originally  evet  or  eft, 
and  the  n  of  the  article  became  attached 
to  the  word  so  that  an  ewt  became  a 
newt,  just  as  Tniyie  uncle  became  my 
nuncte.  The  opposite  took  place  in  some 
words ;  thus,  nadder  became  an  adder  ; 
nauger  became  an  auger.  The  original 
meaning  of  eft  is  a  water  animal  or 
inhabitant  of  a  stream.    Skeat. 

Why  the  harmless  and  pretty  little 
newt  should  have  become  an  object  of 
horror  and  an  ingredient  in  the  broth 
of  witches  it  is  hard  to  tell.  It  forms 
a  curious  and  interesting  pet  when  kept 
in  the  aquarium  and  may  be  handled 
with  impunity,  but,  unfortunately,  like 
that  most  useful  insect,  the  dragon-fly 
or  devil's  darning-needle,  which  is  quite 
harmless  and  a  most  efficient  destroyer 
of  the  mosquito  and  other  pestiferous 
insects,  most  people,  out  of  sheer  ignor- 
ance, regard  it  as  venomous. 

nice.    1.   Foolish.    Shr.  Ill,  1,  80. 
2.  Trivial.    Rom.  Ill,  1, 159. 

niceness,  |       Coyness.    Meas.  II,  4, 163; 

nicety.      ]   Cym.  Ill,  4,  158. 

Niciiolas.  St.  Nicholas'  clerks  is  a  cant 
term  for  highwaymen  and  robbers,  but 
though  the  expression  is  very  common, 
its  origin  is  still  uncertain.  That  he 
was  the  patron  saint  of  scholars  is  well 
known,  and  to  this  there  is  an  aUusion 


in  Gent.  Ill,  1,  300.  Douce  tells  us  that 
there  was  a  legend  according  to  which 
the  saint  was  accorded  this  honor  be- 
cause he  discovered  that  a  wicked  host 
had  murdered  three  scholars  on  their 
way  to  school.  By  his  prayers  Saint 
Nicholas  restored  them  to  life.  By  the 
statutes  of  St.  Paul's  School,  the 
scholars  are  required  to  attend  divine 
service  at  the  cathedral  on  the  anniver- 
sary of  this  saint,  and  the  parish  clerks 
of  London  were  incorporated  into  a 
guild,  with  Saint  Nicholas  for  their 
patron. 

Warburton  explains  the  adoption  of 
St.  Nicholas  by  thieves  as  their  patron 
saint  thus :  "  <Si.  Nicholas  was  the 
Patron  Saint  of  scholars ;  and  Nicholas 
or  Old  Nick  is  a  cant  name  for  the  Devil. 
Hence,  he  equivocally  calls  robbers  St. 
Nicholas's  clerks."  This  seems  rather 
far-fetched.  Knight  gives  the  follow- 
ing :  ' '  Scholars  appear,  from  the  ancient 
statutes  against  vagrancy,  to  have  been 
great  travellers  about  the  country. 
These  statutes  generally  recognise  the 
right  of  poor  scholars  to  beg,  but  they 
were  also  liable  to  the  penalties  of  the 
gaol  and  the  stocks  unless  they  could 
produce  letters  testimonial  from  the 
chancellors  of  their  respective  univer- 
sities. It  is  not  unlikely  that  in  the 
journeys  of  these  hundreds  of  poor 
scholars  they  should  have  occasionally 
'taken  a  purse'  as  well  as  begged  'an 
almesse, '  and  that  some  of  '  St.  Nicholas's 
clerks '  should  have  become  as  celebrated 
for  the  same  accomplishments  which 
distinguished  Bardolph  and  Peto  at 
Gadshill  as  for  the  learned  poverty 
which  entitled  them  to  travel  with  a 
chancellor's  license. " 

However  this  might  have  been,  it  is 
certain  that  the  expression  was  a  com- 
mon one  in  the  time  of  Sh.  Steevens 
quotes  "A  Christian  turned  Turk" 
(1612) :  "St  Nicholas'  clerks  are  stepp'd 
up  before  us ;"  and  in  "  The  Hollander  " 
Glapthorne  has  :  "divers  rooks  and  St. 
Nicholas'  clerks."  But  Donnelly,  in 
bis  "Great   Cryptogram,"   page   633, 


NIC 


189 


NIO 


tells  us  that  the  name  Saint  Nicholas 
was  "dragged  into  "  this  passage  so  as 
to  bring  the  name  of  Nicholas  Bacon 
into  the  cipher,  and  intimates  that  pre 
viously  Saint  Nicholas  was  not  known 
at  all  in  this  connection  !  ! 

nick,  n.  1.  The  exact  spot;  the  very 
moment.  0th.  V,  2,  317. 
2.  In  some  of  the  uses  of  this  word  re- 
ference is  evidently  made  to  the  nicks 
cut  on  tallies  or  sticks  for  keeping 
scores  or  accounts.     Gent.  IV,  2,  76. 

nick,  V.  To  cut  notches  in ;  to  injure  or 
destroy.  Ant.  Ill,  13,  8.  Nicks  him 
like  a  fool  (Err.  V,  1,  175),  that  is,  cuts 
his  hair  in  nicks  or  notches,  as  was 
formerly  done  to  fools,  "  who  were 
shaved  and  nicked  in  a  particular 
manner  in  our  author's  time. "  Malone. 

niece.  Granddaughter.  RIII.  IV,  1,  1. 
See  nephew. 

nightingale.  It  is  an  old  idea  that  the 
nightingale  sings  with  its  breast  pressed 
against  a  thorn.  Lucr.  1135  ;  Pilgr.  380 ; 
Kins.  Ill,  4,  25.  Sir  Thomas  Brown,  in 
his  "Vulgar  Errors,"  asks  "whether 
the  nightingale's  sitting  with  her  breast 
against  a  thorn  be  any  more  than  that 
she  placeth  some  prickles  on  the  out- 
side of  her  nest,  or  roosteth  in  thorney, 
prickly  places,  where  serpents  may 
least  approach  her."  In  the  "Zoolo- 
gist "  for  1862,  the  Rev.  A.  C.  Smith  men- 
tions the  discovery  on  two  occasions  of 
a  strong  thorn  projecting  upward  in 
the  center  of  the  nightingale's  nest. 

Another  popular  error  is  that  the 
nightingale  never  sings  by  day.  Portia 
says  (Merch.  V,  I,  103) :  I  think  the 
nightingale^  if  she  could  sing  by  day, 
etc.,  and  cf.  Rom.  Ill,  5,  1,  et  seq.  But 
the  nightingale  often  sings  as  sweetly 
in  the  day  as  during  the  night.  There 
is  an  old  superstition  that  the  nightin- 
gale sings  all  night  to  keep  herself 
awake  lest  the  glow-worm  should  devour 
her.  That  the  nightingale  frequents  the 
pomegranate  trees  in  preference  to  any 
other  is  said  to  be  a  fact,  and  it  is  well 
known  that  no  birds  are  more  faithful 
to  a  favorite  locality.    Year  after  year 


they  wiU  frequent  the  same  spot  and 
pour  forth  their  songs  from  the  same 
bushes.    Rom.  Ill,  5,  1. 

In  referring  to  the  nightingale,  all 
poets  and  other  writers  speak  of  the 
female  bird  only  as  the  one  that  sings. 
This  is  an  error.  The  female  does  not 
sing,  but  the  male  bird  sings  almost 
continually  from  pairing  to  hatching 
time,  after  which  he  is  too  busy  helping 
his  mate  to  feed  the  young  to  sing 
much.  Such  are  some  of  the  legends 
which  have  been  woven  round  this 
interesting  bird.  For  the  story  of  the 
unhappy  Philomela  see  Philomel. 

night-cap.  A  cap  worn  at  night  or  when 
at  work.  Cses.  I,  2,  247 ;  Oth.  II,  1, 316. 
In  the  latter  case  with  a  metaphorical 
quibble. 

night-crow.  The  identity  of  this  bird  is 
not  well  established.  The  night-heron, 
the  owl  and  the  night- jar  have  all  been 
suggested  and  urged  as  being  the  bird 
meant  by  Sh.    3HVI.  V,  6,  45. 

nighted.    1.    Black.    Hml.  I,  2,  68. 
2.  Darkened.     Lr.  IV,  5,  13. 

night-rule.  Night  revel ;  diversion.  Mids. 
Ill,  2,  5.     See  rule. 

nill.  Will  not.  Shr.  II,  1,  273.  ;  Hml.  V, 
1,  19;  Per.  Ill,  Prol.  55. 

nine-fold.  This,  according  to  Tyrwhitt, 
is  put  for  the  rhyme  instead  of  nine 
foals;  according  to  Malone,  it  means 
"  nine  familiars."    Lr.  Ill,  4,  126. 

ninny.    A  fool ;  a  jester.    Tp.  Ill,  2,  71. 

N  iobe.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Tantalus, 
the  sister  of  Pelops  and  the  wife  of 
Amphion,  King  of  Thebes,  by  whom 
she  had  a  large  number  of  children,  the 
most  commonly  received  account  being 
seven  sons  and  seven  daughters.  Being 
proud  of  the  number  of  her  children 
she  deemed  herself  superior  to  Latona, 
who  had  given  birth  to  only  two,  Apollo 
and  Diana.  These  two  divinities,  being 
indignant  at  the  insult  thus  offered  to 
their  mother,  slew  all  Niobe's  childi*en 
with  their  arrows.  For  nine  days  the 
bodies  lay  in  their  blood  unburied, 
because  Jupiter  had  changed  the  people 
into  stones,  but  on  the  tenth  day  the 


HIT 


190 


NOB 


gods  themselves  buried  them,  and  Niobe 
was  metamorphosed  into  stone  as  she 
sat  weeping  on  Mount  Sipylus.  Hml. 
I,  2,  149.  It  is  said  that  this  stone 
always  sheds  tears  during  the  summer. 
The  story  of  Niobe  and  her  children  was 
a  favorite  subject  with  the  ancient 
artists.  One  of  the  most  celebrated  of 
the  ancient  works  of  art  still  extant  is 
the  group  of  Niobe  and  her  children, 
which  filled  the  pediment  of  the  temple 
of  Apollo  Sosianus  at  Rome,  and  which 
was  discovered  in  the  year  1583,  or 
about  eighteen  or  nineteen  years  before 
Sh.  play  of  Hamlet  was  written.  This 
group  is  now  at  Florence,  and  consists 
of  the  mother,  who  holds  her  youngest 
daughter  on  her  knees,  and  thirteen 
statues  of  her  sons  and  daughters, 
besides  a  figure  usually  called  the  paeda- 
gogus  of  the  children. 

nit.  The  egg  of  an  insect,  especially  that 
of  the  pediculus.  Originally,  it  meant 
the  insect  itself.  Applied  to  Moth  on 
account  of  his  small  size.  LLL.  IV,  1, 
150;  Shr.  IV,  3,  110. 

nobility.  Greatness;  magnitude.  Hml. 
I,  2,  110. 

noble.    A  gold  coin  worth  6s.  8d. ;  RII. 

1,  1,  88.  The  royal  went  for  10s. ;  the 
noble  only  for  6s.  8d.,  and  upon  this  is 
founded  numerous  jests,  as  in  IHIV.  I, 

2,  156,  and  II,  4,  331.  The  last  seems  to 
allude  to  a  jest  of  Queen  Elizabeth.  Mr. 
John  Blower,  in  a  sermon  before  her 
majesty,  first  said,  "My  royal  queen," 
and  a  little  after,  "  My  wo6^e  queen ; " 
upon  which,  says  the  queen:  "What, 
am  I  ten  groats  worse  than  I  was  ? " 

nobody.  Played  by  the  picture  of  no- 
body. Tp.  Ill,  2,  136.  The  allusion 
here  is  either  to  the  print  of  Nobody, 
as  prefixed  to  the  anonymous  comedy 
of  No-Body  and  Some-Body,  without 
date,  but  printed  before  1600  (Reed),  or 
to  the  very  singular  engraving  on  the 
old  and  popular  ballad  of  The  Well- 
spoken  Nobody  (Halliwell). 

nod.  "  To  give  the  nod  ; "  a  term  in  the 
game  of  cards  called  "Noddy."  TroU. 
I,  2,  209. 


noddy.  A  fool ;  a  simpleton.  Gent.  I,  1, 
119. 

noise.  A  company  of  musicians.  2HIV. 
II,  4,  13. 

"This  term,  which  occurs  perpetually 
in  our  old  dramatists,  means  a  company 
or  concert.  In  Jonson's  days  they 
sedulously  attended  taverns,  ordinaries, 
etc.,  and  seem  to  have  been  very  im- 
portunate for  admission  to  the  guests. 
They  usually  consisted  of  three,  and 
took  their  name  from  the  leader  of 
their  little  band.  Thus  we  hear  of  '  Mr. 
Sneak's  notse,'  'Mr.  Creak's  notse," 
and  in  Cartwright  of  'Mr.  Spindle's 
noise.'''''' — Gifford^s  note  on  '"'■Jonson'^s 
Works.''"'  The  term  continued  in  use 
down  to  the  time  of  Dryden.  Dyce 
calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  Wycherly, 
in  The  Plain  Dealer,  uses  the  word  in 
the  sense  of  "  a  company  "  without  any 
reference  to  music.  "I  could  as  soon 
suffer  a  whole  noise  of  flatterers  at  a 
great  man's  levee  in  a  morning," 

nole,  )       A  grotesque  word  for    head, 

nowl.  )  like  pate,  noddle.  Mids.  Ill, 
2,  17. 

Some  of  the  old  books  on  magic  gave 
receipts  which  were  said  to  enable  the 
reader  to  make  "a  man's  head  seenie 
an  asse  head. ' '  Receipts  from  Albertus 
Magnus  and  from  Scot's  "Discoverie  of 
Witchcraft"  are  quoted  by  Wright  in 
the  Clarendon  ed.  of  A  Midsumm,er 
NighVs  Dream.     Also  by  Douce. 

nonce.  Literally,  for  the  once;  for  the 
one  time  ;  for  this  particular  occasion. 
IHIV.  I,  2,  201 ;  IHVI.  II,  3,  57;  Hml. 
IV,  7,  161. 

nook-shotten.  Shooting  out  into  capes, 
promontories  and  necks  of  land.  War- 
burton.  Or,  perhaps,  thrust  into  a 
comer  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  world. 
HV.  Ill,  5,  14.     cf.  Cym.  Ill,  4,  141. 

Norfolk,  Duke  of,  dr.p.    RII.  and  RIII. 

Norfolk,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Of  the  Duke  of 
York's  party.    3HVI. 

Norfolk,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Father  to  the 
Earl  of  Surrey.    HVIII. 

north.  1.  The  north  wind,  proverbial 
for  its  coldness  and  violence.    Hence, 


NOR 


191 


NUN 


in  0th.  V,  2,  20,  as  liberal  as  the  norths 
that  is,  as  loudly  and  freely  as  the  north 
wind  blows.  In  Cym.  I,  3,  36,  the  re- 
ference is  to  the  cold  and  frosty  charac- 
ter of  the  north  wind  and  its  blighting 
effects  on  vegetation,  cf.  Tp.  I,  2,  256. 
Applied  metaphorically  to  the  bad 
opinion  of  any  one,  as  in  Tw.  Ill,  2,  28, 
the  north  of  my  lacly''s  opinion. 

2.  "The north  was  always  supposed  to 
be  the  particular  habitation  of  bad 
spirits.  Milton,  therefore,  assembles 
the  rebel  angels  in  the  north. "  Johnson. 
Hence,  Sh.  makes  La  Pucelle  appeal  to 
those  who  are  substitutes.  Under  the 
lordly  monarch  of  the  north  (IHVI.  V, 
3,  6).  Read  article  on  Joan  La  Pucelle. 
"  The  monarch  of  the  north  was  Zimi- 
mar,  one  of  the  four  principal  devils 
invoked  by  witches.  The  others  were : 
Amaimon,  king  of  the  east,  Gorson, 
king  of  the  soutli,  and  Goap,  king  of  the 
west.  Under  these  devil  kings  were  devil 
marquesses,  dukes,  prelates,  knights, 
presidents  and  earls.  They  are  all 
enumerated  from  Wier,  De  Prcestigils 
dcemonum,  in  Scot's  'Discoverie  of 
Witchcraft.'    Book  xv.,  c.  2."    Douce. 

Northumberland,  Earl  of,  dr.p.    3HVI. 

Northumberland,  Earl  of,  dr.p.  Henry 
Percy.     RII. ;  IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

nose.  It  was  not  for  nothing  that  my 
nose  fell  a-bleeding.  Merch.  II,  5,  24. 
In  Sh.  time  bleeding  at  the  nose  was 
considered  ominous.  In  regard  to  LLL. 
V,  2,  568,  see  Alexander. 

note.  A  stigma;  a  mark  of  reproach. 
RII.  I,  1,  43. 

noted.  D  isgi'aced  ;  marked  with  a  stigma. 
Cses.  IV,  3,  2. 

not  ever.  Not  ever  is  an  uncommon  ex- 
pression and  does  not  mean  never,  but 
not  always.   Mason.    HYIII.  V,  1, 130. 

not=pated.  Having  the  hair  cut  close. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  78.  According  to  some,  it 
means  bull-headed ;  stubborn.  Nares 
calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  beardless 
wheat  has  been  called  not  wheat,  cf. 
Line  251  in  same  scene — knotty-pated. 
Also  Chaucer's  description  of  the  Yeo- 
man ("  Canterbury  Tales,"  Prol.  line 


109):  "A  not-hed  hadde  he,  with  a 
broune  visage." 

nourish.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  IHVI. 
I,  1,  50 :  Our  isle  be  made  a  nourish  of 
salt  tears,  has  occasioned  some  dis- 
cussion. The  usual  interpretation  is 
that  the  isle  would  be  made  a  nurse  or 
nourisher  of  salt  tears,  and  the  singular 
expression  in  the  preceding  line  :  When 
at  their  mother'' s  moist  eyes  babes  shall 
suck,  lends  color  to  this  view.  That 
nourish,  nourice  or  norice  is  an  old 
form  of  nurse  is  easily  shown  (Nares 
gives  several  examples).  Pope,  however, 
objected  to  this  reading  and  changed 
nourish  to  m^arish  or  marsh,  and  this 
has  been  adopted  by  several  eds.  — Delius, 
Rolf  e,  Craig,  etc.  In  support  of  marish, 
Ritson  quotes  Kyd  in  the  Spanish 
Tragedy:  "Made  mountains  marsh 
with  spring- tides  of  my  tears,"  but  this 
idea  is  a  common  one.  Marshall,  in 
"The  Henry  Irving"  ed.,  retains 
nourish,  with  the  remark  that  "  Pope's 
ingenious  emendation  marish  has  been 
very  generally  adopted  ;  but  on  mature 
consideration  we  have  rejected  it." 

Novi  hominem  tanquam  te.  Latin  for 
/  know  the  man  as  well  as  I  do  you. 
LLL.  V,  1,  10. 

novum.  "  Novum,  or  Novem  was  a  game 
at  dice,  played  by  five  or  six  persons. 
Its  proper  name  was  Novem  quinque, 
from  the  two  principal  throws  being 
five  and  nine.    Dyce.    LLL.  V,  2,  547. 

noyance.    Injury.    Hml.  Ill,  3,  13. 

numbered.  Having  full  numbers;  richly 
stored.  Cym.  I,  6,  36.  Thus,  in  the 
Fl.  Theobald  changed  to  unnumbered, 
and  this  reading  has  been  adopted  by 
many.  In  support  of  the  change,  refer- 
ence is  made  to  Lr.  IV,  6, 21 :  The  mur- 
muring surge.  That  on  the  unnumber''d 
idle  pebbles  chafes.  Numerous  other 
emendations  have  been  suggested,  such 
as  humbled,  umbr''d,  cumber''d,  etc., 
but  none  has  been  accepted.  See  twinned. 

nuncle.  A  contraction  of  mine  uncle, 
and  the  usual  address,  it  appears,  of  the 
domestic  fool  to  his  superiors.  Lr.  I,  4, 
117,  and  elsewhere  in  this  play.    In  the 


NUB 


192 


NTM 


same  style  the  fools  called  each  other 

cousin.    Nares. 

Nurse,  rfr.p.    (Of  Juliet.)    Rom. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  our  readers 
to  know  the  fate  of  the  nurse,  as  related 
in  Brooke's  poem  from  which  Sh.  un- 
doubtedly drew  much  of  his  material. 
Dowden  summarises  the  fates  of  the 
subordinate  actors  as  follows:  "The 
nurse  is  banished  because  she  hid  the 
marriage ;  Romeo's  servant  is  allowed 
to  live  free ;  the  apothecary  is  hanged  ; 
Friar  Laurence  is  discharged,  retires  to 
a  hermitage  two  miles  from  Verona, 
and  after  five  years,  there  dies." 

nut-hook.  Properly,  a  pole  with  a  hook 
at  the  end  used  for  gathering  nuts ;  a 
cant  term  for  a  catchpole  or  bailiff. 
Wiv.  I,  1,  173 ;  2HIV.  V,  4,  8. 

nuzzling.  Nosing  ;  thrusting  in  the  nose. 
Ven.  1,115. 

Nym,  dr. p.  A  soldier  in  the  king's  army. 
HV. 

Nym,  dr. p.    A  follower  of  FalstafP. 

Nymphs.  1.  A  class  of  inferior  female 
divinities  who  are  described  as  the 
daughters  of  Jupiter.  They  were  be- 
lieved to  dwell  on  earth,  in  groves,  on 
the  summits  of  mountains,  in  rivers, 
streams,  glens  and  grottoes.  Homer 
describes  them  as  presiding  over  game, 
accompanying  Diana,  dancing  with  her, 
weaving  in  their  grottoes  purple  gar- 
ments and  kindly  watching  over  the 
fate  of  mortals.  The  early  Greeks  saw 
in  all  the  phenomena  of  ordinary  nature 
some  manifestation  of  the  deity ;  springs, 
rivers,  grottoes,  trees  and  mountains, 
all  seemed  to  them  fraught  with  life ; 
and  all  were  only  the  visible  embodi- 
ments of  so  many  divine  agents.  The 
salutary  and  beneficient  powers  of 
nature  were  thus  personified  and  re- 
garded as  so  many  divinities ;  and  the 
sensations  produced  on  man  in  the  con- 
templation of  nature,  such  as  awe, 
terror,  joy,  delight,  were  ascribed  to 
the  agency  of  the  various  divinities  of 
nature.    L.  Schmitz. 

The  nymphs  were  divided  into  various 
species,  according  to  the  different  parts 


of  nature  of  which  they  are  the  repre- 
sentatives.   The  most  prominent  were: 

1.  Nymphs  of  the  watery  element.  To 
these  belong,  first,  the  nymphs  of  the 
ocean,  the  Oceanides;  and  next,  the 
nymphs  of  the  Mediterranean  or  inner 
sea,  the  Nereides.  The  rivers  were 
represented  by  the  Potameides,  who 
were  named  after  their  particular  rivers. 
The  nymphs  of  fresh  water,  whether  of 
rivers,  lakes,  brooks  or  springs,  were 
also  designated  by  the  general  names  of 
Naiades.  Even  the  rivers  of  the  lower 
regions  were  described  as  having  their 
nymphs.  Many  of  these  nymphs  pre- 
side over  waters  or  springs  which  were 
believed  to  inspire  those  who  drank  of 
them,  and  the  nymphs  themselves  were 
thought  to  be  endowed  with  prophetic 
power  and  to  inspire  men  with  the  same, 
and  to  confer  on  them  the  gift  of  poetry. 

2.  Nymphsof  mountains  and  grottoes, 
called  Oreades. 

3.  Nymphs  of  forests,  groves  and  glens 
were  believed  sometimes  to  appear  to 
and  frighten  solitary  travelers. 

4.  Nymphs  of  trees  were  believed  to  die 
together  with  the  trees  which  had  been 
their  abode  and  with  which  they  had 
come  into  existence.  They  were  called 
Dryades  and  Hamadryades. 

The  sacrifices  offered  to  nymphs 
usually  consisted  of  goats,  lambs,  milk 
and  oil,  but  never  of  wine.  They  were 
worshipped  and  honored  with  sanctu- 
aries in  many  parts  of  Greece,  especially 
near  springs,  groves  and  grottoes. 

Nymphs  are  represented  in  works  of 
art  as  beautiful  maidens,  either  quite 
naked  or  only  half  covered.  Later  poets 
sometimes  describe  them  as  having  sea- 
colored  hair. 

There  are  numerous  references  in  the 
plays  to  these  nymphs.  See  Naiades^ 
Nereides,  Sirens,  Thetis. 
2.  The  nymphs  being  beautiful  and 
benevolent  female  divinities,  the  term 
nymph  has  been  frequently  applied  to  an 
attractive  and  beautiful  young  woman, 
as  in  Gent.  V,  4,  12;  Mids.  II,  1,  245; 
Hml.  Ill,  1,  89,  and  other  passages. 


193 


02E 


^    The   fifteenth   letter   of    the 

alphabet,    often    used   as    a 

M     synonym    for    other   things, 


such  as 
circle ;   a  sphere  or  globe. 


Ant. 


1.  A 

V,  2,  81. 

2.  The  arithmetical  cipher.  Lr.  I,  4,  212. 

3.  The  Globe  Theatre,  on  the  Bankside, 
which  was  circular  within.  HV., 
Prol.  13.    See  theatre. 

4.  Orbs  ;  stars  (fiery  O's).  Mids.  Ill,  2, 
188. 

5.  A  sigh ;  an  affliction.    Rom.  Ill,  3, 90. 

6.  Marks  of  the  small-pox  (round  pits). 
LLL.  V,  2,  45. 

oak.  To  him  who  saved  the  life  of  a 
citizen  in  battle  the  Romans  awarded  a 
crown  or  garland  of  oak,  inscribed  with 
the  words  "  ob  civem  servatura. "  Such 
a  crown  was  accounted  more  honorable 
than  any  other.  Cor.  I,  3,  16;  Kins. 
IV,  2,  137.  The  oak  was  sacred  to 
Jupiter.  Tp.  V,  1,  45.    See  Heme's  Oak. 

oar.    To  row  as  with^oars.    Tp.  II,  1, 118. 

Oberon,  dr. p.  King  of  the  Fairies.  Mids. 
With  the  exception  of  the  name,  the 
Oberon  of  the  Midsummer  NighVs 
Dream  is  purely  a  Shakesperean  crea- 
tion. The  name  he  may  have  found 
in  Spenser's  "Faerie  Queene,"  in  the 
description  of  Sir  Guyon  (Book  II, 
cant.  I,  Z  6)  : 

Well  could  he  tourney  and  in  lists 

debate, 
And  knighthood  tooke  of  good  Sir 

Huon's  hand, 
When  with  King  Oberon  he  came  to 

Faryland. 

The  name  Oberon,  or,  as  Greene  has  it 
in  his  "  Scottish  History  of  James  IV," 
Oberam,  is  the  same  as  that  of  the 
dwarf  Elberich,  who  aided  the  Emperor 
Otnit  or  Ortnit  to  gain  the  daughter  of 
the  Paynim  Soldan  of  Syria,  as  told  in 
Keighbley's  "Fairy  Mythology."  Ac- 
cording to  Grimm,  as  stated  by  Keight- 
ley,  the  change  was  made  as  follows : 


"From  the  usual  change  of  I  into  u  (as 
al,  CLU,  col,  cou,  etc.)  in  the  French 
language,  Elberich  or  Albrich  (derived 
from  Alp,  Alf )  becomes  Auberich  ;  and 
ichy  not  being  a  French  termination, 
the  diminutive  on  was  substituted,  and 
so  it  became  Aubeion  or  Oberon;  a 
much  more  likely  origin  than  the  usual 
one  from  Uaube  dujour.''^ 

"  Shakespeare  seems  to  have  at- 
tempted a  blending  of  the  Elves  of  the 
village  with  the  Fays  of  romance.  His 
fairies  agree  with  the  former  in  their 
diminutive  stature — diminished,  indeed, 
to  dimensions  inappreciable  by  village 
gossips— in  their  fondness  for  dancing, 
their  love  of  cleanliness  and  their  child- 
abstracting  propensities.  Like  the  Fays, 
they  form  a  court  ruled  over  by  the 
princely  Oberon  and  the  fair  Titania. 
There  is  a  court  and  chivalry.  Oberon 
would  have  the  queen's  sweet  change- 
ling to  be  a  '  knight  of  his  train  to  trace 
the  forest  wUd. '  Like  earthly  monarchs, 
he  has  his  jester,  'the  shrewd  and 
knavLsh  sprite,  called  Robin  Good-fel- 
low,"   Keightley. 

Commenting  on  Lamb's  alleged  state- 
ment that  Sh.  "invented  the  fairies," 
Furness  says  :  "No  ore  was  evermore 
competent  than  Lamb  to  pronounce 
such  an  opinion,  and  nothing  that  Lamb 
ever  said  is  more  true.  There  were  no 
real  fairies  before  Shakespeare's.  What 
were  called  '  fairies  '  have  existed  ever 
since  stories  were  told  to  wide-eyed 
listeners  round  a  winter's  fire.  But 
these  are  not  the  fairies  of  Shakespeare, 
nor  the  faii-ies  of  to-day.  They  are  the 
fairies  of  Grimm's  'Mythology,'  Our 
fairies  are  spirits  of  another  sort,  but 
unless  they  wear  Shakespeare's  livery 
they  are  counterfeit.  The  fairies  of 
Folk-lore  were  rough  and  repulsive, 
taking  their  style  from  the  hempen 
homespuns  who  invented  them ;  they 
were  gnomes,   cobboldSf   lubber-louts, 


OAT 


194 


ODIX 


and  descendants  though  they  may  have 
been  of  the  Greek  Nereids,  they  had 
lost  every  vestige  of  charm  along  their 
Northern  route. " 

That  the  fairies  were  very  diminutive 
creatures  is  insisted  upon  whenever 
they  are  described.  Thus  Sh.  tells  us 
that  they  could  "creep  into  acorn-cups 
and  hide  them  there,"  and  Titania 
speaks  of  making  her  small  elves  coats 
from  the  leathern  wings  of  bats.  And 
yet  these  pigmies  are  said  to  be  in  love 
with  human  beings — Titania  with  The- 
seus, and  Oberon  with  Hippolyta ;  and 
Oberon  is  said  to  have  had ' '  credit ' '  with 
the  "bouncing  Amazon."  But  this 
apparently  contradictory  absurdity  is 
accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  these 
beings  could,  like  the  gods  of  Greece, 
assume  any  form  that  they  chose. 
Thus,  Puck  takes  the  form  of  a  crab- 
apple  and  a  filly  foal,  and  in  wooing 
Hippolyta,  Oberon  may  have  taken  on 
the  form  of  an  attractive  young  man. 
See  lob,  Puck  and  Titania. 

oathable.  Fit  to  be  sworn.  Tim.  IV,  3, 
135. 

obscene.    Offensive;  abominable.    LLL. 

I,  1,  244;  RII.  IV,  1,  131;  IHIV.  II,  4, 
252. 

obscenely.  Used  blunderingly  for  obs- 
curely or  in  secret.  Mids.  I,  2,  111,  and 
probably  for  some  very  different  word 
in  LLL.  IV,  1,  145.  Perhaps  it  may  in 
both  instances  be  a  blunder  for  seemly. 

obscure.    1.   To  hide.    Meas.  V,  1,  395; 
Merch.  Ill,  2,  77;  As.  V,  4,  34. 
2.  To  degrade ;   to  make  mean.     Wint. 
IV,  4,  8  ;  Lr.  II,  2,  175. 

obsequious.  In  a  manner  suited  to  one 
who  performs  funeral  obsequies.    3HVI. 

II,  5,  118;  Hml.  I,  2,  92  ;  Tit.  V,  3,  152. 
obsequiously.     In   the   character   of   a 

mourner.  RIII.  I,  2,  3. 
observation.  The  observance  of  proper 
rites  and  ceremonies.  Mids.  IV,  1,  109. 
In  this  passage  the  reference  is  to  the 
rites  due  to  the  morning  of  May.  The 
passage  in  Tp.  Ill,  3,  8,  ivith  good  life 
and  observation  strange,  has  called 
forth  some  comment.     Good  life  is  ex- 


plained as  "done  to  the  life,"  and 
observation  strange  may  possibly  mean 
unusual  performances,  a  sense  similar 
to  that  found  in  our  first  quotation; 
so  that  the  meaning  of  the  whole  passage 
is  that  Prospero's  meaner  ministers  have 
carried  out  their  strange  performances 
in  a  life-like  manner. 

obstacle.  An  illiterate  shepherd's  blun- 
der for  obstinate.     IHVI.  V,  4,  17. 

Occident.    The  west.     Gym.  IV,  2,  372. 

occulted.    Hidden.     Hml.  Ill,  2,  85. 

occupation.  The  persons  engaged  in  the 
trades.     Cor.  IV,  6,  97. 

occurrent.  An  event;  an  incident;  an 
occurrence.     Hml.  V,  2,  368. 

Octavia,  dr. p.    Wife  to  Antony.    Ant. 

Octavius  Cffisar,  dr. p.  Triumvir  of  Rome. 
Caps,  and  Ant. 

'od,    I       A  corruption  or  contraction  for 

od's.  )  God  or  God's.  Wiv.  I,  1,  273 ; 
As.  Ill,  5,  43 ;  0th.  IV,  8,  75. 

odd,    I       Uneven;   not   divisible   by   2. 

odds.  )  LLL.  Ill,  1,  86.  In  this  passage 
there  is  an  evident  error  unless  Sh. 
meant  to  introduce  confusion.  Adding 
4  to  3  will  not  make  an  even  number  ; 
adding  1  (the  goos^  to  3  will  make  an 
even  number.  Perhaps  adding  is  a 
mistake  for  making,  so  that  we  should 
read: 

Until  the  goose  came  out  of  door, 
Staying  the  odds  by  making  four. 

odd-even.  Irregular;  untimely.  0th.  I, 
1, 124. 

The  explanation  that  is  usually  given 
of  this  expression  is  that  the  time  was 
"between  twelve  at  night  and  one  in 
the  morning,"  and  the  passage  from 
Mcb.  Ill,  4,  127,  where,  in  reply  to 
Macbeth's  question:  "What  is  the 
night  ?  "  Lady  M.  replies  :  "  Almost  at 
odds  with  morning,  which  is  which,"  is 
quoted  as  confirming  this  view,  although 
the  meaning,  as  well  as  the  form  of  the 
expression,  is  evidently  very  different. 
From  twelve  to  one  is  even-odd,  not 
odd-even,  and  we  have  no  indication 
that  this  was  the  exact  time  of  Desde- 
mona's  flight.  Various  emendations, 
such  as  "oddseason,"  "odd  hour,"  etc., 


(EI 


195 


OLI 


have  been  suggested,  but  they  are  not 
needed.     The  expression  obviously  sig- 
nifies irregularity,  and  that  is  just  what 
is  meant  and  all  that  is  meant. 
oeillades.    Amorous  glances  ;  ogles.    Wiv. 

1,  3,  68 ;  Lr.  IV,  5,  25. 

o'er-dyed.  Dyed  over ;  colored  with  an- 
other dye;  o''er-dyed  blacks  (Wint.  I, 

2,  132)  =  black  things  dyed  with  another 
color,  through  which  the  ground  will 
soon  appear. 

o'ercrow.  To  overpower ;  to  triumph 
over,  as  a  victorious  cock  crows  over 
his  adversary.  Hml.  V,  2,  364.  Ore- 
crows  in  Fl. ;  Pope  and  some  other  eds. 
change  to  ore-growes, 

o'erlook.  To  bewitch.  Wiv.  V,  5,  87  ; 
Merch.  Ill,  2,  15.  In  allusion  to  the 
superstition  of  the  evil  eye. 

o'er-flourished.  Varnished  or  painted 
over.     Tw.  Ill,  4,  404. 

o'er-of  f  ice.  To  get  the  better  of  and  lord 
over  by  virtue  of  an  oflice.  Hml.  V,  1, 
87.     The  Quartos  have  o''er-reaches. 

0*er-parted.  Having  assigned  to  him  a 
part  too  difficult  or  beyond  his  parts  or 
abilities.     LLL.  V,  2,  588. 

o'erpeer.  To  overtop ;  to  rise  above. 
Cor.  II,  3,  128. 

o'er-perch.  Usually  explained  as  "to  fly 
over."  Rom.  II,  2,  66.  Grant  White 
says:  "O'er-perch  cannot  mean  to  fly 
over,  as  perch  does  not  mean  fly.  In 
the  only  passage  in  which  Shakespeare 
uses  it,  Romeo's  '  with  love's  light  wings 
I  did  o'er-perch  these  walls,'  it  is  a 
picturesque  word  showing  us  the  young 
lover  touching  for  an  instant  the  top  of 
the  wall  as  he  surmounted  it. " 

o'er-raught.      1.     Over-took  ;    literally, 
over-reached.     Hml.  Ill,  1,  17. 
2.  Over-reached;  cheated.     Err.  1,2,96. 
See  raught. 

o'er-sized.  Covered  over  as  with  size  or 
glue.     Hml.  II,  2,  493. 

o'er=teemed.  Worn  out  by  bringing 
forth  children.     Hml.  II,  2,  531. 

o'erwhelm.  To  cover  ;  to  conceal.  Hml. 
I,  2,  258  ;  Per.  Ill,  1,  64. 

oes.  The  plural  of  o.  Sometimes  spelled 
o's.    See  O. 


off-capped.  Took  ofi!  their  caps  in  the 
usual  form  of  courtesy.     0th.  I,  1,  10. 

offendendo.  Se  offendendo  is  the  grave- 
digger's  blunder  for  se  defendendo — in 
self-defence.     Hml.  V,  1,  9. 

offer.  To  challenge.  IHIV.  IV,  1,  69  ; 
2HIV.  IV,  1,  219. 

office.  1.  Service.  Wiv.  I,  1,  102  ;  AU's. 
IV,  4,  5. 

In  0th.  IV,  2,  92,  the  passage,  that 
have  the  office  opposite  to  Saint  Peter, 
means  the  position  held  by  Emilia,  viz. , 
that  of  gate-keeper  to  hell,  as  Saint 
Peter  is  gate-keeper  in  Heaven.  A 
recent  commentary  assigns  this  oflice  to 
Desdemona,  but  that  is  surely  wrong. 
It  is  Emilia  that  is  meant.  And  cf.  line 
22  in  same  act  and  scene.  [To  Emilia.] 
Some  of  your  function,  viistress. 
2.  An  act  of  worship.  HVIII.  Ill,  2, 
144  ;  Cym.  Ill,  3,  4. 

old,  n.  Wold;  downs.  Lr.  Ill,  4,  125. 
See  Swithold. 

old,  adj.  The  use  of  this  word  in  the 
sense  of  great,  very  much,  frequent, 
etc.,  seems  to  have  been  as  common  in 
the  time  of  Sh.  as  it  is  at  present.  Just 
as  we  speak  of  "a  high  old  time"  we 
find  in  Sh.  an  old  abusing  of  God''s 
patience  and  the  King''s  English  (Wiv. 
I,  4,  5)  ;  Vonder''s  old  coil  at  home 
(Ado.  V,  2,  98) ;  here  will  be  old  Utis 
(2HIV.  II,  4,  21). 

Generally,  old  means  of  great  age,  but 
not  always.  The  question:  "How  old 
are  you  ?"  might  be  addressed  to  a  child 
or  to  a  centenarian,  the  word  old  being 
equivalent  to  age,  which  may  be  more 
or  less.  This  is  evidently  the  meaning 
of  the  word  in  Hml.  II,  2,  206.  The 
word  young  might  have  been  substituted 
for  old  here  with  propriety.  Most  of 
our  readers  will  remember  the  joke  of 
the  genial  Autocrat  who  claimed  that 
he  was  seventy  years  young,  not  seventy 
years  old.  The  ideas  are  similar,  though 
not  identical. 

Old  Gobbo,  dr.p.  Father  to  Launcelat 
Gobbo.     Merch. 

olive.  The  emblem  of  peace.  Tw.  I,  5, 
326;  2HIV.  IV,  4,  87;  Ant.  IV,  6,  7. 


OLI 


196 


OMN 


Oliver,   dr.  p.     Son  to    Sir  Rowland    de 

Bois.  As. 
Olivia,  dr.  p.  A  rich  countess.  Tw, 
Olympian  Qames.  Referred  to  in  3HVI. 
II,  3,  53.  Usually  called  the  Olympic 
Games,  the  greatest  of  the  national 
festivals  of  the  Greeks.  They  were 
celebrated  at  Olympia,  in  Elis,  which 
seems  not  to  have  been  a  town,  but 
rather  a  collection  of  temples  and  public 
buildings.  The  origin  of  the  Olympic 
games  is  buried  in  obscurity.  They 
were  said  to  have  been  first  established 
by  Hercules,  who,  in  a  contest  with  his 
four  brothers,  won  a  footrace.  He 
thereupon  established  a  contest  which 
was  to  be  celebrated  every  five  years, 
because  he  and  his  brothers  were  five  in 
number.  Later,  the  celebration  occurred 
every  fourth  year,  and  the  period  of 
four  years  was  called  an  Olympiad  and 
was  the  most  celebrated  chronological 
era  among  the  Greeks.  The  Olympiads 
began  to  be  reckoned  from  the  victory 
of  Coroebus  in  the  footrace,  which  hap- 
pened in  the  year  B.C.  776.  At  first  the 
contest  consisted  merely  of  a  footrace 
and  occupied  but  one  day,  but  after- 
wards contests  of  wrestling,  boxing, 
quoit  and  javelin  throwing,  horse-racing 
and  chariot-racing  were  introduced, 
and  the  contest  lasted  for  five  days. 
There  were  no  combats  with  any  kind 
of  weapons.  The  "Student's  Greece" 
gives  the  following  account  of  these 
games :  "  The  only  prize  given  to  the 
conqueror  was  a  garland  of  olive  ;  but 
this  was  valued  as  one  of  the  dearest 
distinctions  in  life.  To  have  his  name 
proclaimed  before  assembled  Hellas  was 
an  object  of  ambition  with  the  noblest 
and  wealthiest  of  the  Greeks.  Such  a 
person  was  considered  to  have  conferred 
everlasting  glory  upon  his  family  and 
his  country,  and  was  rewarded  by  his 
fellow  citizens  with  distinguished  hon- 
ours. His  statue  was  generally  erected 
in  the  Altis  or  sacred  grove  of  Jove,  at 
Olympia  ;  and  on  his  return  home  he 
entered  his  native  city  in  a  triumphal 
procession,  in  which  his  praises  were 


sung,  frequently  in  the  loftiest  strains 
of  poetry.  He  also  received  stiU  more 
substantial  rewards.  He  was  generally 
relieved  from  the  payment  of  taxes, 
and  had  a  right  to  the  front  seat  at 
all  public  games  and  spectacles.  An 
Athenian  victor  in  the  Olympic  Games 
received,  in  accordance  with  one  of 
Solon's  laws,  a  prize  of  500  drachmas 
and  a  right  to  a  place  at  the  table  of 
the  magistrates  in  the  prytaneum  or 
town  hall;  and  a  Spartan  conqueror 
had  the  privilege  of  fighting  on  the 
field  of  battle  near  the  person  of  the 
king." 

Olympus.  A  mountain  which  forms  part 
of  the  chain  which  constituted  the 
boundary  of  ancient  Greece  proper.  Its 
shape  is  that  of  a  blunt  cone,  with  its 
outline  picturesquely  broken  by  minor 
summits.  Its  height  is  about  nine  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  feet,  and  its  chief 
summit  is  covered  with  perpetual  snow. 
In  the  Greek  mythology  Olympus  was 
the  chief  seat  of  the  third  dynasty  of 
gods,  of  which  Jupiter  was  the  head, 
and  this  was  a  really  local  conception 
with  the  eai-ly  poets,  to  be  understood 
literally,  and  not  metaphorically,  and 
it  was  only  in  the  later  years  that  the 
abode  of  the  gods  was  transferred  from 
the  top  of  the  mountain  to  the  blue 
vault  above  it.  Homer  describes  the 
gods  as  having  their  several  palaces  on 
the  summit  of  Olympus  ;  as  spending 
the  day  in  the  palace  of  Jupiter,  round 
whom  they  sit  in  solemn  conclave,  while 
the  younger  gods  dance  before  them 
and  the  muses  entertain  them  with  the 
lyre  and  song.  They  are  shut  in  from 
the  view  of  men  upon  the  earth  by  a 
wall  of  clouds,  the  gates  of  which  are 
kept  by  the  Hours. 

There  are  in  Sh.  several  references  to 
Olympus,  generally  citing  it  merely  as 
a  very  high  mountain.  Hml.  V,  1, 277 ; 
0th.  II,  1,  190.  Thou  great  thunder- 
darter  of  Olympus,  refers  to  Jupiter. 
Troil.  II,  3,  11. 

omne  bene.    Latin  for  all  well.    LLL. 
IV,  2,  33. 


ON 


197 


OBA 


on.  Sometimes  has  a  meaning  =  o/,  as 
in  Sonn.  XXIX,  10;  Lucr.  87;  Ven. 
160 ;  Tp.  IV,  1,  157  ;  Mids.  I,  2,  9.  Some- 
times confounded  with  o/,  as  in  IHIV. 

II,  1,  33  ;  Troil.  Ill,  3,  306. 
once.    1.   One  time. 

2.  Used  to  add  emphasis  to  the  fact  of 
something  having  been  done :  Like 
soldiers  when  once  their  captain  doth 
hxit  yields  they  basely  fly,  Ven.  893  ; 
have  I  once  lived  to  see  two  honest 
men  ?    Tim.  V,  1,  59. 

3.  Or  of  something  to  be  done.     Wiv. 

III,  4,  103 ;  Mids.   Ill,  2,  68 ;  Tp.  Ill, 
2,24. 

4.  Enough.  (Hudson.)  Ado.  I,  1, 319. 
Nearly  equivalent  to  "once  for  all." 
See  nonce. 

Of  the  phrase,  all  at  once,  in  As.  Ill, 
5,  36,  and  HV.  I,  1,  36,  Singer  says  it 
has  been  asked,  "What  'all  at  once' 
can  possibly  mean  here  ?  It  would  not 
be  easy  to  give  a  satisfactory  answer." 
Staunton  says  it  "  was  a  trite  phrase  in 
Shakespeare's  day,  though  not  one  of 
his  editors  has  noticed  it,"  and  then 
gives  several  examples  from  the  old 
dramatic  writers.  Steevens  paraphrases 
the  passage  in  As.  thus:  "That  you 
insult,  exult  and  that  too  all  in  abreath," 
and  Furness  thinks  this  is  near  enough. 

one.  This  word  was  formerly  written  on 
and  probably  pronounced  like  on.  Hence 
the  pun  in  Gent.  II,  1,  3,  between  on 
and  one. 

oneyers.  This  word  has  given  rise  to 
much  conjecture  and  many  suggested 
emendations.  A  common  definition  is 
banker;  others  suggest  great  ones; 
Schm.  hyphenates  it  with  great  and 
explains  as  men  who  converse  with 
great  ones.     IHIV.  II,  1,  84. 

ope,  adj.  Open.  Mcb.  II,  3,  72  ;  Cses.  I, 
2,  267. 

ope,  V.  Open.  Rom.  V,  3,  283 ;  Gym.  V, 
4,81. 

open,  adj.  Evident ;  plain.  Meas.  II,  1, 
21 ;  IHIV.  II,  4,  250. 

open,  V.  To  give  tongue  as  a  hound  on 
scent  or  on  view  of  game.  Wiv.  IV, 
^2,  209. 


operance.    Operation.    Kins.  I,  3. 

operant.  Active.  Tim.  IV,  3,  25 ;  Hml. 
Ill,  2,  184. 

Ophelia,  dr. p.  Daughter  to  Polonius.  Hml. 

opinion.  The  passage  in  0th.  IV,  2,  109,- 
that  he  might  stick  The  smaiVst  opinion 
on  my  least  misuse  ?  is  said  by  Schm. 
to  be  "peculiar."  Furness  gives  the 
following  paraphrase,  which  he  says  is 
substantially  the  same  as  that  of  the 
Clarkes:  "How  have  I  been  behaved 
that  he  could  find  the  smallest  pos.sible 
fault  with  my  smallest  possible  mis- 
deed ?" 

opinioned.  Dogberry's  blunder  lor  pin- 
ioned.   Ado.  IV,  2,  69. 

opposeless.    Irresistible.    Lr.  IV,  6,  38. 

opposite.  Adversary.  Tw.  Ill,  2,  68; 
2HIV.  I,  3,  55 ;  Hml.  V,  2,  62. 

opposition.  Combat.  IHIV.  I,  3,  99 ; 
0th.  II,  3,  184.  The  meaning  usually 
given  to  the  word  in  Cym.  IV,  1,  14,  is 
single  combats.  Schm.  suggests :  when 
compared  as  to  particular  accomplish- 
menis. 

oppression.  1.  Tyranny.  Hml.  II,  2, 
606 ;  Lr.  I,  2,  52. 

2.  Pressure.     RII.   Ill,   4,   31;  Rom.  I, 
4,24. 

3.  Embarrassment ;  difficulty.   Ant.  IV, 
7,2. 

4.  Affliction;  misery.     Rom.  I,  1,  190, 
and  V,  1,  70. 

oppugnancy.   Opposition.   Troil.  1,3,  111. 

or.  Before ;  sooner  than.  Hml.  1, 2, 183, 
and  V,  2,  30;  Mcb.  IV,  3,  173. 

Oracle.  1 .  The  god  who  revealed  to  men 
the  will  of  the  gods ;  sometimes  applied 
to  the  place  where  the  temple  of  the 
oracle  was  located  and  sometimes  to  the 
revelations  uttered  by  the  oracle.  There 
were  numerous  oracles  in  ancient  times, 
the  most  famous  being  the  oracle  of 
Delphi,  the  most  celebrated  of  the 
oracles  of  Apollo.  It  was  to  this  that 
Leontes  sent  a  deputation  to  inquire 
into  the  chastity  of  Hermione.  Wint. 
Ill,  2.     See  isle. 

In  the  center  of  this  temple  there  was 
a  small  opening  in  the  ground  from 
which,  from  time  to  time,  intoxicating 


OBA 


198 


OBI 


smoke  arose.  Over  this  opening  stood 
a  high  tripod  on  which  the  Pythia  took 
her  seat  whenever  the  oracle  was  to  be 
consulted.  The  smoke  affected  her  brain 

.  in  such  a  manner  that  she  fell  into  a 
state  of  delirious  intoxication,  and  the 
sounds  which  she  uttered  in  this  state 
were  believed  to  contain  the  revelations 
of  Apollo.  These  sounds  were  carefully 
written  down  by  the  attending  prophets 
and  afterwards  communicated  to  the  per- 
sons who  had  come  to  consult  the  oracle. 
These  utterances  were  generally  quite 
ambiguous,  so  that  they  truthfully  ap- 
plied to  the  event,  no  matter  what  the 
outcome  might  be.  Thus,  Pyrrhus, 
being  about  to  make  war  against  Rome, 
was  told:  "  Aio  te,  -^acida,  Romanos 
vincere  posse,"  or,  in  English  :  "I  say 
that  you,  the  son  of  ^acus,  the  Romans 
can  conquer."  This  may  mean  either 
that  he  would  conquer  the  Romans  or 
the  Romans  would  conquer  him.  Hence 
the  quotation  in  2HVI.  I,  4,  65. 
2 .  A  person  of  great  wisdom  or  authority. 
Merch.  1, 1,  93. 

orange.  Civil  as  an  orange.  Ado.  II, 
1, 305,  Upon  this  expression  Dyce  has  the 
following  note  :  "  It  may  be  noted  that 
a  '  civil  (not  a  Seville)  orange '  was  the 
orthography  of  the  time.  See  "Cot- 
grave's  Dictionary  "  in  '  Aigre  Douce  ' 
and  in  'orange.' "  Turning  to  Cot.  we 
find :  "  Aigre-douce  :  f .  A  ciule  Orange  ; 
or,  Orange,  that  is  between  sweet  and 
sower."  Which,  as  Fumess  says,  is 
exactly  what  Claudio  was,  neither  sad, 
nor  sick,  nor  merry,  nor  well,  but 
between  sweet  and  sour. 

orbed.  Circular.  Orbed  continent  {Tw.V, 
1,  278)  =the  sun.  Tellus^  orbed  ground 
(Hml.  Ill,  2,  166)  =  the  round  earth. 

orchard.  In  Sh.  time  was  generally  sy- 
nonymous with  garden.  Now  is  usually 
confined  to  a  plantation  of  fruit  trees. 
Tw.  Ill,  2,  8 ;  Hml.  I,  5,  35. 

order.  1.  Necessary  measures  or  steps. 
Meas.  II,  1,  246 ;  Err.  V,  1,  46;  RII.  V, 
1,53;  0th.  V,  2,  72. 

2.  A  fraternity  or  society.  Wiv.  V,  5, 
65 ;  Mids.  II,  1,  123  ;  Rom.  Ill,  3,  114. 


ordinance.    Order ;  rank.    Cor.  Ill,  2, 12. 
ordinant.    Ruling ;  ordaining.    Hml.  V, 

2,48. 
ordinary,  n.     1.   The  general  mass.     As. 
111,5,42. 

'  2.  A  meal;  a  repast.    All's.  II,  3,  211; 

Ant.  II,  2,  230. 
ore.  In  Sh.  time  the  word  ore  signified 
the  metal  itself,  and  not  the  mineral 
from  which  the  metal  was  extracted. 
Thus,  in  Paradise  Lost,  XI,  570,  we 
find: 

The  liquid  ore  he  drain'd 
Into  fit  moulds  prepared. 
And  in  the  "English-French  Diction- 
ary," appended  to  Cotgrave,  the  word 
ore  is  confined  to  gold.  In  the  Fl.  the 
reading  in  Hml.  IV,  1,  25,  is  some  ore; 
Walker  suggested  and  Fumess  adopted 
the  reading  fine  ore,  but  if  ore  was 
generally  understood  to  mean  gold,  there 
is  no  need  for  any  change.  In  the  only 
other  passage  in  the  plays  in  which  the 
word  ore  occurs  (All's.  Ill,  6,  40,  to 
what  metal  this  counterfeit  lump  of 
ore  will  be  melted)  the  meaning  seems 
to  be  gold.  Johnson  says :  "  Shake- 
speare seems  to  think  ore  to  be  Or,  that 
is,  gold.  Base  metals  have  ore  no  less 
than  precious,"  But  Johnson  seems  to 
forget  that  the  language  had  changed 
since  Sh.  day. 

organ-pipe.  The  tube  which  serves  to 
produce  sound  in  an  organ.  Hence 
used  for  the  throat  or  wind-pipe.  On 
the  passage,  Tp.  Ill,  3,  98, 

and  the  thunder. 
That  deep   and  dreadful  organ-pipe 

pronounced 
The  name  of  Prosper— 
Dr.  Schm.  makes  the  sage  remark : 
"  Apparently  not  the  pipe  of  a  musical 
organ,  which  would  have  been  unable 
to  pronounce  a  name."  Dr.  Schm.  is 
apparently  deficient  in  the  poetical 
faculty. 

orgillous,  I       Proud;   haughty.      TroiL, 

orgulous.  \     Prol.  2. 

orient.  Bright ;  shining.  Mids.  IV,  1, 
59.  Orient  generally  means  the  east, 
and  Wright  gives  this  explanation  of  the 


ORI 


199 


OTH 


way  it  came  to  have  this  special  sig- 
nification :  "  The  epithet  appears  to  be 
originally  applied  to  the  pearl  and 
other  gems  as  coming  from  the  orient 
or  east,  and  to  have  acquired  the  general 
sense  of  bright  and  shining  from  the 
objects  which  it  most  commonly  de- 
scribes. Compare  Milton,  Paradise 
Lost,  I,  546 : 
Ten  thousand  banners  rise  into  the 

air, 
With  orient  colours  waving." 

orifex.    Opening  ;  aperture.    Troil.  V,  2, 
151. 

Orlando,  dr.p.  Son  to  Sir  Rowland  de 
Bois.     As. 

Orleans,  Duke  of,  dr.p.    HV, 

Orpheus.  A  famous  musician,  the  son  of 
CEagrus  and  the  Muse,  Calliope.  He 
lived  in  Thrace  in  the  time  of  the  Ar- 
gonauts and  accompanied  them  in  their 
expedition.  Presented  with  the  lyre  by 
Apollo  and  instructed  by  the  Muses  in 
its  uses,  he  enchanted  with  its  music  not 
only  the  wild  beasts,  but  trees  and  rocks 
so  that  they  moved  from  their  places  to 
follow  the  sound  of  his  golden  harp. 
These  powers  enabled  him  to  aid  the 
Argonauts  materially  ;  at  the  sound  of 
his  lyre  the  Argo  glided  down  into  the 
sea ;  the  Argonauts  tore  themselves 
away  from  the  pleasures  of  Lemnos,  and 
the  Colchian  dragon,  which  guarded  the 
golden  fleece,  was  lulled  to  sleep.  After 
his  return  from  the  Argonautic  ex- 
pedition he  took  up  his  abode  in  a  cave 
in  Thrace.  His  wife  was  a  nymph 
named  Eurydice.  She  was  killed  by 
the  bite  of  a  serpent,  and  Orpheus  fol- 
lowed his  lost  wife  into  the  abodes  of 
Hades,  where  the  charms  of  his  lyre 
suspended  the  torments  of  the  damned 
and  won  back  his  wife  from  the  most 
inexorable  of  all  deities,  but  only  upon 
condition  that  he  should  not  look  at 
her  until  they  reached  the  upper  world. 
But  just  on  the  confines  of  Hades 
Orpheus  forgot  himself,  looked  back  to 
see  if  his  wife  was  following  him,  and 
lost  her  forever.  He  wandered  about 
inconsolable,  and  his  grief  led  hmi  to 


treat  with  repugnance  the  approaches 
of  the  Thracian  women.  They,  being 
angry  at  this,  attacked  him  while  under 
the  influence  of  their  Bacchic  frenzy 
and  tore  him  to  pieces.  It  is  this  that 
is  referred  to  in  Mids.  V,  1,  49.  Other 
references  to  Orpheus  are  found  in 
Gent.  Ill,  2,  78;  Merch.  V,  1,  79; 
HVIII.  Ill,  1,  3. 

Orsino,  dr.p.    Duke  of  Illyria.    Tw. 

o's.    See  oes. 

osprey.  The  fishing-hawk.  It  was  sup- 
posed to  have  the  power  of  fascinating 
the  fish  on  which  it  preyed,  and  it  is 
probably  to  this  that  allusion  is  made 
in  Cor.  IV,  7,  34. 

orts.  Leavings ;  remnants ;  refuse.  Lucr. 
985 ;  Troil.  V,  2,  158  ;  Tim.  IV,  3,  400. 

Osric,  dr.p.     A  courtier.     Hml. 

ostent.  Show;  appearance.  Merch.  II, 
8,  44.  In  Per.  I,  2,  25,  where  old  eds. 
give  stint  of  war,  modern  eds.  give 
ostent  of  war. 

ostentation,  n.     1.   Display;  show;  ex- 
hibition.    Hml.  IV,  5,  215 ;  Ant.  Ill,  6, 
52;  RII.  11,3,95, 
2.  A  spectacle.    LLL.  V,  1,  118. 

Oswald,  dr.p.    Steward  to  Goneril,     Lr. 

Othello,  dr.p.  The  Moor  of  Venice.  0th. 
Connected  with  the  play  of  Othello 
there  are  two  questions  which  have  been 
the  subject  of  much  discussion.  The 
first  is :  Was  Othello  really  black  ?  The 
second  relates  to  the  means  by  which 
he  eff'ected  the  death  of  Desdemona. 
The  latter  question  will  be  considered 
under  the  words  "So,  So,"  which  the 
reader  will  find  in  their  proper  place. 
Other  questions,  such  as  the  real  nature 
of  the  relations  between  Othello  and 
Desdemona  (to  which  an  entire  volume 
has  been  devoted)  may  be  of  interest  to 
speculative  minds,  but  they  have  not, 
to  any  great  extent,  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  Shakespearean  students  in 
general. 

As  to  the  color  of  Othello,  the  widest 
range  of  opinion  prevails  amongst  the 
corns.  Some,  like  Professor  Wilson 
(Christopher  North),  maintain  that  he 
was  black — with  negro  characteristics — 


OTH 


OTH 


a  veritable  Blackamoor.  Others,  again, 
side  with  Coleridge,  who  says  that  "it 
would  be  something  monstrous  to  con- 
ceive this  beautiful  Venetian  girl  falling 
in  love  with  a  veritable  negro."  And 
one  writer,  Mary  Preston,  in  her 
"Studies  in  Shakespeare,"  holds  posi- 
tively to  the  opinion  that  Othello  was 
absolutely  white  —  not  a  blonde,  of 
course,  but  simply  a  very  dark  brunet.  * 

That  black,  as  an  epithet,  has  been 
frequently  applied  to  dark-complexioned 
men  of  pure  Caucasian  extraction  is 
common  knowledge.  Witness  the  well- 
kno^vn  historical  characters, ' '  The  Black 
Douglas"  and  "  Black  Colin  Campbell. " 
But  it  is  evidently  not  in  this  sense  that 
the  word  "  black  "  is  used  by  Sh.  in 
this  play,  and  I  confess  I  cannot  agree 
with  those  who  hold  that  Othello,  instead 
of  being  really  black,  was  nothing  more 
than  a  white  man  with  a  very  dark 
complexion.  It  seems  to  me  that  the 
mistake  made  by  the  majority  of  writers 
on  both  sides  of  the  question,  consists  in 
treating  it  as  if  it  were  a  real  historical 
problem  and  not  a  mere  dramatic  one. 
We  all  know  that  there  never  was  such 
a  real  historical  person  as  Othello.  He 
is  wholly  a  creation  of  Sh.  genius,  and 
the  point  to  be  decided  is  not :  Was  he 
really  a  black  man  ?  but :  Did  Sh.  in- 
tend to  portray  a  black  man  ?  and  I 
think  that  the  answer  to  the  latter 
question  must  be  in  the  affirmative. 

The  following  passages  are  far  too 
strong  and  far  too  pointed  to  be  explained 
away  by  any  mere  sentimental  antipathy 
to  the  marriage,  or  even  by  making  large 
allowance  for  dramatic  intensiveness  of 
expression  on  the  part  of  the  actors  : 

What  a  full  fortune  doth  the  thick- 
lips  owe.     Oth.  I,  1,  66. 

Run  from  her  guardage  to  the  sooty 
bosom  of  such  a  thing  as  thou.   I,  2, 70. 

To  fall  in  love  with  what  she  feared 
to  look  on.    I,  3,  98. 

Your  son-in-law  is  far  more  fair 


*  Brunette  applies  only  to  females. 


In  this  speech  of  the  duke  the  fairness 
of  the  mental  and  moral  qualities  of 
Othello  are  contrasted  with  his  physical 
blackness ;  the  speech  would  have  en- 
tirely lost  its  point  if  Othello  had  not 
been  actually  black. 

H^er*  name  that  was  as  fresh  As 
Dian''s  visage  is  now  begrimed  and 
black  as  mine  own  face.     Ill,  3,  387. 

It  must  be  obvious  to  every  attentive 
reader  that  the  blackness  of  Othello  is 
the  pivotal  incident  of  this  drama.  It 
is  upon  this  that  lago  harps  in  his  talk 
with  Roderigo,  and  even  in  the  dialogue 
with  Othello  himself,  his  argument  is 
based  chiefly  on  this  point  when  he  says : 

Not  to  affect  many  proposed  m,atches 
Of  her  own  clime,  complexion  and 
degree.    Ill,  3,  239. 

So,  too,  even  in  the  mind  of  Othello 
himself  the  first  thought,  when  he  is 
debating  with  himself  the  reasons  for 
her  supposed  desertion,  is  Haply,  for  I 
am  black.  Ill,  3,  263.  And  it  is  notice- 
able that  while  he  tries  to  soften  the 
fact  that  he  is  "  declined  into  the  vale 
of  years,"  and  says,  by  way  of  paren- 
thesis, "yet  that's  not  much,"  he  does 
not  say  anything  in  excuse  of  his 
acknowledged  blackness,  as  did  the 
Prince  of  Morocco.  Merch.  II,  1,  1. 
Of  course,  there  are  negroes  and  negroes, 
and  Sh.  would  not  have  made  Othello  a 
mere  black  savage  from  Guinea,  but  it 
is  equally  certain  that  he  intended  to 
describe  a  man  of  a  race  and  color  the 
very  opposite  to  that  of  Desdemona. 

The  traditions  of  the  stage  seem  to 
vary  as  much  as  do  the  opinions  of  the 
coms.,  but  the  closer  we  get  to  the  time 
of  Sh.  the  darker  do  the  Othellos  be- 
come. Hawkins,  in  his  "  Life  of  Edmund 
Kean,"  tells  us  that  "Betterton,  Quin, 
Mossop,  Barry,  Garrick  and  John 
Kemble  all  played  the  part  with  black 
faces,  and  it  was  reserved  for  Kean  to 
innovate,  and  Coleridge  to  justify,  the 
attempt  to  substitute  a  light  brown  for 
the  traditional  black." 

*  My  in  the  Second  and  Third  Quartos. 


OTH 


301 


OVE 


othergates.  Otherways ;  in  another  man- 
ner. Tw.  V,  1,  198.  The  word  gate 
here  is  an  old  English  and  Scotch  word 
which  signifies  way  or  road.  Thus,  in 
Tarn  0''Shanter  we  find : 

As  market  days  are  wearing  late 
An'  folk  begin  to  tak  the  gate. 

ouches.    Ornaments.    2HIV.  II,  4,  52. 

ought.    Owed.    IHIV.  Ill,  3,  151. 

ouphe.  An  elf ;  a  goblin.  Wiv.  IV,  4,  49. 
"  Oxiph,  Steevens  complacently  tells 
us,  in  the  Teutonic  language,  is  a  fairy  ; 
if  by  Teutonic  he  means  Grerman,  and 
we  know  of  no  other,  he  merely  showed 
his  ignorance.  Ouph  is  the  same  as  oaf 
(formerly  spelt  aulf)  and  is  probably  to 
be  pronounced  in  the  same  manner.  It 
is  formed  from  elf  by  the  usual  change 
ofHutott."    Keightley. 

ousel  cock.    The  blackbird.    Mids.  Ill, 

1,  128.  Spelled  woosel  in  old  eds.  This 
bird  is  very  different  from  our  American 
blackbird.    See  robin. 

The  meaning  of  the  phrase,  a  black 
ousel  (2HIV.  Ill,  2,  8)  is  not  very  clear. 
The  Clarkes  merely  note:  "Master 
Silence  speaks  with  mock-modest  dis- 
paragement of  his  pretty  dark-haired 
daughter."  Dyer  thinks  the  phrase 
corresponds  to  our  modern  one,  "a 
black  sheep,"  but  this  seems  to  me  very 
doubtful. 
out.  1.  Abroad ;  in  foreign  countries. 
Gent.  I,  3,  7  ;  Lr.  1, 1,  33. 

2.  Fully;  completely.     Tp.  I,  2,  41. 

3.  Not  knowing  what  to  say.     LLL.  V, 

2,  152 ;  As.  IV,  1,  76. 

4.  Torn ;  ragged.     Caes.  I,  1,  18. 
out-breasted.     Out-sung.     Kins.    V,    4. 

See  breast. 

out-dure.    To  outlast.    Kins.  Ill,  6. 

out-face.  1.  To  put  on  a  good  appear- 
ance.    As.  I,  3,  124. 

2.  To  put  down  by  terror.  Outfaced 
infant  state.    John  II,  1,  97. 

Marshall  says :  "  The  meaning  of  this 
phrase  is  somewhat  vague. ' '  The  general 
meaning  seems  obvious,  though  the 
phraseology  is  rather  peculiar.  Marshall 
explains  it  thus:  "Philip  means  that 
John  has  shamelessly  disregarded  the 


rights  of  the  infant  (Arthur)  to  the 
throne."  The  Clarkes  paraphrase  it: 
"  Brazenly  outraged  a  child's  rights." 

out-herod.  To  give  vent  to  excessive 
rage  and  bombast.  Hml.  Ill,  2, 15.  The 
reference  here  is  to  the  Herod  of  the 
old  mysteries  who  was  one  of  the  most 
violent  characters  on  the  stage.  Douce 
describes  the  Coventry  play  of  The 
Nativity,  in  which  a  bombastic  speech 
is  followed  by  the  stage  direction :  ' '  Here 
Erode  ragis  in  thys  pagond  [pageant] 
and  in  the  strete  also. ' ' 

out-look.  To  look  bigger  than ;  to  face 
down.    John  V,  2,  115. 

out-peer.  Surpass ;  excel.  Cym.  Ill,  6, 86. 

out-prize.  To  overrate.  Cym.  I,  4,  88. 
Not  "  exceed  in  value  "  as  Schm.  has  it, 
but  to  over-estimate.     See  prize. 

outrage.  Passionate  utterance.  Rom.  V, 
3,  215.  Collier's  MS.  reads  outcry,  and 
Collier  refers  to  the  same  act  and  scene, 
line  193,  where  Lady  Capulet  says :  All 
run  With  open  outcry.  See  also  IHVI. 
IV,  1,  126.  Schm.  explains  as  "an  out- 
break of  rage  and  fury." 

out-tongue.    To  speak  louder  than.    Oth. 

I,  2,  19. 

outvied.    Beaten  by  a  higher  card.     Shr. 

II,  1,  379. 

out-wall.      Exterior ;    appearance.      Lr. 

III,  1,  45 ;  cf.  wall  in  Tw.  I,  2,  48,  and 
John  III,  3,  20. 

outward,  n.  Personal  appearance  ;  form. 
Sonn.  LXIX,  5;  Troil.  Ill,  2,  169; 
Cym.  I,  1,  23. 

outward,  adj.  Not  admitted  to  state 
secrets.    All's.  Ill,  1,  11. 

overbuy.  To  pay  too  much  for.  Cym. 
I,  1,  146. 

Overdone,  Mrs.,  dr. p.  Keeper  of  a  dis- 
orderly house.    Meas. 

over-scutched.  Over  whipped.  Over- 
scutched  huswives.  2HIV.  Ill,  2,  840. 
In  this  passage  huswives  undoubtedly 
carries  an  evil  sense.  Nares  suggests 
"  whipped,  probably  at  the  cart's  tail," 
a  common  method  of  punishing  certain 
classes  of  evil-doers.  Of  the  meaning 
of  the  words  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
Skeat  derives  scutch   or  scotch  from 


OVE 


302 


FAC 


scutcher,  a  riding  whip.  Cot.  defines 
verge  as  "a  rod,  wand,  switch  or 
scutcher  to  ride  with. "  The  word  scutch 
is  also  a  technical  term  used  in  flax- 
dressing  and  means  to  beat  so  as  to 
separate  the  coarse  outer  covering  from 
the  fine  inner  fibre. 

overseen.  Bewitched.  Lucr.  1206.  See 
o''erlook. 

overshot.  Put  to  shame ;  outdone  in 
shooting.  LLL.  I,  1,  141 ;  HV.  Ill,  7, 
134.  In  the  last  passage  it  has  been 
suggested  that  overshot  means  tipsy. 

overture.  1.  Disclosure ;  communication. 
Wint.  II,  1,  172  ;  Lr.  Ill,  7,  89. 
2.  Proposal ;  offer.  All's.  IV,  3,  46;  Tw. 
I,  5,  225.  This  word  in  Cor.  1,  9, 46,  has 
never  been  satisfactorily  explained,  and 
is  supposed  to  be  a  corruption. 

overween.  To  be  self -concei ted ;  to  be 
arrogant.  2HIV.  IV,  1,  149;  Tit.  II, 
1,29. 

overwhelm.  In  addition  to  the  usual 
meaning  which  this  word  has  in  Ado. 
V,  1,  9 ;  2HIV.  I,  2,  13,  and  elsewhere, 
it    has    the    sense    of    overhang    in 


Ven.  183;  HV.  Ill,  1,  11 ;  Rom.  V, 
1,39. 

owe.  To  own  ;  to  possess.  Tp.  Ill,  1, 45 ; 
John  IV,  2,  99  ;  0th.  Ill,  3,  332. 

Owen  Qlendower,  dr.p.    IHIV. 

owl.  A  well-known  bird.  They  say  the 
owl  was  a  baker''s  daughter.  Hml. 
IV,  5,  42.  This  alludes  to  a  common 
legend  according  to  which  our  Saviour 
went  into  a  baker's  shop  and  asked  for 
bread.  The  mistress  put  a  piece  of 
dough  in  the  oven  to  bake,  but  was 
reprimanded  by  her  daughter  for  giving 
such  a  large  piece.  The  daughter  re- 
duced it  to  a  very  small  size,  but  it 
immediately  began  to  swell  and  soon 
became  of  enormous  bulk,  whereupon 
the  daughter  cried  out,  "  heugh,  heugh, 
heugh,"  and  was  immediately  changed 
into  an  owl. 

Oxford,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  A  Lancastrian. 
3HVI. 

Oxford,  Earl  of,  dr.p.    RIII. 

oyes.  The  word  of  the  court  crier  signi- 
fying Hear  ye !  Hear  ye !  (French,  oyez. ) 
Wiv.  V,  5,  45 ;  Troil.  IV,  5,  143. 


ACE,  n.  A  step.  He  has  no 
pace,  but  runs  where  he  will. 
All's.  IV,  5,  70.  Johnson  ex- 
plains this  as  having  "a  cer- 
tain or  prescribed  walk  ;  so  we  say  of  a 
man  meanly  obsequious,  that  he  has 
learned  his  paces,  and  of  a  horse  who 
moves  irregularly,  that  he  has  no 
paces. ''^ 

The  passage:  That  by  a  pace  goes 
backward,  with  a  purpose  It  hath  to 
climb  (Troil.  I,  3,  128)  =  "  That  goes 
backward  step  by  step,  with  a  design 
in  each  man  to  aggrandise  himself,  by 
slighting  his  immediate  su  perior . ' '  John- 
son. Cowden  Clarke  paraphrases  it 
thus:  "By  neglecting  to  observe  due 
degree  of  priority,  men  lose  ground 
while  striving  to  advance ;  since  each 


person  who  pushes  on  regardless  of  his 
superiors  will  be  pushed  back  in  turn 
by  them." 

pace,  V.  To  train ;  to  teach  proper  move- 
ments. A  horse- trainer's  term  some- 
times applied  to  men  and  women.  Meas. 
IV,  3,  137  ;  Per.  IV,  6,  68. 

pack,  n.    1.    A  confederacy  for  a  bad 
purpose.    Wiv.  IV,  2,  123 ;  Err.  IV,  4, 
105. 
2.  A  budget  or  bag.    See  furred. 

pack,  V.    To  plot ;  to  conspire.    Shr.  V, 

1,  121 ;  Err.  V,  1,  219 ;  Ado.  V,  1,  308. 
She  has  packed  cards  with  Ccesar 
(Ant.  IV,  14,  19)  =  conspired  with 
Caesar. 

packing.    Plotting.     Lr.  Ill,  1,  26. 
paction.    Contract ;  agreement.    HV.  V, 

2,  393. 


FAD 


203 


PAI 


In  the  Fl.  the  word  is  pation,  and  it 
has  been  rendered  passion  by  some  eds. 
Paction  is  a  good  old    English  word 
which  is  still  in  common  use  in  Scot- 
land. 
paddock.     A  toad.    Hml.  Ill,  4,  190. 
In  Mcb.  1, 1,  9,  the  name  of  a  familiar 
spirit,  probably  in  the  shape  of  a  toad. 
The  familiar  spirits  of  witches  frequently 
took  the  form  of  cats  and  toads,  as  may 
be  seen  in  Hell  Brugel's  painting  of  St. 
James  (1566),     In  the  Scottish  language 
paddock  or  puddock  signifies  a  frog. 
Thus,  in  a  Scotch  rhyme  we  have : 
Half  a  paddock,  half  a  toad. 
Half  a  yellow  yorling, 
showing  that  the  paddock  was  not  a 
toad.    Cotgrave  gives  :  "  Grrenouille :  f. 
A    Frog,  a    Paddocke."    And    in   the 
later  Wickliffite  version  the  frogs  that 
came  up  on  the  land  of  Egypt  are  called 
* '  paddockis. ' '    On  the  other  hand,  there 
are  numerous  examples  in  which  pad- 
dock means  toad.     Thus  the  "  Prompt- 
orium  Parvulorum"  gives:  "Paddok, 
toode.     Sm/o."    It  seems  very  certain 
that  in  Sh.  paddock  always  means  toad. 
The  toad  has  always  been  regarded  with 
a  degree  of  dislike  and  disgust  which  is 
rot  shown  towards  the  frog,  and  when 
Milton  transforms  Satan  into  a  loathe- 
some  and  devilish  object  it  is  into  a  toad. 
Him  they  found. 
Squat  like  a  toad  close  at  the  ear  of 
Eve. 
This  feeling  arises  partially  from  a  belief 
that  the  toad  is  poisonous  or  venomous. 
Upon  this  point  Mr.  Frank  Buckland, 
in  his  "  Curiosities  of  Natural  History," 
says :  "  Toads  are  generally  reported  to 
be  poisonous  ;  and  this  is  perfectly  true 
to  a  certain  extent.     Like  the  lizards, 
they  have  glands  in  their  skin  which 
secrete  a  white,  highly  acid  fluid,  and 
just  behind  the  head  are  seen  two  emin- 
ences like  split  beans  ;  if  these  be  pressed 
this  acid  fluid  wiU  come  out — only  let 
the  operator  mind  that  it  does  not  get 
into  his  eyes,  for  it  generally  comes  out 
with  a  iet.     There  are  also  other  glands 
dispersed  through  the  skin.    A  dog  will 


never  take  a  toad  in  his  mouth,  and  the 
reason  is  that  this  glandular  secretion 
burns  his  tongue  and  lips.  It  is  also 
poisonous  to  the  human  subject.  Mr. 
Blick,  surgeon,  of  Islip,  Oxfordshire, 
tells  me  that  a  man  once  made  a  wager, 
when  half  drunk  in  a  village  public- 
house,  that  he  would  bite  a  toad's  head 
off ;  he  did  so,  but  in  a  few  hours  his 
lips,  tongue  and  throat  began  to  swell 
in  a  most  alarming  way,  and  he  was 
dangerously  ill  for  some  time.  " 

pagan.  This  word  "  seems  to  have  been 
a  cant  term,  implying  irregularity  either 
of  birth  or  manners. "  Steevens.  What 
a  pagan  rascal  is  this?  IHIV.  II,  3, 
31.  What  pagan  [prostitute]  may  that 
he  ?  2HIV.  II,  3,  168.  Also  Hml.  Ill, 
2,  36,  and  0th.  I,  2,  99. 

Page,  Mr.,  dr. p.  A  gentleman  dwelling 
at  Windsor.     Wiv. 

Page,  Mrs.,  dr. p.  Wife  to  Mr.  Page. 
Wiv. 

Page,  Anne,  dr. p.  Daughter  to  Mr.  Page. 
Wiv. 

Page,  William,  dr. p.  Son  to  Mr.  Page. 
Wiv. 

pageant,  v.  To  mimic  as  actors  do  in  a 
pageant  or  theatrical  representation. 
Troil.  I,  3,  151. 

painted  cloth.  This  was  cloth  or  canvas 
used  as  hangings  for  rooms,  painted  in 
oil,  representing  various  subjects,  with 
devices  and  mottoes  or  proverbial  say- 
ings interspersed.  It  has  been  errone- 
ously explained  to  mean  Tapestry.  Dyce. 
Lucr.  245  ;  LLL.  V,  2,  579  ;  As.  Ill,  2, 
290;  IHIV.  IV,  2,  28. 

painted.  Artificial,  in  the  sense  of  unreal ; 
counterfeit.  John  III,  1, 105  ;  Tim.  IV, 
2,  36.  My  most  painted  word  (Hml. 
Ill,  1, 53)  =  my  most  hypocritical  speech. 
Whose  mother  was  her  painting.  Cym. 
Ill,  4,  52.     See  mother. 

Painted  one  way  like  a  Gorgon,  The 
other  way''s  a  Mars.  Ant.  II,  5,  116. 
"  An  allusion  to  the  '  double '  pictures  in 
vogue  formerly,  of  which  Burton  says : 
'  Like  those  double  or  turning  pictures  ; 
stand  before  which  you  see  a  fair  maid, 
on  the  one  side  an  ape,  on  the  other  an 


PAI 


204: 


PAN 


owl.'  And  Chapman,  in  All  Fools\ 
Act  I,  sc.  1  : 

But  like  a  couzening  picture,  which 

one  way- 
Shows  like  a  crow,  another  like   a 

swan."  Staunton. 

Such  pictures  are  now  in  common  use 
for  changeable  signs  which  show  one 
set  of  letters  from  the  front,  another  set 
from  one  side  and  a  third  set  from  the 
other  side. 

painful.  Laborious.  Tp.  Ill,  1,  1 ;  Sonn. 
XXV,  9. 

pajock.  Hml.  Ill,  2,  295,  This  word  has 
given  rise  to  much  discussion.  Paddock 
(toad)  has  been  urged  as  the  proper 
reading,  and  other  words,  such  as  mea- 
cock,  puttock,  etc.,  have  been  suggested. 
Dyce  says:  "Here  pajock  certainly 
means  peacock.  I  have  often  heard 
the  lower  classes  in  the  north  of  Scot- 
land call  the  peacock  a  pea- jock,  and 
their  almost  invariable  name  for  the 
turkey-cock  is  ' '  bubbly-jock, ' '  Furness 
thinks  ' '  Dyce's  testimony  is  conclusive. ' ' 
That  the  word  that  Hamlet  uttered  was 
peacock,  I  think  there  can  be  no  doubt, 
but  it  is  obv  ious  that  the  word  which 
he  at  first  meant  to  use  was  ass.  Note 
Horatio's  remark :  You  might  have 
rhymed. 

palabras.  Paucas  pallabris,  a  mutila- 
tion and  corruption  of  the  Spanish 
pocas  palabras  =  few  words.  Ado.  Ill, 
5,  18 ;  Shr.  Ind.  I,  5. 

Palamon,  dr. p.  Nephew  to  Creon,  King 
of  Thebes.     Kins. 

pall.  1.  To  wrap  up  ;  to  cloak.  Mcb.  I, 
5,  52. 

2.  To  decay  ;  to  wane ;  to  go  to  wreck. 
Hml.  V,  2,  9. 

palled.    Ruined.    Ant.  II,  7,  88. 

pale,  n.  An  enclosure,  or,  rather,  the 
fence  or  paling  surrounding  an  en- 
closure. Err.  II,  1,  100 ;  Hml.  I,  4,  28. 
The  line :  For  the  red  blood  reigns 
in  the  winter'' s  pale  (Wint.  IV,  3,  4), 
has  given  some  trouble  to  the  coms. 
Farmer  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that 
"the  English  pale  and  the  Irish  pale 
were   frequent   expressions   in  Shake- 


speare's time  "  and  explains  the  passage 
thus  :  "  The  red,  the  spring  blood  now 
reigns  o''er  the  parts  lately  under  the 
dominion  of  winter.''^  And  in  "The 
Henry  Irving  Shakespeare  "  it  is  sug- 
gested that  there  is  a  double  meaning — 
pale  =  paleness,  and  pale  =  enclosure. 
But  it  is  improbable  that  it  means  any- 
thing more  than  "the  red  blood  reigns 
in  the  place  of  the  pale  blood  of  winter. " 
Dyce.  There  is  too  much  of  this  read- 
ing of  far-fetched  and  irrelevant  ideas 
into  the  writings  of  Sh. 

pale,  V.     1.  To  enclose  as  with  a  paling. 
HV.  V,  Chor.  10 ;  Ant.  II,  7,  74. 
2.  To  make  pale  or  wan.     Hml.  I,  5,  90. 

palliament.    A  robe.    Tit.  I,  1,  182. 

palmer.  A  pilgrim  ;  one  who  bears  a 
palm  branch  in  token  of  having  made 
a  pilgrimage  to  Palestine.  All's.  Ill, 
5,  38  ;  Rom.  I,  5,  102. 

palmy.  Flourishing ;  prosperous ;  superior, 
as  if  crowned  with  palm.     Hml,  1, 1, 113. 

Pandarus,  dr,j>.  Uncle  to  Cressida.  Troil. 
The  Pandarus  of  Sh.  is  a  modern 
creation  and  has  no  resemblance  to  the 
original  character  as  described  in  the 
Illiad,  The  Pandarus  of  Homer  was  a 
son  of  Ly caon  or  Lycian  and  com  manded 
the  inhabitants  of  Zeleia,  on  Mount  Ida, 
in  the  Trojan  war.  He  was  distin  guished 
in  the  Trojan  army  as  an  archer,  and 
was  said  to  have  received  his  bow  from 
Apollo.  He  was  slain  by  Diomedes  or, 
according  to  others,  by  Sthenelus  and 
was  afterwards  honored  as  a  hero  at 
Pinara,  in  Lycia. 

The  Pandarus  of  later  romance  and 
of  Sh.  is  a  mere  go-between  or  procurer 
from  whose  name  has  been  coined  a 
synonym  for  such  brokers.  Troil.  Ill, 
2,  211.  For  the  origin  of  the  modem 
form  of  the  story  see  Cressida. 

Pandulph,  Cardinal,  dr.p.  The  Pope's 
legate.    John. 

pang,  V.  To  pain  ;  to  torment.  HVIII. 
II,  3,  15  ;  Cym.  Ill,  4,  98. 

pantaloon.  An  old  fool;  taken  from  a 
character  in  an  Italian  comedy.  As. 
II,  7,  158 ;  Shr.  Ill,  1,  37. 

Panthino,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Antonio.  Gtent. 


PAK 


ao5 


PAB 


pantler.  A  servant  in  charge  of  the 
pantry.  Wint.  IV,  4,  56 ;  2HIV.  II,  4, 
258 ;  Cym.  II,  3,  129. 

panyn.  In  the  Fl.,  Tw.  V,  1,  206,  Sir 
Toby  says  of  Dicke  Surgeon  that  Tie's  a 
Rogue,  and  a  passy  measures  panyn. 
The  later  Folios  read  Pavin.  Pope 
changed  to  a  past  measure  painim  ; 
Rann  to  :  ayid  after  a  passy  measure 
or  a  pavin.  HalliweU  and  Steevens 
have  expended  a  great  deal  of  learned 
investigation  on  the  two  dances,  passy- 
measiire  and  pavin,  q.v.,  but  the  re- 
levancy is  not  very  obvious.  That  the 
drunken  Sir  Toby  should  use  the  not 
very  common  names  of  two  dances  as 
terms  of  reproach,  or  rather  of  Billings- 
gate, is,  to  say  the  least,  far-fetched. 
It  is  therefore  more  than  probable  that 
panyn  is  either  a  misprint  or  a  drunken 
mispronunciation  of  paynim  (the  old 
word  for  pagan)  which  has  always  been 
considered  a  scurrilous  epithet,  and 
passy -measures,  instead  of  being  a  cor- 
ruption of  the  Italian  name  of  a  dance 
(see  passy-measure),  is  quite  as  likely 
to  be  a  corruption  of  past  measure  or 
passing  measure,  so  that  what  Sir 
Toby  meant  to  say  was :  "he  is  a  rogue 
and  beyond  measure  a  paynim  or 
pagan. ' '     See  pagan . 

The  interpretation  which  makes 
passy-measures  and  pavin  the  names 
of  two  dances  is  that  generally  accepted, 
and  the  ed.  of  "The  Henry  Irving 
Shakespeare"  says:  "A  metaphor  de- 
rived from  dances  comes  very  character- 
istically from  Sir  Toby."  See  Tw.  I, 
3, 136,  et  seq.  But  for  all  that,  it  seems 
to  me  that  the  scurrilous  word  paynim 
is  the  most  appropriate  here. 

papers.  In  Sh.  time  all  criminals  pun- 
ished by  exposure  to  public  view  were 
compelled  to  bear  on  their  breasts, 
papers  describing  their  crime.  It  is  to 
this  that  reference  is  made  in  LLL.  IV, 
3,  48.  On  September  27th,  1631,  John 
Williams,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  had  a  play 
(said  to  have  been  Midsum,mer  NighVs 
Dream)  acted  at  kis  house  in  London. 
For  this  be  was  severely  punished  and 


the  court  also  made  the  following  order 
in  regai-d  to  the  getter-up  of  the  ex- 
hibition : 

"  Likewise  we  doe  order,  that  Mr.  Wil- 
son, because  hee  was  a  speciall  plotter 
and  contriver  of  this  business  and  did 
in  such  a  brutish  manner  act  the  same 
with  an  Asses  Head,  and  therefore  he 
shall  uppon  Tuisday  next,  from  6  of  the 
clocke  in  the  morning  till  6  of  the  clocke 
at  night,  sitt  in  the  Porter's  Lodge  at 
my  Lords  Bishopps  House,  with  his  feet 
in  the  stocks  and  attyred  with  his  asse 
head,  and  a  bottle  of  hay  sett  before 
him,  and  this  subscription  on  his  breast : 
Good  people  I  have  plaj^ed  the  beast 

And  brought  ill  things  to  passe  ; 
I  was  a  man,  but  thus  have  made 
My  selfe  a  silly  Asse." 

Paphos.  The  name  of  two  towns  on  the 
western  coast  of  Cyprus  and  called 
respectively  "Old  Paphos"  and  "New 
Paphos. ' '  Old  Paphos  was  situated  near 
the  coast,  while  New  Paphos  lay  more 
inland.  Old  Paphos  was  the  chief  seat 
of  the  worship  of  Venus,  who  is  said  to 
have  landed  there  after  her  birth  among 
the  waves.  Hence,  Venus  is  frequently 
called  the  Paphian  goddess.  In  Old 
Paphos,  Venus  had  a  celebrated  temple, 
the  high  priest  of  which  exei-cised  a 
kind  of  religious  superintendence  over 
the  whole  island  w  hich,  in  consequence, 
is  frequently  regarded  as  the  home  of 
sensual  love,  as  is  seen  in  the  word 
Cyprian.  Every  year  there  was  a 
grand  procession  from  New  Paphos  to 
the  temple  of  the  goddess  in  the  old 
city.  Thei-e  can  be  no  doubt  of  the 
Phoenician  origin  of  Old  Paphos  and 
that  the  worship  of  Venus  (Aphrodite) 
was  introduced  here  from  the  east.  This 
would  connect  the  rites  with  those  of 
Astarte.  Ven.  1193  ;  Tp.  IV,  1,  93 ;  Per. 
Prol.  32. 

paradise,  fool's.  A  common  expression 
in  Sh.  time.  Rich,  in  his  "  Farewell  to 
Military  Profession"  (1581),  has:  "By 
praising  of  our  beautie,  you  [men]  think 
to  bring  us  into  a  foole's  paradise." 
The  meaning  is  obvious — a  belief  in  a, 


PAB 


206 


PAB 


good    fortune  which    does    not    really 
exist.     Rom.  II,  4,  176. 

parallel.  The  word  as  ordinarily  used 
requires  no  explanation,  but  as  it  occurs 
in  Troil.  I,  3,  168  :  as  near  as  the  ex- 
tremest  ends  Of  parallels,  it  presents 
some  difficulty.  Johnson  says:  "The 
parallels  to  which  the  allusion  seems  to 
be  made  are  the  parallels  on  a  map  ;  as 
like  as  East  to  West. ' '  Schm. ,  followed 
by  several  coms.,  explains  it  as  "the 
opposed  extremities  of  two  parallels." 
But  the  opposed  extremities  of  two 
parallels  may  be  infinitely  near  to  each 
other,  and  the  implication  here  is  that 
they  are  very  far  asunder.  Johnson's 
explanation  is  probably  the  true  one. 

Pares.  The  three  Fates.  HV.  V,  1,  21. 
See  Fates. 

parcel.  In  part ;  partly.  Thus,  parcel- 
bawd  =  partly  bawd.  Meas.  II,  1,  63 ; 
parcel-gilt  =psirt\j gilt.  2HIV.  II,  1,94. 

parcel,  v.  To  make  into  a  parcel  or  lot. 
That  mine  own  servant  should  Parcel 
the  sum  of  my  disgraces  by  Addition 
of  his  envy.  Ant.  V,  2,  163.  Schm. 
explains  parcel  here  as  "to  enumerate 
by  items;  to  specify."  But  this  is  an 
unusual  meaning,  although  it  is  adopted 
by  the  "Century  Dictionary."  The 
idea  here  evidently  is  to  fill  up  or  com- 
plete. 

parcelled.  Particular ;  not  general.  RIII. 
II,  2,  81. 

pard.  A  leopard.  Tp.  IV,  1,  262  ;  Mids. 
II,  2,  31. 

pardonnez  mol.  French  for  ' '  pardon  me ' ' 
or  "  beg  pardon. "  RII.  V,  3, 117  ;  HV. 
IV,  4,  22  ;  HV.  V,  2,  108. 

Paris,  dr.p.  A  young  nobleman ;  lover 
of  Juliet.     Rom. 

Paris,  dr.p.     Son  to  Priam.     Troil. 

Paris  was  the  second  son  of  Priam 
and  Hecuba.  Before  his  birth  Hecuba 
dreamed  that  she  had  brought  forth  a 
firebrand  which  had  destroyed  the 
whole  city.  Accordingly,  as  soon  as 
the  child  was  born,  he  was  given  to  a 
shepherd  with  orders  to  expose  him  on 
Mount  Ida.  After  five  days  the  shep- 
herd returned  to  Mount  Ida  and  found 


the  child  still  alive  and  fed  by  a  she- 
bear.  Thereupon  he  carried  the  boy 
home  and  brought  him  up  along  with  his 
own  child,  and  called  him  Paris.  When 
Paris  had  grown  up,  he  distinguished 
himself  as  a  valiant  defender  of  the 
flocks  and  shepherds,  and  hence  received 
the  name  of  Alexander,  i.e.,  defender 
of  men.  He  also  succeeded  in  discover- 
ing his  real  origin  and  was  received  by 
Priam  as  his  son.  He  now  married 
CEnone,  the  daughter  of  the  river  god, 
Cebren.  But  the  event  which  has  made 
his  name  so  generally  known  was  his 
abduction  of  Helen.  This  was  brought 
about  as  follows :  When  Peleus  and 
Thetis  solemnized  their  nuptials,  all  the 
gods  were  invited  to  the  marriage  with 
the  exception  of  Eris  or  Strife.  En- 
raged at  this  slight,  Eris  threw  amongst 
the  guests  a  golden  apple  inscribed : 
"To  the  fairest."  Juno,  Venus  and 
Minerva  each  claimed  the  apple  for  her- 
self, and  Jupiter  ordered  Mercury  to 
take  the  goddesses  to  Mount  Ida,  to  the 
beautiful  shepherd  Paris,  who  was  to 
decide  the  dispute.  Juno  promised  him 
the  sovereignty  of  Asia  and  great  riches ; 
Minerva,  great  glory  and  renown,  and 
Venus,  the  fairest  of  women  for  his 
wife.  He  decided  in  favour  of  Venus, 
and,  of  course,  incurred  the  enmity  of 
Juno  and  Minerva.  Under  the  pro- 
tection of  Venus,  Paris  now  sailed  for 
Greece  and  was  hospitably  received  in 
Sparta  by  Menelaus,  whose  wife,  Helen, 
was  the  most  beautiful  woman  in  the 
world.  Some  say  that  he  carried  her 
off  by  force ;  others  claim,  that  under 
the  influence  of  Venus,  she  accompanied 
him  willingly.  He  also  treacherously 
carried  off  much  treasure  from  the 
hospitable  house  of  Menelaus.  These 
acts  led  to  the  Trojan  war. 

Homer  describes  Paris  as  a  handsome 
man,  fond  of  the  female  sex  and  of 
music,  and  not  ignorant  of  war,  but  as 
dilatory  and  cowardly,  and  detested  V>y 
his  own  friends  for  having  brought 
upon  them  the  fatal  war  with  the 
Grreeks.  He  fought  with  Menelaus  before 


PAB 


207 


PAR 


the  walls  of  Troy  and  was  defeated,  but 
was  carried  off  by  Venus.  He  is  said 
to  have  killed  Achilles  either  by  one  of 
his  arrows  or  by  treachery  in  the  temple 
of  the  Thymbraen  Apollo.  He,  himself, 
was  wounded  by  Philoctetes  with  one 
of  the  poisoned  arrows  of  Hercules.  He 
returned  to  his  abandoned  wife,  CEnone, 
and  asked  her  to  heal  him,  but  she,  re- 
membering the  wrongs  she  had  suffered, 
refused.  He  then  went  back  to  Troy, 
and  CEnone,  repenting  too  late,  hastened 
after  him  with  those  remedies  which 
she,  as  the  daughter  of  a  god,  knew  so 
well  how  to  apply.  Paris  died,  and 
CEnone,  in  her  grief,  hung  herself. 

In  works  of  art  Paris  is  represented 
as  a  beautiful  youth,  without  a  beard, 
with  a  Phrygian  cap,  and  sometimes 
with  an  apple  in  his  hand,  in  the  act  of 
presenting  it  to  Venus. 

Paris-  garden .  ' '  The  place  on  the  Thames 
bankside  at  London  where  the  bears  are 
kept  and  baited.  It  was  anciently  so 
called  from  Robert  de  Paris,  who  had 
a  house  and  garden  there  in  Richard  the 
Second's  time."  BlounVs  Glosso- 
graphia.    HVIII.  V,  4,  2. 

Parish-garden.  A  vulgarism  for  Paris- 
garden,  q.v. 

parish  top.  A  large  top  was  formerly 
kept  in  every  village  to  be  whipped  in 
frosty  weather,  that  the  peasants  might 
be  kept  warm  by  exercise  and  out  of 
mischief  while  they  could  not  work." 
Steevens.    Tw.  I,  3,  44. 

paritor.  An  apparitor;  "an  officer  of 
the  Bishop's  Court  who  carries  out 
citations ;  as  citations  are  most  fre- 
quently issued  for  fornication  the  pari- 
tor is  put  under  Cupid's  government." 
Johnson.     LLL.  Ill,  1,  188. 

parle.  A  parley  ;  a  talk ;  a  conference. 
Gent.  I,  2,  5.  Break  the  parle  (Tit.  V, 
3,  19)  =  break  off  this  kind  of  talk. 
Angry  parle  (Hml.  I,  1,  62)  =  angry 
conference.     See  Polacks. 

parlous.    1.    Perilous,  of  which  it  is  a 

corruption.  As.  Ill,  2,  45  ;  Rom.  I,  3,  54. 

2.  Amazing ;    wonderful ;    great.     Used 

in  the  generic  sense  of  esccessive.  Halli- 


well.    Mids.  Ill,  1, 14 ;  RIIL  III,  1 ,  154 ; 

Kins.  II,  3. 
parmaceti.    Spermaceti.    IHIV.  I,  3,  58. 
Parolles,  dr.p.    A  follower  of  Bertram. 

All's. 

parrot.    The  sentence :    Or  rather,  the 
prophecy  like  the  parrot,  ^'■beware  the 
ropers  end  "  (Err.  IV,  4,45),  "alludes 
to  people's'  teaching  that  bird  unlucky 
words ;  with  which,  whenever  any  pass- 
enger was  offended,  it  was  the  standing 
joke  of  the  wise  owner  to  say :  '  Take 
heed,  sir,  my  parrot  prophecies.'    To 
this  Butler  hints,   where,  speaking  of 
Ralph's  skill  in  augury,  he  says  (Hudi- 
bras  p.  1,  c.  1) : 
Could  tell  what  subtlest  parrots  mean. 
That  speak,  and  think  contrary  clean; 
WTiat  member  'tis  of  whom  they  talk. 
When  they  cry  rope,  and  walk,  knave, 
walk."  Warburton. 

partake.    1.   To  side  with;  to  take  the 
part  of  another.     Sonn.  CXLIX,  2. 
2.  To  communicate  ;  to  impart.     Wint. 
V,  3,  132  ;  Per.  I,  1,  153. 

parted.  1.  Endowed  with  abilities ;  dearly 
parted  =  having  good  parts.  Troil.  Ill, 
3,96. 

2.  Parted  eye  (Mids.  IV,  1,  194)  =  the 
eyes  being  out  of  unison  so  that  the 
images  in  the  two  eyes  do  not  comcide  so 
as  to  form  one  picture.  Certainly  not 
"divided  into  pieces"  as  Schmidt  ex- 
plains this  particular  passage. 

partial.  A  partial  slander  =  a  reproach 
of  partiality.     RII.  I,  3,  241. 

parti-coated,   j       Dressed  in  a  coat  of 

party-coated.  )  divers  colors,  like  a  fool. 
LLL.  V,  2,  776. 

partizan.  A  kind  of  halberd  or  pike ;  "  a 
sharp,  two-edged  sword  placed  on  the 
summit  of  a  staff."    Fair  holt.    Rom. 

1,  1,   80;    Hml.   I,   1,   140;    Cym.   IV, 

2,  399. 

Partlet.  "  The  name  of  the  hen  in  the 
old  story-book  of  Reynard  the  Fox; 
and  in  Chaucer's  tale  of  The  Cock  and 
the  Fox,  the  favorite  hen  is  called  dame 
Pertelote.^^  Steevens.  So  called  from 
her  ruff,  Wint.  II,  3,  75 ;  IHIV.  Ill, 
3,60. 


PAE 


208 


PAT 


party-verdict.  Whereto  thy  tongue  a 
party-verdict  gave  (RII.  I,  3,  234)  = 
"you  had  yourself  a  part  or  share  in 
the  verdict  that  I  pronounced. ' '  Malone. 

pash,  n.  The  head.  Wint.  I,  2,  128.  A 
Scotch  word  only  used  humorously. 

pash,  V.  To  strike ;  to  knock  down.  Troil. 

II,  3,  213 ;  V,  5,  10. 

pass,  n.  1.  Act;  proceeding;  course. 
Meas.  V,  1,  375. 

2.  A  term  in  fencing  having  two  mean- 
ings :  (a)  a  push  ;  a  thrust.  Hml.  V,  2, 
61.  ^dQpractice.  (6)  A  bout  of  fencing 
continued  until  one  of  the  combatants 
is  hit.    Hml.  V,  2,  173. 

3.  Passage.     Hml.  II,  2,  77. 

Between  the  pass  and  fell  incensed 
points  {Hml.  V,  2,  61),  that  is,  to  come 
between  two  combatants  and,  as  Moberly 
says,  "  so  as  to  get  the  dangerous  wound 
which  comes  from  the  '  redding-straik. ' ' ' 
The  Scotch  have  a  proverb:  "Beware 
of  the  redding-straik,"  that  is,  the 
stroke  which  one  is  apt  to  get  when 
attempting  to  settle  or  "  red  "  a  quarrel. 
It  is  said  to  be  the  most  fatal  of  all 
blows.  See  Scott's  "  Guy  Mannering," 
Vol.  I,  p.  278,  of  ed.  1829. 

pass,  V.  1.  To  practise  upon ;  to  make  a 
sally  of  wit  at  one's  expense.  Tw.  Ill, 
1,  48. 

2.  To  care  for;  to  have  regard  for. 
2HVI.  IV,  2,  136. 

passado.  A  pass  or  motion  forward ;  a 
term  in  fencing.     LLL.  I,  2,  188. 

passage.      1.     Passers-by;    no  passage 
(0th.  V,  1,  37)  =  no  one  passing.     Stir- 
ring passage  (Err.  Ill,  1,  99)  =  passing 
crowds. 
2.  Occurrence.  Common  passage  iS^ym. 

III,  4,  94)  =  ordinary  occurrence. 
passing,  adj.  Excessive ;  egregious.  Gent. 

I,  2,  17;  3HVI.  V,  1,  106. 
passing,  adv.     Exceedingly.     Ado.  II,  1, 

84 ;  Mids.  II,  1,  20;  Hml.  II,  2,  427. 
passion,  v.    To  feel  pain  and  sorrow.    Tp. 

V,  1,  24  ;  Gent.  IV,  4,  172. 
passionate,  adj.    Sorrowful.    Gent.  I,  2, 

124 ;  LLL.  Ill,  1,  69 ;  John.  II,  1,  544. 
passionate,  v.    To  express  sorrow.    Tit. 

Ill,  2,  6. 


passy  measures.  Said  by  some  to  be 
corrupted  from  passamezzo,  the  Italian 
name  of  a  slow,  stately  dance.  For  this 
reason  the  two  words  are  hyphenated 
in  many  eds.  Tw.  V,  1,  206.  Malone 
explains  the  expression  thus :  In  this 
passage  "  Sir  Toby  means  that  the 
surgeon  is  a  grave  and  solemn  coxcomb. ' ' 
But  see  panyn. 

pastry.  The  room  where  pastry  is  made. 
Rom.  IV,  4,  2. 

patch.  Properly,  a  domestic  fool,  so 
called  from  his  wearing  a  patched  or 
parti-colored  dress.     Tp.  Ill,  2, 71 ;  Err. 

III,  1,  32  ;  Merch.  II,  5,  46.  But  it  was 
used  also  to  denote  a  mean  or  paltry 
fellow,  as  in  Mids.  Ill,  2,  9 ;  Mcb.  V,  3, 15. 

patched.  Parti  -  colored  ;  motley.  .  A 
patched  fool  =  a  fool  in  a  parti-colored 
coat.  Johnson.  Mids.  IV,  1,  208.  Schm. 
gives  paltry  as  the  meaning,  but  no 
prominent  com.  agrees  with  him.  Staun- 
ton describes  a  picture  representing  "a 
grand  al  fresco  entertainment  of  the 
description  given  to  Queen  Elizabeth 
during  her  '  Progresses,'  in  which  there 
is  a  procession  of  masquers  and  nmm- 
mers,  led  by  a  fool  or  jester,  whose 
dress  is  covered  with  many-coloured 
coarse  patches  from  head  to  heel." 

patchery.  Roguery  ;  bungling  hypocrisy. 
Troil.  II,  3,  77;  Tim.  V,  1,  99. 

patent.     1.    Privilege ;  right.    My  virgin 
patent  (Mids.  I,  1,  80)  =  my  right  to 
remain  a  virgin. 
2.  Warrant ;  title.    All's.  IV,  5,  69 ;  0th. 

IV,  1,  209. 

The  word  patent  literally  means  open  ; 
hence,  letters  patent  (RII.  II,  3,  130)  = 
open  letters,  and  such  were  issued  to 
those  to  whom  monopolies  and  special 
privileges  were  granted. 
path,  V.  In  Cses.  II,  1,  83,  the  word  path 
has  given  rise  to  nmch  discussion.  The 
Fl.  reads :  "For  if  thou  path  thy  native 
semblance  on,"  etc.  Modern  eds.  place 
a  comma  after  path,  and  some  place 
one  after  For.  Coleridge  is  convinced 
that  we  should  read  "if  thou  put  thy 
native  semblance  on;"  Knight  and 
Dyce  agree  with  him.     Pope  suggested 


PAT 


309 


PAU 


march ;  Grant  White,  hadst,  others, 
pace  or  pass.  Path  is  used  as  a  verb 
by  Drayton,  but  not  exactly  in  this 
sense ;  he  speaks  of  path  in  g  a  passage 
and  of  pathing  a  waj^,  that  is,  making 
or  smoothing  a  passage  or  way.  Sh. 
would  not  have  hesitated  to  use  jioih  in 
anyway  that  suited  his  purpose,  so  that 
Johnson's  paraphrase:  "If  that  walk 
is  thy  true  form,"  may  be  accepted  as 
the  intended  sense. 

pathetical.  Caldecott's  definition  of  this 
word  (As.  IV,  1  ,  196)  is  "piteously 
moaning;  passionate."  Whiter  explains 
it  as :  "A  whining,  canting,  promise- 
breaking  swain." 

Patience,  cZr.^x  Woman  to  Queen  Kath- 
arine.    HVIII. 

patient,  v.  To  compose  one's  self ;  to 
make  patient.     Tit.  I,  I,  121. 

patine.  "The  small  flat  dish  or  plate 
[for  holding  the  bread]  used  with  the 
chalice,  in  the  administration  of  the 
Eucharist.  In  the  time  of  Popery,  and 
probably  in  the  following  age,  it  was 
commonly  made  of  gold."  Malone. 
Merch.  V,  1,  .59. 

Patriclc,  St.  Hamlet's  reference  to  the 
patron  saint  of  Ireland  has  given  rise 
to  some  comment.  Warburton  says  it 
was  because  "at  this  time  all  the  whole 
northern  world  had  their  learning  from 
Ireland,  to  which  place  it  had  retired, 
and  there  flourished  under  the  auspices 
of  this  saint."  Tschischwitz  remarks 
that  if  Sh.  had  wished  to  be  historically 
correct,  he  would  have  made  a  Dane 
swear  by  St.  Ansgarius.  But  since  the 
subject  concerned  an  unexpiated  crime, 
he  naturally  thought  of  St.  Patrick, 
who  kept  a  Purgatory  of  his  own.  Fur- 
ness  corrects  the  learned  German  by 
quoting  a  passage  from  The  Honest 
Whore,  in  which  St.  Patrick  is  said  to 
' '  keep  Purgatory ' '  and  not  a  Purgatory 
of  his  own.  Moberly  explains  the  use 
of  this  saint's  name  here  by  hinting  that 
St.  Patrick  was  the  patron  saint  of  all 
blunders  and  confusion.     Hml.  I,  5, 137. 

Patroclus,  dr. p.  A  Grecian  commander. 
Troil. 


Patroclus  was  the  son  of  Menoetius, 
who  was  a  brother  of  ^acus,  the  grand- 
father of  Achilles,  so  that  Patroclus 
and  Achilles  were  kinsmen  as  well  as 
friends.  While  still  a  boy,  Patroclus 
accidentally  slew  Clysonymus,  son  of 
Amphidamas,  in  consequence  of  which 
misfortune  he  was  taken  by  his  father  to 
Peleus  at  Phthia,  where  he  was  educated 
with  Achilles,  thus  bringing  the  two  boys 
very  close  together.  Therefore,  when 
Achilles  joined  the  expedition  against 
Troy,  Patroclus  accompanied  him.  He 
fought  bravely  and  slew  many  enemies, 
but  was  struck  by  Apollo  and  rendered 
senseless.  In  this  state  Euphorbus  ran 
him  through  with  his  lance  from  behind 
and  Hector  gave  him  the  last  and  fatal 
blow.  Hector  then  took  possession  of 
his  armor,  and  a  long  struggle  ensued 
between  the  Greeks  and  the  Trojans 
for  the  possession  of  his  body,  but  the 
former  gained  the  day  and  brought  the 
body  to  Achilles,  who  burned  it  with 
funeral  sacrifices. 

patronage,  v.  To  maintain ;  to  make 
good.     IHVI.  Ill,  1,  48 ;  III,  4,  32. 

pattern,  v.  To  be  an  example  or  pattern 
for.  Meas.  II,  1,  30;  Wint.  Ill,  3,  37; 
Tit.  IV,  1,57. 

pauca.  A  Latin  word  signifying  few. 
It  was  adopted  as  a  slang  or  cant  term, 
and  meant  "be  brief."  Wiv.  I,  1,  134; 
HV.  II,  1,  83. 

pauca  verba.  Few  words.  (Latin. )  Wiv. 
I,  1,  123. 

paucas.    See  pallabris. 

Paul,  St.  The  body  of  old  St.  Paul's 
Church,  in  London,  was  a  constant 
place  of  resort  for  business  and  amuse- 
ment. Advertisements  were  fixed  up 
there,  bargains  made,  servants  hired, 
politics  discussed,  etc. ,  etc.  Nares.  In 
"The  Choice  of  Change,"  by  N.  Breton, 
1598,  it  is  said :  "  A  man  must  not  make 
choyce  of  three  things  in  three  places — 
of  a  wife  in  Westminster,  of  a  servant 
in  Paule's,  or  of  a  horse  in  Smithfield  ; 
lest  he  chuse  a  queane,  a  knave,  or  a 
jade."  Malone  quotes  from  Osborne's 
"Memoirs  of  James  I.":   "It  was  the 


PAir 


210 


PEE 


fashion  in  those  times  ....  for  the 
principal  gentry,  lords,  courtiers,  and 
men  of  all  professions,  not  merely 
mechanicks,  to  meet  in  St.  Paul's  Church 
by  eleven,  and  walk  in  the  middle  aisle 
till  twelve,  and  after  dinner  from  three 
to  six;  during  which  time  some  dis- 
coursed of  business,  others  of  news. 
Now,  in  regard  of  the  universal  com- 
merce— there  happened  little  that  did 
not  first  or  last  arrive  here." 

Paulina,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Antigonus.  Wint. 

paunch,  v.    To  rip  up.    Tp.  Ill,  2,  101. 

paved.  Pebbly;  stoney.  Paved  fountain 
(Mids.  II,  1,  84)  =  a  fountain  whose  bed 
was  covered  with  clean  gravel  or  pebbles 
and  whose  water  was  consequently  clear 
and  not  easily  muddied  like  that  of  a 
rushy  brook,  whose  bed  would  be  muddy 
or  oozy.  His  paved  bed  (Meas.  V,  1, 
439)  =  his  grave,  because  paved  or 
covered  with  a  stone. 

pavilioned.  Tented  ;  lying  in  tents.  HV. 
I,  2,  129.  The  meaning  of  this  passage 
is  that  although  the  bodies  of  the  Eng- 
lish are  still  here,  their  hearts  or  spirits 
are  in  France  eager  for  combat.  The 
force  and  earnestness  of  this  imagina- 
tive address  is  quite  in  Sh.  style. 

pavin.  Explained  by  some  as  a  grave 
Spanish  dance.  Tw.  V,  1,  207.  But  see 
panyn. 

pax.  Peace.  (Latin.)  HV.  Ill,  6,  42. 
The  pax  was  the  symbol  of  peace,  and 
was  a  small  plate  of  metal  (either 
precious  or  common)  which,  during  a 
certain  part  of  the  Mass,  was  tendered 
to  the  laity  to  be  kissed,  the  priest  say- 
ing :  '"'■  Pax  Domini  sit  semper  vohis- 
eum''^  (The  peace  of  the  Lord,  may  it 
be  always  with  you) ;  it  was  also  named 
osculatoriiim.  On  its  surface  was  en- 
graved or  embossed  some  religious 
subject,  generally  the  Crucifixion. 
Sometimes  erroneously  confounded  with 
pix. 

pay.  To  hit  or  kill  in  fighting.  Tw.  Ill, 
4,  305  ;  IHIV.  II,  4,  213. 

peach.  To  turn  King's  or  State's  evidence. 
Meas.  IV,  3,  12.  This  is  a  common 
slang  word  at  the  present  day. 


peak.    To  grow  thin  ;  to  mope.    Mcb.  I, 

3,  23 ;  Hml.  II,  2,  602. 

peaking.    Sneaking.     Wiv.  Ill,  5,  73. 

pearl.  A  cataract  in  the  eye.  Gent.  V, 
2,  13.     A  quibble  or  pun. 

Peaseblossom,  dr.p.     A  fairy.    Mids. 

peascod.  Properly,  a  peapod,  but  in  As. 
II,  4,  52,  Touchstone  evidently  uses 
peascod  for  a  peastalk.  ' '  Our  ancestors 
were  frequently  accustomed  in  their 
love  affairs  to  employ  the  divination  of 
a  peascod  by  selecting  one  growing  on 
the  stem,  snatching  it  away  quickly, 
and  if  the  omen  of  the  peas  remaining 
in  the  husk  were  preserved,  then  pre- 
senting it  to  the  lady  of  their  choice.'' 
Halliwell.  And  in  his  "  Dictionary  of 
Archaic  and  Provincial  Words"  HaUi- 
well  gives  the  following  extract  from 
Mr.  Davy's  MS.  "  Suffolk  Gloss  "  :  "  The 
efficacy  of  peas  cods  in  the  affairs  of 
sweethearts  is  not  yet  forgotten  among 
our  rustic  vulgar.  The  kitchen-maid, 
when  she  shells  green  peas,  never  omits, 
if  she  finds  one  having  niyie  peas,  to  lay 
it  on  the  lintel  of  the  kitchen  door,  and 
the  first  clown  who  enters  it  is  infallibly 
to  be  her  husband  or  at  least  her  sweet- 
heart." 

peat.    A  pet ;  a  darling.    Shr.  1, 1,  78. 

peck.    To  strike  ;  to  throw.     HVIII.  V, 

4,  94.     In  some  eds.  pick.     Probably  a 
mere  variant  of  pitch. 

peculiar.  Preserved ;  guarded.  Meas.  I, 
2,96. 

Pedant,  dr.p.  Personates  Vincentio.  Shr. 

pedascule.  A  pedant;  a  schoolmaster. 
Shr.  Ill,  1,  50. 

Of  this  word  War  burton  says:  "He 
would  have  said  Didascale,  but  think- 
ing this  too  honourable,  he  coins  the 
word  Pedascale  in  imitation  of  it,  from 
Pedant.''''  It  evidently  means  teacher. 
Shr.  Ill,  1,  50. 

Pedro,  Don,  dr.p.  Prince  of  Aragon. 
Ado. 

peeled.    1.    Having  the  bark  removed. 
Merch.  I,  3,  85. 
2.  Shaved.     IHVI.  I,  3,  30. 

peer,  v.  1.  To  come  in  sight ;  to  appear. 
Ven.  86;  Wiv.  IV,  2,  26;   Shr.  IV,  3, 


PEE 


211 


PEL 


1 76.  For  some  ridiculous  comments  on 
this  word  as  it  occurs  in  Wiv.  IV,  2,  26, 
see  Donnelly's  "Great  Cryptogram," 
page  5r20.  Ford's  exclamation,  "  Peer 
out,  peer  out !"  as  he  buffets  himself  on 
the  forehead  evidently  refers  to  the 
horns,  which  are  the  well-known  insignia 
of  cuckoldom  and  which  he  thinks  ought 
now  to  appear  on  his  head. 
2.  To  bring  into  sight ;  to  let  appear. 
Lucr.  472. 

peevish.  Silly ;  foolish.  Tw.  I,  5,  321 ; 
RIII.  IV,  2,  96 ;  Rom.  IV,  2,  14.  Dow- 
den  explains  peevish,  in  this  passage, 
as  childish,  thoughtless,  foolish,  and 
quotes  from  Lyly's  "Endimion,"  I,  1: 
"  There  never  was  any  so  peevish  to 
imagine  the  moone  either  capable  of 
affection  or  shape  of  a  mistris,"  and 
adds:  "Perhaps  childishly  perverse  is 
implied." 

peg,  V.    To  wedge.     Tp.  I,  2,  295. 

Peg«a-Ramsey.  The  name  of  an  old 
song  alluded  to  by  Sir  Toby.  Tw.  II, 
3,  81.  Percy  says  it  was  an  indecent 
ballad.  The  tune  is  preserved,  but  the 
words  are  lost. 

Scott  makes  one  of  his  characters 
apply  it  in  a  contemptuous  manner  to  a 
young  woman. 

Pegasus.  A  famous  winged  horse  which 
sprang  from  Medusa  when  Perseus 
struck  off  her  head.  His  name,  which 
means  "a  spring,"  was  given  to  him 
because  he  was  belie  v'ed  to  have  made 
his  appearance  near  the  sources  of  the 
Oceanus,  which  was  believed  to  be  a 
great  river.  He  plays  a  prominent  part 
in  various  mythological  legends.  Per- 
seus was  riding  on  this  horse  when  he 
delivered  Andromeda  from  the  sea- 
monster.  See  Perseus.  Hence  the  al- 
lusion in  HV.  Ill,  7,  22,  to  a  beast  for 
Persens.  It  was  by  the  aid  of  Pegasus 
that  Bellerophon  slew  the  Chimaera. 
The  association  of  Pegasus  with  the 
Muses  is  based  on  the  following  legend  : 
When  the  nine  Muses  engaged  in  a 
contest  with  the  nine  daughters  of 
Pierus  on  Mount  Helicon,  all  became 
darkness  when  the  daughters  of  Pierus 


began  to  sing ;  whereas,  during  the 
song  of  the  Muses,  heaven,  the  sea  and 
all  the  rivers  stood  still  to  listen,  and 
Helicon  rose  heavenward  with  delight 
until  Pegasus,  on  the  advice  of  Nep- 
tune, stopped  its  ascent  by  kicking  it 
with  his  hoof.  From  this  kick  there 
arose  Hippocrene  (the  horse's  well),  the 
inspiring  well  of  the  Muses  on  Mount 
Helicon.  Pegasus  is  often  seen  repre- 
sented in  ancient  works  of  art  along 
with  Minerva  and  Bellerophon.  He  is 
referred  to  twice  by  name  in  Sh.  plays, 
IHIV.  IV,  1,  109,  and  HV.  Ill,  7,  15. 
In  the  latter  passage  he  is  described  as 
having  "nostrils  of  fire" — chez  les 
narines  defeu,  and  is  spoken  of  as  le 
cheval  volant,  or  the  flying  horse. 

pegs.  The  pins  of  an  instrument  by  which 
the  strings  are  brought  into  tune.  0th. 
II,  1,  203. 

peise,  [   1.  To  poise;  to  balance.     John 

peize.  )     II,  1,  575. 
2.  To  weigh  down  ;  to  render  slow  and 
heavy.  Merch.  Ill,  2,  22 ;  RIII.  V,  3, 105. 

pelican.  From  time  immemorial  this  bird 
has  served  as  an  illustration  of  parental 
care  and  self-sacrifice,  and  it  was  adopted 
by  some  of  the  fathers  as  an  emblem 
of  Jesus  Christ,  "by  whose  blood  we 
are  healed."  Various  fables  have  been 
told  of  this  bird,  one  being  that  when 
the  young  ones  begin  to  grow  they  rebel 
against  the  male  bird  and  provoke  his 
anger  so  that  he  kills  them  ;  the  mother 
returns  to  the  nest  in  three  days,  sits  on 
the  dead  birds,  pours  her  blood  over 
them,  revives  them,  and  they  feed  on 
the  blood.  The  common  superstition  is 
that  when  the  mother  pelican  finds  her- 
self unable  to  provide  food,  she  tears 
open  her  own  breast  and  feeds  her 
young  with  her  blood.  Thus,  Sir  Thomas 
Browne,  in  his  "  Enquiries  into  Vulgar 
and  Common  Errors,"  discusses  "the 
picture  of  the  Pelican  opening  her  breast 
with  her  bill,  and  feeding  her  young 
ones  with  the  blood  distilled  from  her." 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  these  ideas 
have  no  foundation  in  fact,  the  young 
being  fed  on  fish,  caught  by  the  mother 


PEL 


212 


FEN 


and  brought  to  the  nest  in  the  large 
pouch  which  hangs  under  her  bill. 
Caldecott,  in  a  note  on  Hml.  IV,  5,  145, 
quotes  the  following  from  Dr.  Sherwen  : 
"  It  is  not  often  that  the  grossest  fables 
obtain  currency  without  some  founda- 
tion, or  at  least  the  semblance  of  truth  ; 
and  so  by  the  pelican's  dropping  upon 
its  breast  its  lower  bill  to  enable  its 
young  to  take  from  its  capacious  pouch, 
lined  with  a  fine  flesh-coloured  skin,  this 
appearance  is,  on  feeding  them,  given." 
It  is  quite  as  possible  that  the  idea  may 
have  arisen  from  the  fact  that  the  breast 
of  the  pelican  is  sometimes  smeared  with 
the  blood  of  the  fish  which  are  frequently 
crushed  or  reduced  to  small  pieces  while 
in  the  pouch.  This  supposed  character- 
istic of  the  pelican  is  referred  to  in  RII. 
II,  1,  126,  and  Lr.  Ill,  4,  77.  In  the  Fl. 
the  passage  Hml.  IV,  5,  14.5,  reads  : 
*'And  like  the  kinde  Life-rend'ring 
Politician,"  upon  which  comic  misprint 
Mr.  Arthur  Symons  ("The  Henry  Irving 
Shakespeare,"  Vol.  VIII,  page  140) 
makes  the  following  pertinent  remarks  : 
"  I  can  fancy  that,  had  not  the  Quartos 
preserved  the  true  reading,  comment- 
ators would  have  been  found  to  defend 
the  reading  of  Fl.  even  on  grounds  of 
sentiment.  Might  not  the  politician 
become  a  beautiful  illustration  of  the 
patriot,  feeding  his  country  with  his 
own  blood  ?  It  is  still  not  too  late  for  a 
German  editor  to  take  up  the  point." 

pellet,  V.  To  form  into  balls  or  pellets. 
Compl.  18.  Pelleted  storm  =  a  storm 
of  hail.     Ant.  Ill,  13,  165. 

Pelops.  The  legend  relating  to  Pelops' 
shoulder,  referred  to  Kins.  IV,  2,  21,  is 
as  follows :  Pelops  was  the  grandson  of 
Jupiter  and  the  son  of  Tantalus  and 
Dione,  the  daughter  of  Atlas.     He  was 

"  King  of  Pisa,  in  Elis,  and  from  him  the 
great  southern  peninsula  of  Greece  was 
believed  to  have  derived  its  name  of 
Peloponnesus.  Tantalus,  the  favorite 
of  the  gods,  once  invited  them  to  a  re- 
past, and  on  that  occasion  killed  his 
own  son,  and  having  boiled  him,  set  the 
flesh  before  them  that  they  might  eat. 


But  the  immortal  gods,  knowing  what 
it  was,  did  not  touch  it ;  Ceres  (Demeter) 
alone,  being  absorbed  by  grief  for  her 
lost  daughter,  Proserpine,  consumed 
the  shoulder  of  Pelops.  Hereupon,  the 
gods  ordered  Mercury  (Hermes)  to  put 
the  limbs  of  Pelops  into  a  cauldron  and 
thereby  restore  him  to  life.  When  the 
process  was  over,  Clotho  took  him  out 
of  the  cauldron,  and  as  the  shoulder 
consumed  by  Ceres  was  wanting,  the 
goddess  supplied  its  place  by  one  made 
of  ivory ;  his  descendants  (the  Pelopidae), 
as  a  mark  of  their  origin,  were  believed 
to  have  one  shoulder  as  white  as  ivory. 

pelt,  V.    To  chafe  with  anger.    Lucr.  1418. 

pelting.  Paltry;  insignificant.  Meas.  II, 
2,  112  ;  Mids.  II,  1,  91 ;  Troil.  IV,  5,  267; 
Lr.  II,  3,  18 ;  Kins.  II,  2,  269. 

Pembroke,  Earl  of,  dr.j).  William  Mare- 
schall.     John. 

Pembroke,  Earl  of,  dr. p.  A  Yorkist 
noble.    3HVI. 

pen.  The  expression  in  AlFs.  II,  1,  80, 
To  give  great  Charlemain  a  pen  in''s 
hand.,  probably  refers  to  the  fact  that 
Charlemain,  late  in  life,  vainly  at- 
tempted to  learn  to  write.     Dyce. 

Penelope.  Referred  to  but  once  in  the 
plays.  The  allusion  in  Cor.  I,  3,  93, 
will  be  best  understood  from  her  history. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  Icarius  and 
Periboea,  of  Sparta.  There  were  many 
suitors  for  her  hand,  and  her  father 
promised  to  give  her  to  the  hero  who 
should  conquer  in  a  foot-race.  Ulysses 
won  the  prize,  but  Icarius  tried  to  per- 
suade his  daughter  to  remain  with  him 
and  not  accompany  Ulysses  to  Ithaca. 
Ulysses  allowed  her  to  do  as  she  pleased, 
whereupon  she  covered  her  face  with 
her  veil  to  hide  her  blushes,  and  thus 
intimated  that  she  would  follow  her 
husband.  Icarius  then  desisted  from 
further  entreaties,  and  erected  a  statue 
of  Modesty  on  the  spot.  By  Ulysses 
she  had  an  only  child,  Telemachus,  who 
was  an  infant  when  her  husband  sailed 
against  Troy.  During  the  long  absence 
of  Ulysses  she  was  besieged  by  many 
importunate  suitors,  whom  she  deceived 


PEN 


313 


PEP 


by  declaring  that  she  must  finish  a  large 
robe  which  she  was  making  for  her  aged 
father-in-law,  Laertes,  before  she  could 
make  up  her  mind.  During  the  day- 
time she  accordingly  worked  at  the 
robe,  and  in  the  night  she  undid  the 
work  of  the  day.  By  this  means  she 
succeeded  in  putting  off  the  suitors. 
But  at  length  her  stratagem  was  be- 
trayed by  her  servants  and  the  suitors 
became  more  and  more  urgent.  Just 
at  this  time  Ulysses  arrived  after  an 
absence  of  twenty  years.  Having  re- 
cognised her  husband  by  several  signs, 
she  heartily  welcomed  him,  and  the 
days  of  her  grief  and  sorrow  were  at  an 
end.     See  Ulysses. 

Penelophon.  In  most  eds.  this  name  is 
wrongly  spelled  Zenelophon^  q.v. 

Pendragon.  Referred  to  in  IHVI.  Ill, 
2,  95.  "  This  hero  was  Uther  Pendragon, 
brother  to  Aurelius,  and  father  to  King 
Arthur.  Shakespeare  has  imputed  to 
Pendragon  an  exploit  of  Aurelius,  who, 
says  Hollinshed,  'even  sicke  of  a  flixe 
as  he  was,  caused  himself  to  be  carried 
forth  in  a  litter :  with  whose  presence 
his  people  [the  Bi-itons]  were  so  encour- 
aged, that  encountering  with  the  Saxons 
they  wan  the  victorie. '  "    Steevens. 

"  Hardy  ng  ('Chronicle,'  chap.  72) 
gives  the  following  account  of  Uter 
Pendragon : 

'For  whiche   the   kyng   ordeyned  a 

horse  litter 
To  beare  hym  so  then  vnto  the  Vero- 

lame, 
Wher  Occa  laye,  and  Oysa  also   in 

feer, 
That   Saynt   Albones   now   hight   of 

noble  fame. 
Bet  downe  the  walles ;  but  to  hym 

forth  they  came, 
Wher  in  battayll  Occa  and  Oysa  were 

slayne. 
The  felde  he  had,  and  thereof  was 
full  fayne.' " 

Grey  as  quoted  by  Dyce. 
penetrative.  Affecting  the  feelings  power- 
fully.    Ant.  IV,  14,  75. 
penner.    A  case  for  holding  pens.    Kins. 
Ill,  5,  126. 


pense.  French  for  thinks.  (3rd pers.  sing.) 
Pronounced  as  one  syllable,  the  final  e 
being  silent.  In  Wiv.  V,  5,  73,  honi 
soil  qui  mal  y  pense,  the  metre  requires 
that  this  word  should  be  pronounced  as 
two  syllables,  so  that  the  final  e  must 
be  sounded.  The  word  occurs  also  in 
HV.  Ill,  4,  10  and  29 ;  also  in  same,  IV, 
4,  2  and  59,  but  these  passages  are  in 
prose.  Is  it  not  quite  possible  that  Sh. 
obtained  his  knowledge  of  French  from 
books  alone,  and  consequently  had  but 
a  slight  knowledge  of  the  French  pro- 
nunciation ?  See  also  bras  for  his  pro- 
nunciation of  that  word.  One  thing  is 
certain  :  Bacon  had  nothing  to  do  with 
this  part  of  Sh.  works,  for  he  had  lived 
in  France  and  spoke  French  fluently. 

pensioners.  Gentlemen  in  the  personal 
service  of  the  sovereign.  Wiv.  II,  2, 
79  ;  Mids.  II,  1,  10.  Warton  tells  us : 
"  This  was  said  in  consequence  of  Queen 
Elizabeth's  fashionable  establishment  of 
a  band  of  military  courtiers,  by  the  name 
of  pensioners.  They  were  some  of  the 
handsomest  and  tallest  young  men  of 
the  best  families  and  fortune  that  could 
be  found.  Hence,  says  Mrs.  Quickly, 
and  yet  there  has  been  earls,  nay, 
which  is  more,  pensioners.  They  gave 
the  mode  in  dress  and  diversions.  ' 
And  Halliwell  notes  that  Holies,  in  his 
"  Life  of  the  First  Earl  of  Clare,"  says  : 
"  I  have  heard  the  Earl  of  Clare  say 
that  when  he  was  pensioner  to  the 
Queen  he  did  not  know  a  worse  man 
of  the  whole  band  than  himself,  and 
that  all  the  world  knew  he  had  then  an 
inheritance  of  £4,000  a  year."  "They 
were  the  handsomest  men  of  the  first 
families — tall  as  the  cowslip  was  to  the 
fairy,  and  shining  in  their  spotted  gold 
coats  like  that  fiower  under  an  April 
sun."    Knight. 

pensived.    Pensive,     Lov.  Compl.  219. 

Pepin.  Surnamed  "  The  short, "  was  the 
son  of  Charles  Martel,  King  of  the 
Franks  and  founder  of  the  Carlovingian 
dynasty.  He  died  in  768,  and  conse- 
quently the  time  when  he  lived  is  re- 
ferred to  in  LLL.  IV,  1,  122,  as  being 


FEN 


214 


PER 


very  long  ago.  HV.  I,  2,  65 ;  HVIII. 
I,  3, 10. 
Penthesilea.  A  famous  queen  of  the 
Amazons.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Mars  and  Otrera.  After  the  death  of 
Hector,  she  came  to  the  assistance  of 
the  Trojans,  but  was  defeated  and  killed 
by  Achilles,  who  mourned  over  the 
dying  queen  on  account  of  her  beauty, 
youth  and  valor.  Thersites  ridiculed 
the  grief  of  Achilles  and  treated  the 
body  of  Penthesilea  with  contempt. 
For  this  he  w  as  slain  by  Achilles,  who 
buried  her  on  the  banks  of  the  Xanthus. 
Others  say  that  Diomedes,  a  relative  of 
Thersites,  threw  the  body  into  the  river 
Scamander,  In  Tw.  II,  8, 193,  Sir  Toby 
calls  Maria,  Penthesilea,  probably  be- 
cause she  was  very  small,  the  queen  of 
the  Amazons  being  presumably  large 
and  strong.  So  in  Act  I,  5,  218,  Viola 
speaks  of  her  as  "  your  giant." 

penthouse.  A  corruption  of  pentice,  the 
ice  being  corrupted  into  house.  It 
means  a  sloping  roof  or  shed  projecting 
from  the  main  wall  or  placed  over  a 
door  or  window.  Ado.  Ill,  3,  110; 
Merch.  II,  6,  1.  In  Mcb.  I,  3,  20,  it  is 
used  metaphorically  of  the  eyelid. 

perch.  By  many  a  dern  and  painful 
perch.  Per.  Ill,  Pro!.  15.  "  'A  perch  is  a 
measure  of  five  yards  and  a  half,'  says 
Steevens,  and  truly  enough;  but  the 
unknown  author  of  this  portion  of 
Pericles  (using  here  the  word  for  the 
sake  of  a  rhyme)  thought  no  more  about 
the  exact  measure  of  a  perch  than  Mil- 
ton did  about  that  of  a  rood,  when  he 
tells  us  that  Satan  '  lay  floating  many 
a  rood.'' ^^    Dyce. 

The  word  has  also  been  explained  as 
a  resting  or  stopping  place,  but  the 
exposition  given  above  is  probably  the 
true  one. 

Percy,  Henry,  dr. p.  Earl  of  Northum- 
berland.    IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

Percy,  Henry,  dr.p.  Son  to  Earl  of 
Northumberland.     IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

Percy,   Lady,  dr.p.    Wife   to  Hotspur. 
IHIV.  and  2HIV. 
Sh.  seems  to  have  been  so  fond  of  the 


name  Kate  that  he  makes  Hotspur  call  his 
wife  Kate  although  her  name  -was  Eliza- 
beth. She  was  the  daughter  of  Edmund 
Mortimer,  third  Earl  of  March,  and  her 
mother  was  Philippa  Plantagenet, 
granddaughter  of  Edward  III.  She 
was  born  in  1371,  and  was  named  after 
her  grandmother,  Elizabeth  de  Burgh, 
wife  of  Lionel  Clarence. 

Percy,  Thomas,  dr.p.  Earl  of  Worcester. 
IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

perdie,  [      A  mincing  oath ;  a  contraction 

perdy.  S  of  French  par  Dieu  =  by  God. 
Err.  IV,  4,  74;  Hml.  Ill,  2,  305 ;  Lr.  II, 
4,  86. 

Perdita,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  lieontes  and 
Hermione.  The  name  signifies  "the 
lost  one."    Wint. 

perdition.  Diminution;  loss.  Tp.  I,  2, 
30  ;  Hml.  V,  2,  117. 

perdona-mi.  Undoubtedly  a  corruption 
of  pardonnez  moi,  q.v.  Mercutio  is 
ridiculing  the  affected  style  of  speaking 
adopted  by  some  of  the  young  "  bloods. " 
Rom.  II,  4,  35.  In  the  Fl.,  pardon- 
tnee^s.  Cambridge  eds.  read  perdona- 
Tn^s. 

perdu.  French  for  lost.  A  soldier  sent 
on  a  forlorn  hope.     Lr.  IV,  7,  35. 

perdurable.  Lasting.  HV.  IV,  5,  7; 
0th.  I,  3,  343. 

perfect,  v.  To  instruct  fully.  Tp.  I,  2, 
79  ;  Meas.  IV,  3,  146 ;  Per.  Ill,  2,  67. 

perfect,  adj.  Certain;  well-informed. 
Wint.  Ill,  3,  1 ;  Mcb.  I,  5,  2 ;  Cym. 
Ill,  1,  73. 

perfections.  The  passage  in  Tw.  I,  1, 
37-39,  reads  thus  in  the  Fl. : 

When  Liuer,  Braine  and  Heart, 
These  soueraigne  thrones,  are  all  sup- 

ply'd  and  flU'd 
Her  sweete  perfections  with  one  selfe 
king. 

It  has  given  rise  to  much  discussion. 
Warburton  proposed  to  emend  by  read- 
ing Three  for  These,  but  the  change  is 
evidently  unnecessary.  He  also  changed 
Her  sweete  perfections  to  :  (O !  sweet 
perfection ! ),  made  it  a  parenthesis  and 
placed  commas  after  supply'' d  and  fiWd, 
but  in  this  he  was  not  followed  by  John- 


FEB 


215 


RB 


son,  who  was  the  next  editor.  Several 
editors  note  that  in  the  time  of  Sh.  the 
liver,  brain  and  heart  were  admitted, 
in  poetry,  to  be  the  seat  of  passion, 
judgment  and  sentiment  respectively, 
and  Steevens  adds  :  "  These  are  what 
Sh.  calls  her  sweet  perfections. "  Knight 
thinks  this  a  mistaken  interpretation 
and  adopts  Warburton's  substitution  of 
perfection  for  perfections,  the  meaning 
of  perfection  being  the  completion  of 
womanhood  by  marriage ;  and  in  sup- 
port of  this  he  quotes,  from  Froissart, 
the  soliloquy  of  the  rich  Berthault  of 
Malines,  who  was  desirous  to  marry  his 
daughter  to  the  noble  Earl  of  Guerles  : 
"My  daughter  should  be  happy  if  she 
might  come  to  so  great  a  perfection  as 
to  be  conjoined  in  marriage  with  the 
Earl  of  Guerles."  C.  and  M.  Clarke 
adopt  this  explanation  and  refer  to  John 

II,  1,  437;  also  to  Tw.  II,  4,  41,  where 
"perfection  "  is  held  to  mean  not  only 
the  full-blown  state  in  the  rose,  but 
completed  loveliness  in  woman  when 
matched  with  h  er  chosen  manly  counter- 
part. This,  however,  not  only  requires 
an  emendation,  but  seems  to  me  a  some- 
what forced  interpretation.    In  3HVI. 

III,  2,  85,  All  her  perfections  challenge 
sovereignty,  "  perfections "  simply 
means  good  qualities. 

Where  so  many  able  editors  have  been 
unable  to  agree,  it  would  be  somewhat 
presumptuous  to  offer  a  positive  opinion 
as  to  the  meaning  of  the  passage  ;  never- 
theless, a  suggestion  may  not  be  out  of 
place. 

The  liver,  brain  and  heart  are  evi- 
dently the  thrones  which  are  to  be  sup- 
plied with  occupants.  Whether  they 
are  to  be  supplied  and  filled  or  whether 
they  are  to  be  supplied  and  the  sweet 
perfections  filled  with  one  self  king 
seems  to  be  the  question  which  has 
caused  most  of  the  difficulty.  According 
to  Warburton,  the  thrones  were  to  be 
supplied  and  filled  with  one  self  king, 
"her  sweet  perfections,"  or,  as  he  made 
it,  "(O!  sweet  perfection!),"  being  an 
apostrophe    addressed     to     her    good 


qualities.  But  the  other  reading,  which 
is,  that  the  thrones  are  to  be  supplied 
and  her  sweet  perfections  filled  with 
one  self  king  seems  to  me  more  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  Folio  text.  Self, 
here,  as  in  many  other  passages,  is 
equivalent  to  sa7ne  and  implies  one 
only.     See  self. 

But,  however  difficult  it  may  be  to 
work  out  the  grammatical  construction 
of  the  passage,  there  can  be  no  difficulty 
or  doubt  as  to  its  general  meaning.  It 
is  a  mere  expansion,  or,  rather,  an 
attempted  philosophical  explanation  of 
the  idea  contained  in  the  first  half  of 
the  Duke's  speech,  worked  out  accord- 
ing to  the  psychological  theories  of  that 
age. 

perforce.  By  force.  Force  perforce  =  hy 
very  force  ;  an  emphatic  form  of  per- 
force.   2H VI.  1, 1,  258 ;  2HIV.  IV,  1, 116. 

periapts.  Amulets;  charms.  Cotgrave 
gives:  "  Periapte.  A  medicine  hanged 
about  any  part  of  the  body."  Usually 
about  the  neck.     IHVI.  V,  3,  2. 

Generally,  however,  they  consisted  of 
written  charms,  portions  of  the  first 
chapter  of  St.  John  being  considered 
especially  potent.  In  illustration  of 
this  use  of  that  particular  passage, 
Malone  quotes  the  following  story  from 
"Wits,  Fits  and  Fancies"  (1595):  "A 
cardinal,  seeing  a  priest  carrying  a 
cudgel  under  his  gown,  reprimanded 
him.  His  excuse  was  that  he  had  only 
carried  it  to  defend  himself  against  the 
dogs  of  the  town.  *  Wherefore,  I  pray 
you,'  replied  the  cardinal,  'serves  St. 
John's  Gospel?'  'Alas,  my  lord,'  said 
the  priest,  'these  curs  understand  no 
Latin.'" 

Pericles,  dr. p.    Prince  of  Tyre.     Per. 

Perigenia.  Called  Perigouna  in  North's 
"Plutarch,"  and  sometimes  Perigune. 
The  account  given  in  North's  trans- 
lation of  "Plutarch,"  which  was  no 
doubt  the  source  of  Sh.  information,  is 
as  follows :  Theseus,  having  set  out  to 
rid  the  country  of  robbers,  slew  a  robber 
called  Periphetes,  and  then  ' '  going  on 
further,  in  the  Straits  of  Peloponnesus, 


PEB 


216 


PEE 


he  killed  another,  called  Sinnis,  sur- 
named  Pityocamtes,  that  is  to  say,  a 
wreather  or  bower  of  pineapple  trees 
[fir-trees],  whom  he  put  to  death  in  that 
self-cruel  manner  that  Sinnis  had  slain 
many  other  travelers  before.  [Sinnis 
killed  his  victims  by  fastening  them  to 
the  top  of  a  fir-tree,  which  he  curbed  or 
bent  down,  and  then  let  spring  up  again.  ] 
Not  that  he  had  experience  thereof,  by 
any  former  practice  or  exercise,  but 
only  to  shew  that  clean  strength  could 
do  more  than  either  art  or  exercise. 
This  Sinnis  had  a  goodly  fair  daughter 
called  Perigouna,  which  fled  away  when 
she  saw  her  father  slain :  whom  he 
followed  and  sought  all  about.  But  she 
had  hidden  herself  in  a  grove  full  of  cer- 
tain kinds  of  wild  pricking  rushes,  called 
stoebe,  and  wild  sperage  [asparagus] 
which  she  simply,  like  a  child,  in  treated 
to  hide  her,  as  if  they  had  heard  and 
had  sense  to  understand  her  ;  promising 
them,  with  an  oath,  that  if  they  saved 
her  from  being  found,  she  would  never 
cut  them  down  or  burn  them.  But 
Theseus,  finding  her,  called  her,  and 
swore  by  his  faith  he  would  use  her 
gently  and  do  her  no  hurt  nor  dis- 
pleasure at  all. .  Upon  which  promise 
she  came  out  of  the  bush  and  bare  unto 
him  a  goodly  boy,  which  was  called 
Menalippus.  Afterwards  Theseus  mar- 
ried her  unto  one  Deioneus,  the  son  of 
Euretus,  the  CEchalian.  Of  this  Menalip- 
pus, the  son  of  Theseus,  came  loxus :  the 
which  with  Ornytus  brought  men  into 
the  county  of  Caria,  where  he  built  the 
city  of  loxides.  And  hereof  cometh 
that  old  ancient  ceremony,  observed 
yet  unto  this  day  by  those  of  loxides, 
never  to  burn  the  briars  of  wild  sperage, 
nor  the  stoebe,  but  they  have  them  in 
some  honour  and  reverence. "  Mids.  II, 
1,  78.     See  Theseus. 

perishen.    To  perish.    Per.  II,  Prol.  35. 

perjure.  A  perjurer.  LLL.  IV,  3,  48. 
Dyce  says :  "  This  word  was  formerly 
common  enough  (which  I  mention 
because  here  some  editors  print  '  per- 
jured.')"   In  Sh.  time  con\icted  per- 


jurers and,  indeed,  all  criminals  exposed 
to  public  view,  while  undergoing  pun- 
ishment, were  obliged  to  wear  on  their 
breasts  papers  describing  their  ofi'ence. 
See  papers. 

perked  up.  Dressed  up ;  adorned.  HVIII. 
II,  3,  21. 

perpend.  To  reflect ;  to  consider.  Wiv. 
II,  1,  117 ;  As.  Ill,  2,  69. 

per  se.  By  himself.  (Latin.)  Troil.  I,  2, 
17.  "  These  words  are  used  by  Chaucer 
and  other  old  authors  to  denote  super- 
excellence  or  pre-eminence."  Toone's 
"Glossary." 

Perseus.  The  son  of  Jupiter  and  Danae, 
and  grandson  of  Acrisius.  An  oracle 
having  told  Acrisius  that  he  was  doomed 
to  perish  by  the  hands  of  Danae's  son, 
he  shut  his  daughter  up  in  a  tower  of 
brass  or  stone.  But  Jupiter  metamor- 
phosed himself  into  a  shower  of  gold, 
came  down  through  the  roof  of  the 
prison  and  became  by  Danae  the  father 
of  Perseus.  As  soon  as  Acrisius  dis- 
covered that  Danae  had  given  birth  to 
a  son,  he  put  both  mother  and  son  into 
a  chest  and  threw  them  into  the  sea. 
Jupiter,  however,  caused  the  chest  to 
float  to  the  island  of  Seriphos,  one  of  the 
Cyclades.  where  Dictys,  a  fisherman, 
found  them  and  carried  them  to  Poly- 
dectes,  the  king  of  the  country.  They 
were  treated  with  kindness,  but  Poly- 
dectes  fell  in  love  with  Danae,  and  not 
being  able  to  gratify  his  passion  in  con- 
sequence of  the  presence  of  Perseus, 
who,  meantime,  had  grown  up  to  man- 
hood, he  sent  Perseus  on  an  expedition 
to  fetch  the  head  of  Medusa,  one  of 
the  Gorgons.  Guided  by  Mercury  and 
Minerva,  Perseus  first  went  to  the 
Graese,  the  sisters  of  the  Gorgons, 
took  from  them  their  one  tooth,  and 
their  one  eye,  and  would  not  restore 
them  until  they  showed  him  the  way 
to  the  nymphs  who  possessed  the  winged 
sandals,  the  magic  wallet  and  the  helmet 
of  Pluto,  which  rendered  the  wearer 
invisible.  He  also  received  from  Mer- 
cury a  sickle,  and  from  Minerva  a 
mirror,  and  with  these  he  mounted  into 


FEB 


217 


PET 


the  air  and  arrived  at  the  Gk>rgons,  who 
dwelt  near  Tartessus,  on  the  coast  of  the 
ocean,  and  whose  heads  were  covered 
like  those  of  serpents,  with  scales,  and 
who  had  large  tusks  like  boars,  brazen 
hands  and  golden  wings.  He  found 
them  asleep  and  cut  off  the  head  of 
Medusa,  looking  at  her  figure  through 
the  mirror,  for  a  sight  of  the  monster 
herself  would  have  changed  him  into 
stone.  Perseus  put  her  head  in  the 
wallet  which  he  carried  on  his  back, 
and  as  he  went  away  he  was  pursued 
by  the  two  other  Gorgons,  but  his  hel- 
met, which  rendered  him  invisible,  en- 
abled him  to  escape.  He  then  went  to 
Ethiopia,  where  he  found  Andromeda, 
the  daughter  of  Cepheus  and  Cassiope, 
the  king  and  queen  of  the  country, 
chained  to  a  rock,  an  oracle  having 
declared  that  the  sacrifice  of  a  maiden 
was  necessary  to  appease  ^sea  monster 
which  was  laying  waste  the  land.  Per- 
seus slew  the  monster  and  married 
Andromeda.  After  many  wanderings, 
Perseus,  Andromeda  and  Danae  re- 
turned to  Argos.  Acrisius,  remember- 
ing the  oracle,  escaped  to  Larissa,  but 
Perseus  followed  him  and  tried  to  per- 
suade him  to  return.  The  King  of 
Larissa,  in  the  meantime,  celebrated 
games  in  honor  of  his  guest,  Acrisius, 
and  Perseus,  taking  part  in  them,  ac- 
cidently  hit  the  foot  of  Acrisius  with 
the  discus  and  caused  his  death.     HV. 

III,  7,  22. 

person.    The  old  form  of  parson.    LLL. 

IV,  2,  8.5.  Parson  is  a  mere  variant  of 
persona,  and  persona  ecclesice,  "the 
representative  of  the  Church,"  was  the 
term  applied  to  clergymen.  Holof  ernes 
makes  a  clumsy  pun — person  =  pers- 
one  =  pierce  one,  which  he  and  Costard 
elaborate  between  them. 

personage.  Figure;  personal  appearance. 
Mids.  Ill,  2,  292 ;  Tw.  I,  5,  164. 

perspective.  Shakespeare  has  several 
references  to  optical  arrangements 
which  cause  things  to  present  an  ap- 
pearance very  different  from  the  reality. 
Douce  says  that  in  Sh.  time  a  perspec- 


tive meant  a  glass  that  assisted  the 
sight  in  any  way.  Some  of  these  "  per- 
spectives," however,  were  probably 
arrangements  like  the  anamorphoscope 
in  which  distorted  drawings  were  made 
to  assume  their  proper  appearance  by 
viewing  them  either  in  a  curved  mirror 
or  from  a  particular  point  of  view ;  or, 
by  means  of  glasses  ground  with  differ- 
ent curves  and  facets,  objects  may  be 
made  to  assume  the  most  extraordinary 
forms  or  be  multiplied  to  any  extent. 
Such  glasses  are  described  in  Scot's 
" Disco verie  of  Witchcraft"  (1584),  and 
Douce  says  that  they  cannot  be  exceeded 
in  number  by  any  modern  optician's 
shop  in  England.  References  to  this 
are  found  in  Sonn.  XXIV,  4  ;  All's.  V, 
3,  48  ;  RII.  II,  2,  18.  The  effect  which 
the  Duke  suggests  in  Tw.  V,  1,  224, 
might  be  produced  by  a  piece  of  glass 
with  two  facets  arranged  at  an  angle  to 
each  other.  A  single  object,  such  as  a 
person,  seen  through  a  glass  of  this  kind 
would  appear  double,  as  the  Duke 
describes. 

pert.  Lively.  Mids.  I,  1,  17.  In  Sh. 
this  word  was  not  used  in  the  somewhat 
bad  sense  given  to  it  later.  "Pert  is 
still  a  common  word  in  New  England, 
used  exactly  in  the  Sh.  sense  and  pro- 
nounced as  it  is  spelled  in  the  quartos 
peart,  i.e.,  peert."    Furness. 

perttaunt-like.  A  word  of  which  the 
meaning  has  not  yet  been  ascertained. 
LLL.  V,  2,  67. 

Peter,  dr.p.    A  friar.     Meas. 

Peter,  dr.p.   Horner's  apprentice.  2HVI. 

Peter,  dr.p.     Attendant  on  nurse.     Rom. 

Peter  of  Pomfret,  dr.p.  A  prophet.  John. 

Peto,  dr.p.  One  of  Falstaff's  followers. 
IHIV,  and  2HIV. 

Petrucio,  dr.p.  A  gentleman  of  Verona ; 
the  tamer  of  the  Shrew.     Shr. 

pettish.    Capricious.    Troil.  II,  3,  140. 

pettitoes.  The  feet.  Originally  it  meant 
pig's  feet,  but  afterwards  came  to  be 
applied  in  a  jocular  or  colloquial  way 
to  the  human  feet,  especially  as  used  in 
dancing.  Wint.  IV,  4,  619.  It  does  not 
necessarily  indicate  contempt,  as  some 


PEW 


218 


PHI 


have  it,  any  more  than  "fore-foot,"  as 
applied  to  the  hand  In  HV.  II,  1,  71. 

pew.  A  stall  or  pen.  Lr.  Ill,  4,  54.  Milton 
(1659)  uses  the  word  in  reference  to  the 
pens  in  which  sheep  were  kept  in  Smith- 
field  Market;  now  used  only  in  refer- 
ence to  seats  in  churches. 

pew-fellow.  A  companion  ;  a  comrade. 
RITI.  IV,  4,  58. 

Phaethon.  The  son  of  Apollo  by  the 
Oceanid  Clymene,  the  wife  of  Merops. 
His  father  gave  him  the  significant  name 
of  Phaethon,  that  is,  "the  shining,"  and 
afterwards  he  was  ambitious  and  pre- 
sumptuous enough  to  request  his  father 
to  allow  him,  for  one  day,  to  drive  the 
chariot  of  the  sun  across  the  heavens  so 
that  he  might  prove  their  relationship. 
After  long  persuasion  by  himself  and 
his  mother,  Clymene,  Apollo  consented, 
but  Phaethon  was  too  weak  to  con- 
trol the  fiery  horses,  which  broke 
away  from  him,  rushed  out  of  their 
usual  track,  and  came  so  near  the  earth 
as  almost  to  set  it  on  fire.  Tellus  then 
appealed  to  Jupiter  for  protection,  and 
he  hurled  a  thunderbolt  which  struck 
Phaethon  and  dashed  him  headlong  into 
the  river  Po,  where  he  was  drowned. 
His  sisters,  who  had  yoked  the  horses 
to  the  chariot,  while  standing  lamenting 
his  fate,  were  turned  into  poplar  trees 
and  their  tears  into  amber.     Gent.  Ill, 

1,  153 ;  Rom.  Ill,  2,  3  ;  3HVI.  I,  4,  33. 
See  Phoebus. 

phantasime.  A  fantastical  person.   LLL. 

IV,  1,  102. 
phantasma.    A  vision.     Caes.  II,  1,  65. 
Pharamond.    A  king  of  the  Franks  who 

instituted  the    Salic  law  in   a.d.   424. 

This  law  was   afterwards  ratified  by 

Clovis  I,  in  a  council  of  state.    HV.  I, 

2,  37. 

Phebe,  dr.p.    A  shepherdess.    As. 
Phebe,  v.    To  serve  as  Phebe  does;  to 

treat  cruelly.     As.  IV,  3,  39. 
Pheezar.    A  nonsensical  word  coined  by 

the  Host.    Malone  says,  "  A  made  word 

from  pheeze,''''  but   this   is   doubtful. 

Most  probably  "made  out  of  his  own 

head."    Wiv.  I,  3,  10. 


pheeze.  In  the  Fl.  this  is  spelled  phese 
in  Troil.  II,  3,  215 ;  pheeze  in  Shr.  Ind. 
I,  1 ;  and  in  the  old  play  fese.  It  has 
caused  some  trouble  to  the  coms.  Halli- 
well,  in  his  "  Dictionary  of  Archaic  and 
Provincial  Words,"  has  "pheeze,  to 
beat;  to  chastise;  to  humble."  He 
refei-s  to  Sh.  and  Ben  Jonson,  and  adds : 
"Forby  has  pheesy,  fretful,  irritable, 
which  he  supposes  to  be  connected  with 
this  word."  He  also  quotes  from  an 
MS.  Devon  Glossary  :  ^'To phease,  i.e., 
to  pay  a  person  off  for  an  injury."  In 
Ray's  "Proverbs "I  find:  "I'll  vease 
thee.  i.e.  Hunt  or  drive  thee.  Somer- 
set.''^ It  is  probably  equivalent  to  the 
colloquial  expression,  "I'll  take  him 
down,"  used  whether  physical  force  or 
mere  banter  is  employed. 

Rolf  e  quotes  Mr.  J.  Crosby:  "In  the 
North  of  England  they  have  a  word 
pronounced  p^a^e,  meaning  to  make  an 
impression  upon,  to  stir  up,  to  tousle, 
to  arouse  ;  as  in  'I  called  the  man  a 
scoundrel,  but  it  never  phazed  him ;" 
"I  hit  the  door  with  all  my  might, 
but  could  not  phaze  it.'  "  Mr.  Crosby 
thinks  that  perhaps  this  may  be  Shake- 
speare's word.  We  have  a  colloquialism 
in  common  use — to  faze  or  to  be  fazed, 
which  means  to  be  astonished,  dazed, 
daunted.  The  "Century  Dictionary" 
gives  as  an  illustration  a  quotation  from 
Trans.  Amer.  Philo.  Ass.  XVII,  39, 
being  the  expression  of  a  Vanderbilt 
professor  in  regard  to  a  Kentucky 
teacher — ' '  nothing/a2;es  him. ' '  May  it 
not  be  a  variant  of  daze  ?  I  have  never 
heard  it  applied  to  material  things,  but 
the  "Standard  Dictionary  "  illustrates 
by,  "the  chisel  will  not  fase  this  steel " 
(no  reference),  cf.  The  Scotch  fazart, 
a  coward. 

Phibbus.  Bottom's  blunder  for  Phoebus, 
q.v.    Mids.  I,  2,  37. 

Philario,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Posthumus. 
Cym. 

Philemon,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Cerimon.  Per. 

Philemon.  An  aged  Phrygian  who,  with 
his  wife,  Baucis,  lived  in  a  poor 
"thatched bouse."  As.  111,3, 11.  Jupiter 


PHI 


219 


PH(E 


and  Mercury  once  upon  a  time  assumed 
the  form  of  ordinary  mortals,  and  in  the 
gfuise  of  poor  travelers  wandered  into 
Phrygia  and  visited  a  village  where 
every  one  refused  to  receive  them.  At 
last  they  came  to  the  hut  of  Philemon, 
where  the  two  gods  were  treated  most 
kindly.  After  the  meal  the  gods  as- 
sumed their  true  forms  and  astonished 
their  hosts  by  their  size  and  splendour. 
The  poor  old  couple  were  frightened  at 
first,  but  Jupiter  reassured  them  and 
bade  them  follow  him  to  a  neighbouring 
height  from  which  all  the  district  was 
visible.  Here  they  saw  the  whole  vil- 
lage, with  the  exception  of  their  own 
hut,  submerged  and  destroyed.  The 
hut  was  metamorphosed  into  a  temple, 
and  Jupiter  asked  his  hosts  what  favor 
they  desired  of  him.  Their  prayer  was 
that  they  might  be  made  priest  and 
priestess  of  the  temple  and  die  together 
at  the  same  time.  Jove  granted  their 
wishes;  they  served  in  the  temple  for 
many  years,  and  at  last  one  day  when 
standing  in  the  door  of  the  temple  they 
were  metamorphosed  into  two  trees 
whose  branches  met  and  closely  en- 
twined with  each  other.  Alluded  to  in 
Ado.  II,  1,  99. 

Philip,  dr. p.     King  of  France.     John. 

Philip  Faulconbridge,  dr. p.  Bastard  son 
to  Richard  I.     John. 

Philip.  A  sparrow.  John  I,  1,  231.  Philip 
was,  and  still  is,  a  name  for  the  common 
sparrow,  perhaps  from  its  note,  phip, 
phip ;  the  speaker,  now  Sir  Richard, 
disdains  his  old  name  Philip.     Dyce. 

Philip  and  Jacob.  The  first  of  May ;  the 
festival  of  St.  Philip  and  St.  James. 
(Jacobus.)    Meas.  Ill,  2,  218. 

Philo,  dr.p.     A  friend  to  Antony.     Ant. 

Philomel.    1.  The  nightingale,  q.v.    Lucr. 
1079 ;  Sonn.  CII.  7;  Mids.  II,  2,  13. 
2.  The  daughter  of  Pandion.  Lucr.  1128 ; 
Tit.  II,  3,  43 ;  Cym.  II,  2,  46. 

Pandion,  King  of  Attica,  who  had 
two  daughters,  Philomela  and  Procne, 
called  in  the  assistance  of  Tereus,  son 
of  Mars  and  King  of  the  Thracians, 
against  some   enemy,    and   gave  him 


in  marriage  his  daughter  Procne,  by 
whom  he  had  a  son,  Itys.  Different 
accounts  are  given  of  his  treatment  of 
Procne  and  Philomela,  but  the  following 
is  the  one  generally  received :  After  five 
years  of  married  life,  Procne  longed  to 
see  her  sister,  and  Tereus  went  to  fetch 
Philomela.  As  soon  as  he  sa  w  his  sister- 
in-law  he  fell  in  love  with  her,  and  on 
the  journey  home  he  dishonored  hei-. 
Philomela,  having  upbraided  him  for 
his  perfidy,  he  cut  out  her  tongue  and 
shut  her  up  in  a  tower,  and  on  his 
return  told  Procne  that  her  sister  was 
dead.  But  Philomela  wove  the  story 
of  her  wrongs  into  a  peplus  or  kind  of 
shawl  and  sent  it  to  Procne,  who  took 
advantage  of  the  Bacchic  revels  to  go 
and  liberate  her  sister.  The  two  women 
then  returned  to  the  palace  of  Tereus 
and  revenged  themselves  by  killing  Itys 
and  serving  up  his  body  to  Tereus,  who 
partook  of  the  horrible  dish  and  was 
then  told  what  he  had  eaten.  He  tried 
to  kill  Procne  and  Philomela,  but  they 
fled  and  he  pursued  them  with  an  axe. 
When  the  sisters  were  overtaken,  they 
prayed  to  the  gods  for  help  and  were 
metamorphosed  into  birds,  Procne  be- 
coming a  swallow,  Philomela  a  nightin- 
gale and  Tereus  a  hawk. 

Philostrate,  dr.p.  Master  of  the  revels. 
Mids. 

Philotus,  dr.p.     A  servant.     Tim. 

Phoebe.  The  feminine  form  of  Phoebus. 
It  is  a  surname  of  Diana  in  her  capacity 
as  the  goddess  of  the  moon  (Luna),  the 
moon  being  regarded  as  the  female 
Phoebus  or  sun.  LLL.  IV,  2,  39 ;  Mids. 
I,  1,  209;  Tit.  I,  1,  316. 

Phoebus.  An  epithet  of  Apollo,  signify- 
ing The  Bright  or  Pure,  and  used  to 
signify  the  brightness  and  purity  of 
youth.  At  a  later  time,  when  Apollo 
became  connected  with  the  sun,  the 
name  Phoebus  was  also  applied  to  him 
as  the  sun-god.  The  references  to  him 
in  Sh.  are  numerous.  Tp.  IV,  1,  31 ; 
Merch.  II,  1,  5  ;  Lr.  II,  2,  114,  and  else- 
where. See  Apollo  and  Phcethon.  The 
allusion  in  Kins,  I,  2,  85,  to  Phoebusi 


PHOE 


220 


PIC 


when  he  broke  his  whipstock,  is  to  the 
story  of  Phsethon  in  Ovid.  The  day 
after  Phaethon's  death  Phoebus  could 
hardly  be  persuaded  to  drive  the  chariot 
of  the  sun.  once  more,  and  wreaked 
some  of  his  anger  upon  the  horses,  which 
he  lashed  severely."    Skeat. 

phcenix.  A  fabled  bird  of  Arabia,  said 
to  live  500  years,  when  it  makes  a  nest 
of  spices  in  which  it  burns  itself  to 
ashes  and  then  rises  with  life  renewed 
for  another  500  years.  There  is  said  to 
be  but  one  phoenix  living  at  a  time, 
hence  it  is  a  synonym  for  matchless  ex- 
cellence. As.  IV,  3,  17 ;  Cym.  I,  6,  17. 
The  palm  or  aate  tree  was  said  to  be 
the  habitation  or  throne  of  the  phoenix , 
and  Lyly  tells  us  that  "as  there  is  but 
one  phoenix  in  the  world,  so  is  there 
but  one  tree  in  Arabia  wherein  she 
buildeth."  Tp.  Ill,  3,  23.  It  is  to  the 
spiced  nest  in  which  the  phoenix  is 
burned  that  reference  is  made  in  Kins. 
I,  3, 70 — where.  Phoenix-like,  They  died 
in  perfume. 

phraseless.  Indescribable.  Lov.  Compl. 
225. 

Phrynia,  dr.p.  Mistress  to  Alcibiades. 
Tim. 

physic.  To  maintain  in  health.  Cym. 
Ill,  2,  34. 

physical.  Wholesome ;  medicinal.  Cor.  I, 
5, 18  ;  Cses.  II,  1,  261. 

pia  mater.  Properly,  the  membrane 
which  covers  the  brain,  but  used  by  Sh. 
for  the  brain  itself.  LLL.  IV,  2,  71 ; 
Tw.  I,  5,  123 ;  Troil.  II,  1,  77. 

pick,  V.  To  pitch.  Cor.  1, 1,  206 ;  HVIII. 
V,  4,  96. 

picked.  Quaint ;  punctilious.  Not  neces- 
sarily "refined,"  as  Schm.  gives  it,  but 
probably  the  opposite,  according  to  the 
modern  acceptation  of  the  word.  The 
term  was  connnon  in  Sh.  time  in  this 
sense  and  is  found  in  LLL.  V,  1,  14; 
John  I,  1,  193;  Hml.  V,  1,  151.  In  the 
first  passage  Johnson  reads  piqued, 
which  he  explains  thus  :  "To  have  the 
beard  piqued  or  shorn  so  as  to  end 
in  a  point,  was,  in  our  author's  time, 
A  mark  of  a  traveller  affecting  foreign 


fashions;  so  says  the  Bastard  in  K. 
John : 

I  catechise 
My  piqued  man  of  countries.'''' 

And  on  Hml.  V,  1,  151,  he  remarks : 
"  There  was,  I  think,  about  that  time,  a 
picked  shoe,  that  is,  a  shoe  with  a  long 
pointed  toe,  in  fashion,  to  which  the 
allusion  seems  likewise  to  be  made." 
But  I  think  the  use  of  the  word  by  Cot- 
grave  settles  the  true  meaning.  Thus 
he  has  the  word  "  Miste  ;  com.  Neat, 
spruce,  compt,  quaint,  picked,  minion, 
trickesie,  fine,  gay.'''  The  Clarendon ed. 
thinks  there  may  possibly  be  a  covert 
reference  here  to  the  pointed  shoes,  but 
the  context  does  not  seem  to  favor  that 
idea. 

pickers.  The  hands  ;  the  fingers.  Schm. 
defines  the  word  as  "thieves,"  which 
seems  scarcely  correct.  The  phrase 
pickers  and  stealers  (Hml.  Ill,  2,  348) 
means  simply  the  hands,  and  is  taken 
from  the  church  catechism,  where  the 
catech umen ,  in  his  d uty  to  his  neighbour, 
is  taught  to  keep  his  hand  from  pick- 
ing and  stealing.  Whalley.  "  By  these 
hands"  or  "by  these  bones"  was  an 
old  form  of  oath.     See  bones. 

picking.  Petty ;  insignificant.  2HIV.  IV, 
1,  198.  Schm.  defines  as  "sought  in- 
dustriously," but  all  the  best  English 
coms.  give  "insignificant." 

pickle  -  herring.  The  "pickle-herring  " 
of  Sir  Toby  (Tw.  I,  5,  129)  was  no  doubt 
not  only  "preserved  in  salt  liquor,"  but 
flavored  with  spices.  It  was  an  ai-ticle 
often  eaten  by  topers  to  create  an  ap- 
petite for  liquor.  The  learned  lexico- 
grapher. Dr.  Schmidt,  who  seems  to  be 
entirely  destitute  of  all  sense  of  humor, 
tells  us  that  "  Sir  Toby  seems  to  suffer 
from  heart-burning."  Not  at  all.  He 
is  drunk,  but  just  sol>er  enough  to  know 
that  he  is  di-unk,  and  the  joke  consists 
in  his  attributing  his  drunken  condition 
to  the  herring  instead  of  to  the  wine. 

Almost  as  rich  is  the  comment  by  C. 
and  M.  Clarke,  who  quote  the  Spectator 
to  show  that  "  pickled  herring"  is  used 
as  a  nickname,  and  add:  "Thus  Sir 


PIC 


PIN 


Toby,  asked  what  sort  of  gentleman  the 
youth  at  the  gate  is,  intends  to  describe 
him  scoffingly,  while  a  reminiscence  of 
his  last-eaten  provocative  to  drink  dis- 
turbs hiin  in  the  shape  of  a  hiccup." 
The  judicious  Rolfe  doubts  whether  any 
such  double  meaning  was  intended.  On 
the  plural  "herring"  in  the  usually 
singular  form,  Rolfe  notes:  "Many  of 
the  editors  have  followed  Malone  in 
changing  this  to  '  pickle-herrings  ' ;  but 
it  is  a  legitimate  plural,  like  trout,  sal- 
mon and  other  names  of  fishes,  cf.  Lr. 
Ill,  6,  33:  'two  white  herring.'  The 
regular  fonn  of  the  plural  is  also  u.sed 
[2HVI.  lY,  2,  36],  as  in  the  case  of  some 
other  nouns  of  this  class. " 
pick-thanks.    Officious   fellows.     IHIV. 

Ill,  3,  25. 
Pickt-hatch.     A  place  in  London  noted 
as  the  resort  of  bad  characters.     Wiv. 
II,  2,  19. 

The  exact  position  of  this  celebrated 
locality  has  never  been  fully  determined. 
It  lay  amongst  certain  scattered  col- 
lections of  small  tenements,  generally 
with  gardens  attached  to  them,  and  the 
name  was  probably  derived  from  the 
iron  spikes  placed  over  the  half-door  or 
hatch,   one   of   the    characteristics    of 
houses  of  a  certain  kind.     See  hatch. 
pie.     1.    The  magpie.    3HVI.  V,  6,  48. 
2.   The    service-book    of    the    Romish 
Church,  supposed  to  be   meant  in  the 
oath  hy  cock  and  pie  ==  by  God  and  his 
worship.     Wiv.  1, 1,  316  ;  2HIV.  V,  1,  1. 
piece.    The  usual  meaning  is,  a  part ;  a 
portion.     And  in  this  sense  it  is  fre- 
quently used  by  Sh.,  e.gr.,  Tp.  I,  2,  8  ; 
Wiv.  V,  5,  86,  and  many  other  passages. 
But  there  are  some  passages,  such  as 
Tp.  I,  2,  56  ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  31,  and  V,  3, 
38;  HVIII.  V,  5,  27;  Troil.  IV,  1,  61 ; 
Cym.  V,  5,  439;  Per.  IV,  2,  48,  in  which 
R.  G.  White  claims  that  piece  means  a 
woman,  and  that  in  Sh.  time  the  word 
was  commonly  used  with  that  meaning 
Thus  in  Constance  of  Cleveland  ("Rox- 
burghe  Ballads  ")  we  find  the  lines : 
The  knight  with  his  fair  piece 
At  length  the  lady  spied. 


And  in  Drayton's  "English  Heroicall 
Epistles  "  the  word  is  used  in  the  same 

sense : 

Nor  by  Ambitious  Lures   will   I   be 

bought 
In  my  chaste  breast  to  harbour  such 

a  thought 
As  to  be  worthy  to  be  made  a  Bride 
A  Piece  unfit  for  Princely  Edward's 

side. 

For  a  full  discussion  of  the  question, 
see  White's  "Riverside  Edition,"  Vol. 

1,  pp.  XIV,  et  seq. 

pied.    Variegated ;  parti-colored.    Tp.  Ill, 

2,  71  (in  allusion  to  the  motley  or  parti- 
colored coat  worn  by  fools) ;  LLL.  V,  2, 
904  ;  Merch.  I,  3,  80. 

pieled.  An  old  way  of  spelling  peeled^  q.v. 

Pierce,  Sir,  of  Exton,  dr.p.    RII. 

piglit.  An  obsolete  preterite  and  past 
participle  of  pitch.  Pitched;  fixed. 
Troil.  V,  10, 24.  Resolved  ;  determined. 
Lr.  II,  1,  67.     See  straight-pight. 

Pigrogromitus.    See  Qiieubus. 

pike.    See  rake  ;  also  vice. 

pilcliard,  )    1.    A  fish  much  resembling 

pilclier.     S     the  herring.     Tw.  Ill,  1,  39. 
2.  A  scabbard  (cant  and  contemptuous). 
Rom.  Ill,  1,  84. 

"No  other  example  known  as  used 
here  for  scabbard  ;  probably  the  same 
as  pilch,  a  leather  coat  or  cloak,  and 
hence  applied  to  scabbard."  Doivden. 
Staunton  conjectures  pitch,  sir  ;  Singer 
reads  pitcher;  Warburton,  pilche;  in 
the  Fl.,  Pilcher. 

piled.  In  the  passage,  piled  as  thou  art 
piled,  for  a  French  velvet  (Meas.  I,  2, 
35),  there  is  an  obvious  quibble  between 
piled  =  peeled  (stripped  of  hair ;  bald 
from  the  French  disease)  and  piled  as 
applied  to  velvet,  three-piled  velvet 
meaning  the  finest  and  costliest  kind  of 
velvet.    Dyce. 

pill,  V.  To  rob  ;  plunder ;  pillage.  RII.  IL 
1,  246;  RIIL  I,  3,  159;  Tim.  IV,  1,  12. 

pin.  According  to  Gifford,  the  clout  is 
"the  wooden  pin  by  which  the  target  is 
fastened  to  the  butt.  As  the  head  of 
this  pin  was  commonly  painted  white, 
to  hit  the  white  and  hit  the  clout  were, 


TIN 


PIT 


of  course,  synonymous."  This  explana- 
tion has  been  quoted  quite  extensively, 
but  its  accuracy  is  doubtful.  See  clout, 
ante.  Malone  explains  it  thus:  "The 
clout  or  white  mark  at  which  the  arrows 
are  directed  was  fastened  by  a  black 
pin  placed  in  the  center."  This  gloss 
is  sustained  by  a  passage  in  Middleton's 
iVb  Wit,  No  Help  Like  a  Woman'' s,  II, 
1,  27 :  "  And  I'll  cleave  the  black  pin  in 
the  midst  of  the  white. "  LLL.  IV,  1, 
138  ;  Rom.  II,  4,  15. 
pin  and  web.  A  disease  of  the  eye; 
cataract.  Wint.  1, 2, 291  ;  Lr.  Ill,  4, 120. 
pinch.  1.  To  trick ;  to  make  ridiculous. 
Shr.  II,  1,  373 ;  Wint.  II,  1,  51 ;  Ant.  II, 
7,7. 

2.  To  steal.    Wint.  IV,  4,  622. 
Pinch,  dr.p.    A  schoolmaster  and  con- 
juror.    Err. 
Pindarus,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Cassius.  Cses. 
pinfold.    A  pound ;  a  place  where  stray 
cattle  are  kept.    Gent.   I,  1,  114;  Lr. 
11,2,9. 
pinked.    Worked  in  eyelet-holes.    HVIII. 

V,  4,  50. 
pink  eyne.  Eyes,  small  and  half-closed  as 
if  looking  through  an  eyelet-hole.  See 
pinked.  The  word  has  no  relation  to 
pink,  a  color.  Ant.  II,  7,  121. 
pioned.  Explained  by  some  as  overgrown 
with  marsh-marigold.  Tp.  IV,  1,  64. 
The  marsh-marigold  is  even  at  present 
called  peony  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Stratford.  Others  define  it  as  trenched 
or  dug  (pionered  ?).  The  line  has  given 
rise  to  much  discussion.  See  twilled. 
pioner.  A  soldier  whose  office  is  to 
dig,  level,  remove  obstructions,  form 
trenches  and  do  all  work  executed  with 
un  warlike  tools,  as  spades,  etc.  Captain 
Grose  gives  instances  to  show  that  the 
situation  of  a  pioner  or  pioneer  was 
formerly  a  degradation.  A  soldier,  of 
course,  considers  himself  superior  to  a 
mere  laborer,  consequently  it  must  be  a 
degradation  to  him  to  be  turned  into 
that  corps.  Nares.  Hml.  1, 5, 163 ;  0th. 
111,3,346.  In  "The  Laws  and  Ordinances 
of  War,"  established  by  the  Earl  of 
Essex,  and  printed  in  1640,  is  the  follow- 


ing :  "  If  a  trooper  shall  loose  his  horse 
or  hackney,  or  a  footman  any  part  of 
his  arms,  by  negligence  or  lewdness,  by 
dice  or  cardes,  he  or  they  shall  remain 
in  qualitie  of  pioners  or  scavengers,  till 
they  be  furnished  with  as  good  as  were 
lost,  at  their  own  charge."  Walker 
shows  that  the  spelling  pioner  must  be 
retained  on  account  of  the  verse. 

A  pioneer  is  now  a  honorable  desig- 
nation, and  the  work  of  preparing  the 
way  for  the  army  is  confided  to  a  highly 
trained  corps,  the  Sappers  and  Miners. 

pip.  A  spot  on  a  card.  Shr.  I,  2,  33.  A 
pip  out  =  intoxicated,  with  reference 
to  a  game  called  "  one  and  thirty." 

pipe-wine.  Wine  from  the  butt  or  pipe. 
Wiv.  Ill,  2,  94.  A  play  upon  the  other 
meaning  of  pipe  ;  a  musical  instrument 
to  which  country  people  often  danced. 

Pirithous,  dr.p.  An  Athenian  general. 
Kins. 

Pisanio,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Posthumus. 
Cym. 

Pistol,  dr.p.  One  of  Falstaff's  followers 
and  a  soldier  in  the  army  of  Henry  V. 
Wiv.,  2HIV.  and  HV. 

pistol's  length.  Evidently  not  the  mere 
length  of  the  weapon,  but  its  range  or 
the  distance  at  which  it  is  effective. 
Per.  I,  1,  168. 

This  is,  of  course,  a  gross  anachronism, 
and,  indeed,  the  same  is  true  of  the 
mention  of  the  pistol  in  every  play  ex- 
cept, perhaps.  The  Merry  Wives  of 
Windsor.  Steevens  notes  that  Beau- 
mont and  Fletcher  in  The  Humorous 
Lieutenant  have  equipped  Demetrius 
Poliorcetes,  one  of  the  immediate  suc- 
cessors of  Alexander  the  Great,  with 
the  same  weapon.  But  these  mistakes 
do  not  detract  in  the  slightest  from  the 
effect  of  the  play. 

pitch,  n.  The  height  to  which  a  falcon 
soars.  RII.  I,  1,  109;  2HVI.  II,  1,  6. 
In  Sonn.  VII,  9,  it  refers  to  the  position 
of  the  sun  at  noon. 

The  meaning  of  the  passage  (HVIIL 
II,  2,  49),  Lito  what  pitch  he  please,  is 
not  V ery clear.  Hanmer reads  "pinch ; " 
Theobald  suggests  "batch;"  Rolfe  de- 


PIT 


223 


PLA 


fines  pitch   here   as    stature,    height ; 
Schm.,  height  ?  or  baseness  ? 

pitch,  V.  To  place  firmly  ;  to  set.  Meas. 
11,2,  172;  RIIL  V,  3,  1. 

"  To  understand  the  allusion  in  IHVI. 
Ill,  1,  103,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
before  beginning  a  battle  it  was  cus- 
tomary for  the  archers  and  other  foot- 
men to  encompass  themselves  with  sharp 
stakes  firmly  pitched  in  the  ground  to 
prevent  theii*  being  overpowered  by  the 
cavalry."  Staunton.  This  is  clearly 
described  in  same  play,  I,  1,  115,  et  seq. 
The  expression  pitch  and  play,  HV. 
II,  3,  51,  was  a  proxerbial  one  in  Sh. 
time,  and  meant  to  pay  down  at  once 
or  pay  on  delivery.  The  origin  is 
obscure,  though  the  meaning  is  well 
settled.  Middleton's  Blurt,  Master 
Constable,  I,  2,  171,  has. 
But  will  you  pitch  and  pay,  or  will 
your  worship  run  ? 
In  Herod  and  Antipater  we  find, 

He  that  will  purchase  this 
Must  pitch  and  pay. 
It  is  said  that  the  expression  is  derived 
from  the  term  pitching  as  used  in 
market  places,  meaning  to  secure  a 
stand.  One  of  the  old  laws  of  Black  weU 
Hall  was  that  "a  penny  be  paid  by  the 
owner  of  every  bale  of  cloth  for  pitch- 
ing."   Nares. 

pittikins.  Little  pity.  Being  pity  with 
the  addition  of  the  affix  kin  {lambkin, 
bodikins,  etc).  Cym.  IV,  2,  293.  See 
'Oti's. 

pity.  The  phrase,  it  were  pity  of  my  life, 
Mids.  Ill,  1,  44,  has  a  peculiar  con- 
struction. See  "  Shakespearean  Gram- 
mar," sec.  174.  The  meaning  is,  "it 
were  a  sad  thing  for  my  life,  that  is, 
forme."  Wright,  cf.  Wiv.  I,  1,40; 
Meas.  II,  1,  77. 

placket.  This  word  occurs  five  times  in 
Sh. ,  and  although  it  was  common  and 
well-understood  in  his  day,  it  has  given 
rise  to  no  little  discussion  amongst 
modern  coms.  It  has  been  taken  to 
mean  a  petticoat,  an  under  petticoat,  a 
stomacher,  a  woman's  pocket,  a  slit  in 
a  petticoat  and,  figuratively,  a  woman. 


That  it  has  the  last  meaning  in  LLL. 
Ill,  1,  186,  and  TroU.  II,  3,  22,  is  very 
obvious.  In  Wint.  IV,  4,  622,  it  prob- 
ably means  a  woman's  pocket ;  pinching 
a  placket  and  gelding  a  codpiece  of  a 
purse  are  similar  expressions,  strictly 
in  Autolycus's  line,  he  being  confessedly 
a  pickpocket  and  thief.  Pinch  is  even 
now  a  slang  word  for  certain  kinds  of 
theft.  See  "Lexicon  Balatronicum. " 
We  may  here  note  that  the  placket  or 
woman's  pocket  was  not  "  a  pocket  in  a 
woman's  dress,"  as  stated  in  the  "  Cen- 
tury Dictionary."  Elderly  men,  whose 
memory  goes  back  to  the  time  when 
their  grandmothers  or,  perhaps,  mothers 
wore  the  old-fashioned  pocket  or  placket, 
will  remember  that  it  was  a  peculiarly 
shaped  bag  which  was  carried  by  being 
tied  round  the  waist  by  means  of  strong 
tape,  and  was  reached  through  a  hole 
in  the  dress  or  even  petticoat,  called 
the  placket-hole.  Old-country  boj'S  of 
seventy  years  ago,  if  now  living,  must 
remember  these  pockets  with  delight. 
They  were  quite  capacious  and  always 
contained  a  store  of  good  things. 

So  far  then,  the  meaning  of  placket 
in  three  out  of  the  five  passages  seems 
obvious,  but  in  "Wint.  IV,  4,  245,  and 
Lr.  Ill,  4,  100,  the  application  is  not  so 
clear  and,  indeed,  can  scarcely  be  dis- 
cussed fully  in  this  place.  That  placket 
sometimes  meant  a  petticoat  is  certain. 
Thus,  in  Crowme's  "  Sir  Courtly  Nice," 
II  (1685),  we  find,  "  The  word  Love  is  a 
fig-leaf  to  cover  the  naked  sense,  a 
fashion  brought  up  by  Eve,  the  mother 
of  jilts ;  she  cuckolded  her  husband 
with  the  serpent,  then  pretended  to 
modesty,  and  fell  a  making  plackets 
presently."  The  conclusion  reached  by 
White  is  this :  "  It  is  clear,  at  least,  that 
the  placket,  in  Shakespeare's  time  and 
after,  was  an  article  of  feminine  apparel 
so  secret  as  not  to  admit  description, 
and  so  common  as  not  to  require  it;  and 
that,  consequently,  the  thing  having 
passed  out  of  use,  the  word  statnominis 
umbra.''''  Furness,  referring  to  the  use 
of  this  word  in  Wint.  IV,  4,  245,  says  : 


PLA 


224 


PIE 


"It  is  quite  sufficient  to  comprehend 
that  the  clown  asks  in  effect,  Will  you 
wear  as  an  outer  garment  that  which 
should  be  an  inner  one?"  Those  who 
desire  to  look  further  into  the  subject 
should  consult  White's  "Studies  in 
Shakespeare,"  p.  342,  and  Halli well's 
"  Dictionary  of  Archaic  and  Provincial 
Words."    s.v.  placket. 

plain  song.  "By  which  expression  the 
uniform  modulation  or  simplicity  of  the 
chaunt  was  anciently  distinguished,  in 
opposition  to  prick-song  or  variegated 
music  sung  by  note."  T.Warton.  Mids. 
Ill,  1,134;  HVIII.  1,3,45. 

plaited.    Folded ;  intricate.     Lr.  1, 1, 183. 

plane hed.  Made  of  planks  or  boards. 
Meas.  IV,  1,  30. 

plant.    The  sole  of  the  foot.    Ant.  II,  7,  2. 

plantage.  Anything  planted ;  vegetation. 
Ellacombe,  however,  thinks  it  means 
plantain.  Troil.  Ill,  2,  184.  Warburton 
thinks  that  this  passage  refers  distinctly 
to  the  influence  of  the  moon  upon  grow- 
ing plants.  That  this  idea  was  a  very 
common  one  at  that  time  is  shown  by 
the  directions  given  by  Tusser  in  his 
"Five  Hundred  Points  of  Good  Hus- 
bandry,"  under    February^  where    he 


Sow  peason  and  beans,  in  the  wane  of 
the  moon, 

Who  soweth  them  sooner,  he  soweth 
too  soon. 

That  they  with  the  planet  may  rest 
and  arise, 

And  flourish,  with  bearing  most  plen- 
tiful wise. 

The  superstition  is  not  yet  extinct. 
Many  of  the  Dutch  farmers  in  Penn- 
sylvania observe  the  waxing  and  waning 
of  the  moon  and  in  their  agricultural 
operations  follow  its  indications  most 
religiously. 
Plantagenet,  Richard,  dr. p.  Duke  of 
York.     IHVI.,  2HVI.  and  3HVI. 

The  name  Plantagenet  literally  means 
broom-plant,  which  was  the  emblem  of 
Geoffrey,  Count  of  Anjou.  His  son, 
Henry  II,  founded  the  Plantagenet  line 
of  £i^lish  kings.  The  origin  of  the  term 


is  very  uniquely  given  in  the  well-known 
lines  of  Barham  : 

A  very  great  king  who'd  an  Angevin 

hat, 
With  a  great  sprig  of  broom,  which 

he  wore  as  a  badge  in  it, 
Named  from  this  circumstance,  Henry 

Plantagenet. 

There  were  eight  kings  in  this  line, 
ending  with  Richard  II,  who  died  in 
1399. 

plantain.  A  common  plant  of  which 
there  are  several  species.  Still  in  com- 
mon use  by  country  people  as  a  healing 
applicaticm  for  wounds.  It  seems  to 
act  as  a  styptic  when  bruised  or  chewed 
and  laid  on  a  cut.     LLL.  Ill,  1,  75. 

plantation.  Cokmizing ;  establishing ; 
founding  of  laws  and  manners.  Tp.  II, 
1,  143.  The  colonies  in  Virginia  and 
Massachusetts  were  called  "planta- 
tions," not  from  any  reference  to  the 
setting  out  of  trees  or  other  plants, 
but  because  the  word  was  in  use  as  a 
synonym  for  colony. 

plash.    A  pool  of  water.     Shr.  I,  1,  23. 

plate,  n.  A  flat  piece  of  metal,  hence 
money.     Ant.  V,  2,  92. 

plate,  v:  To  clothe  in  armor.  RII.  I,  3, 
28 ;  Lr.  IV,  6,  169;  Ant.  I,  1,  4. 

platform.   Scheme;  plan.   IHVI.  II,  1,77. 

plausibly.    By  acclamation.     Lucr.  1854. 

plausive.  Plausible  ;  pleasing ;  specious. 
All's.  I,  2,  53 ;  Hml.  I,  4,  30. 

Players,  dr. p.  Characters  in  the  Induc- 
tion.    Shr. 

Players,  dr. p.  Characters  in  the  play. 
Hml. 

play-feres.  Playmates.  Kins.  IV,  3,  92. 
See  fere. 

pleached.  Interwoven;  intertwined.  Ado. 
Ill,  1,  7;  Ant.  IV,  14,73. 

"In  Ado.  I,  2,  10,  it  may  be  that 
it  is  the  sides  of  the  '  alley '  that  are 
'pleached,'  but  in  III,  1,  7,  it  would 
appear  that  the  bower  is  pleached  over- 
head by  the  honey-suckles.  The  over- 
head .  pleaching  seems  more  in  accord- 
ance with  the  Italian  practice,  but  thick 
pleached  hedges  are  better  adapted  to 
conceal  listeners. "    Furness. 


PLE 


PLU 


pleas'inan.  An  officious  or  servile  pei'son 
who  courts  favor ;  a  pick  thank.  LLL. 
V,  2,  463. 

pledge.  Used  by  a  sort  of  metonomy  for 
drink.  To  pledge  one  in  a  cup  is  to 
drink  with  one.  The  triumph  of  his 
pledge  (Hml.  I,  4,  13)  =  his  glorious 
achievement  as  a  drinker,  cf.  Burns's 
ballad  of  The  Whistle,  of  the  origin  of 
which  he  gives  the  following  account : 
"  In  the  train  of  Anne  of  Denmark, 
when  she  came  to  Scotland  with  our 
James  the  Sixth,  there  came  over  also 
a  Danish  gentleman  of  gigantic  stature 
and  great  prowess  and  a  matchless 
champion  of  Bacchus.  He  had  a  little 
ebony  whistle,  which  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  orgies  he  laid  on  the  table  ; 
and  whoever  was  last  able  to  blow  it, 
everybody  else  being  disabled  by  the 
potency  of  the  bottle,  was  to  carry  off 
the  whistle  as  a  trophy  of  victory.  *  *  * 
After  many  overthrows  on  the  part  of 
the  Scots,  the  Dane  was  encountered  by 
Sir  Robert  Laurie,  of  Maxwelton,  who, 
after  three  days  and  three  nights  hard 
contest,  left  the  Scandinavian  under  the 
table  and  'blew  on  the  whistle  his  re- 
quiem shrill.'  " 

So  it  would  appear  that  the  reputation 
of  the  Danes  for  potency  in  drinking 
was  generally  acknowledged  in  the  time 
of  Shakespeare. 

plighted.  Folded  ;  intricate.   Lr.  I,  1, 283. 

pluck  up.  To  rouse  up.  Pluck  up,  my 
heart,  and  be  sad  (Ado.  V,  1,  207)  = 
rouse  yourself  and  be  serious.    See  sad. 

plume  up.  This  phrase,  as  it  occurs  in 
0th.  I,  3,  399,  has  generally  been  ex- 
plained as  to  cause  to  triumph,  some- 
what in  the  sense  in  which  we  use  the 
expression  "he  plumes  himself  upon 
such  or  such  a  feat, ' '  and  Co wden  Clarke, 
accepting  it  in  this  sense,  has  the  fol- 
lowing note:  "This,  in  lago's  mouth, 
has  most  characteristic  effect ;  as  if  any 
project  that  involved  reduplication  of 
knavery  were  a  feather  in  the  cap  of 
his  depraved  will — a  thing  to  plume 
himself  upon  as  a  feat  of  intellectual 
volition.  The  words  Shakespeare  chooses 


are  so  significant,  so  inclusive,  that  they 
suggest  a  crowd  of  images  in  their  ex- 
pressive conciseness."  And  yet  I  doubt 
the  accuracy  of  the  gloss.  lago  is  study- 
ing how  to  undermine  Cassio;  he  has 
made  his  decision  and  determines  to 
"  plume  up"— that  is,  to  strengthen  or 
brace  up  his  will  so  that  this  determina- 
tion may  be  carried  out.  The  glory,  if 
such  it  might  be  called,  would  not  accrue 
to  his  ivill,  but  to  his  inventive  poivers; 
and  he  tries  to  get  his  will  in  good 
feather,  like  a  vigorous  bird,  and  not 
like  one  whose  feathers  droop.  The 
First  Quarto  has  make  instead  of  plume, 
which  seems  to  confirm  my  suspicion. 
pluresie,  [  Superabundance;  unnatural 
pluresy.  )  excess ;  plethora.  Hml.  IV, 
7,  117;  Kins.  V,  1,66. 

This  word  is  not  the  same  as  the  name 
of  the  disease  known  to  modern  medicine 
as  pleurisy.  Pleurisy  is  the  name  now 
given  to  inflammation  of  the  pleural 
covering  of  the  lungs.  The  word 
pluresy  is  "evidently  formed  as  if  from 
Latin  phiri — crude  form  of  plus,  more 
— by  an  extraordinary  confusion  with 
pleurisy.''''  Skeat. 
Pluto.  The  god  of  the  infernal  regions. 
He  was  the  son  of  Saturn  and  Rhea  and 
brother  of  Jupiter  and  Neptune.  In 
the  division  of  the  world  among  the 
three  brothers  Pluto  obtained  the  nether 
world,  the  abode  of  the  shades  over 
which  he  reigns.  He  carried  off  Proser- 
pine (see  Proserpine)  and  made  her 
his  wife.  He  possessed  a  helmet  which 
rendered  the  wearer  invisible,  and  the 
old  legends  say  that  both  gods  and  men 
were  honored  by  Pluto  with  the  tem- 
porary use  of  it.  (See  Perseus.)  His 
character  is  described  as  fierce  and 
inexorable,  whence  of  all  the  gods  he 
was  most  hated  by  moi'tals.  He  was 
called  by  the  Greeks  Hades  and  by  the 
Romans  Orcus,  Tartarus  and  Dis.  He 
is  represented  as  an  elderly  man  with  a 
dignified,  but  severe,  aspect,  and  often 
as  holding  in  his  hand  a  two-pronged 
fork.  His  ordinary  attributes  are  the 
key  of  Hades  and  Cerberus.    Referred 


PLV 


POL 


to  in  several  passages,  amongst  others, 
2HIV.  II,  4,  169;  Troil.  IV,  4, 139  ;  Cor. 

1,  4,  36. 

Plutus.  The  god  of  gold  and  riches ;  re- 
garded as  the  personification  of  wealth. 
He  was  the  son  of  lasion  and  Ceres.  It 
is  said  that  at  the  wedding  of  Harmonia, 
the  sister  of  lasion,  Ceres  fell  in  love 
with  him  and  in  a  thrice- ploughed  field 
became  by  him  the  mother  of  Plutus. 
It  is  said  that  Jupiter  deprived  him  of 
sight  so  that  he  might  not  bestow  his 
favors  on  righteous  men  exclusively, 
but  that  he  might  distribute  his  gifts 
blindly  and  without  regard  to  merit. 
In  ancient  art  he  seems  to  have  been 
commonly  represented  as  a  boy  with  a 
cornucopia.  All's.  V,  3,  101  ;  Troil.  Ill, 
3,  197;  Tim.  I,  1,287. 

ply.    See  music. 

Poins,  dr.p.  One  of  Falstaff's  followers. 
IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

point.  1.  "A  tagged  lace,  common  in 
ancient  dress— pom^s  being  generally 
used  to  fasten  the  hose  or  breeches  to 
the  doublet,  but  sometimes  serving 
merely  for  ornament.  Shr.  Ill,  2,  49. 
Ties  his  points  =  acts  as  his  body 
servant.  Ant.  Ill,  18, 157.  Very  obvious 
punning  in  Tw.  I,  5,  25 ;  IHIV.  II,  4, 
238 ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  206. 

2,  A  signal  given  by  the  blast  of  trum- 
pet.  2HIV.  IV,  1,  52.  Hence  =  direc- 
tion; command.     Cor.  IV,  6,  125. 

3.  A  quibble  on  the  French  negative  ne 
point  =  not  at  all.  No  point  in  English 
is  a  punning  form  of  not  at  all  in  French. 
LLL.  II,  1,  190;  V,  2,  277.  Touching 
now  the  point  of  human  skill  (Mids.  II, 

2,  119)  =  having  reached  the  height  of 
discernment  possible  to  man. 

point  -  blanlc.  Without  elevating  the 
muzzle ;  hence,  directly.  Wiv.  Ill,  2, 
a5;  2HVI.  IV,  7,  28.  Schm.  defines  it 
as  "with  a  certain  aim,  so  as  not  to 
miss."  But  this  does  not  at  all  convey 
the  idea,  which  is  rather  that  of  "  with- 
in easy  range." 

point-device,  /   1.  Affectedly  nice  ;  finical. 

point-devise.  )'  A  translation  of  the  old 
French :  d  point  devis  =  according  to  a 


point  that  is  devised  or  imagined.     As. 
Ill,  2,  401. 
2.  Exactly.     Tw.  II,  5,  176. 

polcing-sticlcs.  Irons  for  setting  out  ruffs. 
Wint.  IV,  3,  228. 

Polaclc.  The  Polanders.  Said  by  some 
to  be  used  in  the  singular  as  "  Dane  "  is 
in  Hml.  I,  2,  44.  The  cases  are  different, 
however.  Is  it  not  rather  an  adjective, 
people  being  understood  as  when  we  say 
the  British  ?  At  any  rate,  the  meaning 
is  obvious  in  Hml.  II,  2,  75  ;  do.  IV,  4, 
23,  and  V,  2,  388.  In  the  Fl.  the  modes 
of  spelling  in  these  passages  are,  Poleak 
in  the  first,  and  Polake  in  the  third. 
The  sentence  containing  the  second 
quotation  is  omitted  from  the  Fl.,  and 
a  long  passage  has  here  been  supplied 
to  the  g.  a.  text  from  the  Quartos.  The 
word  as  used  in  this  sense  is  probably 
adopted  from  the  French  Polaque.  But 
the  meaning  of  the  word  found  in  Hml. 
I,  1,  63,  has  given  rise  to  a  good  deal  of 
discussion.  In  the  Fl.  the  spelling  is 
"  Pollax,"  and  under  this  word  we  will 
consider  it.     See  Pollax. 

pole.  The  passage  in  Ant.  IV,  15,  65,  The 
soldiers''  pole  is  faWn,  is  taken  by 
Johnson  to  mean:  "He  at  whom  the 
soldiers  pointed,  as  at  a  pageant,  held 
high  for  observation."  Upon  which 
Bos  well  remarks:  "The  pole,  I  appre- 
hend, is  the  standard.'''' 

pole-dipt  vineyard.  "  A  vineyard  in 
which  the  poles  are  dipt  (embraced)  by 
the  vines."  Dyce.  See  clip.  Schm. 
explains  it  as  a  vineyard  "hedged  in 
with  poles,"  but  it  is  doubtful  if  vine- 
yards were  ever  so  protected.  War- 
burton  emended  to  pale-clip)t,  i.e.,  sur- 
'  rounded  with  a  fence.  This  makes  good 
sense,  but  the  meaning  given  by  Dyce 
is  probably  the  correct  one.  Tp.  IV, 
1,68. 

Polixenes,  dr.p.  King  of  Bohemia.  Wint. 

Pollax.  This  word  is  spelled  Polacks  in 
the  g.  a.  text  (Hml.  1, 1,  6:^)  and  is  taken 
to  mean  natives  of  Poland.  See  Polack. 
Polacks  has  been  adopted  by  the  Cam- 
bridge eds.  In  the  Fl.  the  word  is 
Pollax,  and  not  Pollax  as  stated  in  the 


POL 


POL 


"Cambridge  Shakespeare,"  in  which 
the  variorum  readings  are  all  printed  in 
italics.  It  is  pollax  in  the  First,  Second, 
Third  and  Fom-th  Quartos;  Pollax  in 
the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Quartos  and  the 
Second  Folio ;  Polax  in  the  Third  Folio 
and  Pole-axe  in  the  Fourth  Folio. 

The  question  which  has  arisen  is : 
Does  the  expression  "sledded  Pollax" 
of  the  Fl.  mean  Polanders  (Polacks) 
seated  in  sleighs  or  sledges,  or  does  it 
mean  a  battle-axe  or  pole-axe  with  a 
long  handle  and  a  heavy  sledge  or  ham- 
mer attached  to  the  head,  or,  rather, 
forming  a  part  of  it  ? 

Ro we  adopted  the  spelling  ' '  Pole-axe ' ' 
from  the  Fourth  Folio ;  Pope,  who 
printed  from  Rowe,  changed  this  to 
"Polack,"  appending  the  following 
note  :  "  He  speaks  of  the  Prince  of 
Poland  whom  he  slew  in  battle.  He 
uses  the  word  Polack  again,  Act  2,  Sc, 
4."  Malone  added  an  s  so  as  to  make 
the  pronunciation  of  the  word  corre- 
spond to  that  of  the  word  in  the  early- 
editions,  and  the  whole  credit  of  the 
so-called  emendation  has  generally  been 
given  to  him,  though  it  is  evident  that 
to  Pope  belongs  the  credit,  if  credit  it 
can  be  called,  of  the  first  suggestion. 

Furness  says  that  "  the  German  com- 
mentators have  found  more  diflSculty 
in  this  phrase  than  the  English,"  and 
devotes  nearly  two  pages  to  a  discussion 
of  the  subject,  but  he  advances  no 
arguments  of  his  own  on  either  side  and 
makes  no  decision  in  the  matter.  But 
from  the  fact  that,  notwithstanding  his 
well-known  prepossession  in  favor  of 
the  FL,  he  adopts  "Polacks"  into  his 
text,  it  is  to  be  assumed  that  he  favors 
the  "Polander"  gloss. 

Most  of  the  coms.  who  have  adopted 
the  "Polacks"  reading  pour  unmiti- 
gated ridicule  upon  those  who  claim 
that  the  phrase  means  a  pole-axe  or 
battle-axe.  R.  G.  White,  in  his  review 
of  Schm.  "  Lexicon,"  who,  by  the  way, 
adopts  the  pole-axe  explanation,  says : 
"There  could  not  be  better  evidence  of 
Dr.  Schmidt's  superfluity  as  a  Shake- 


spearean lexicographer  than  this  amaz- 
ing, and  I  must  be  pardoned  for  saying 
ridiculous,  explanation.  The  absurdity 
of  it  is  felt  by  every  English-minded 
reader  more  easily  than  it  is  explained. 
It  is  so  laughably  inconsistent  with  the 
tone  of  this  scene,  awful  with  the  wraith 
of  the  majesty  of  buried  Denmark,  to 
picture  the  royal  Dane  smiting  the  ice 
with  his  pole-axe,  like  a  testy  old  heavy 
father  in  a  comedy."  "Studies  in 
Shakespeare,"  p.  304. 

Rolfe,  after  adopting  "  Polacks"  into 
his  text,  explains  "sledded  Polacks" 
as  "Polanders  on  sleds  or  sledges," 
and  after  a  short  discussion  of  the 
question  adds:  "Furness  gives  nearly 
two  pages  of  comical  German  com- 
ments on  the  passage,  with  some 
English  ones  equally  amusing,"  and 
he  illustrates  the  line  with  an  en- 
graving taken  from  Verplanck's  edition, 
in  which  the  elder  Hamlet  is  represented 
on  horseback  smiting  the  "Polack," 
who  is  sitting  in  a  sledge  and  defending 
himself  with  his  sword  against  the  Dane, 
who  is  represented  as  armed  with  a 
sledded  battle-axe,  i.e.,  a,  battle-axe  with 
a  sledge  or  hammer  on  the  head  or  part 
opposite  the  edge  !  !  This  is  certainly 
a  rich  joke.  How  Dr.  Rolfe  could  have 
used  this  cut  to  illustrate  a  "parle," 
however  "angry,"  passes  my  compre- 
hension. 

In  "  The  Henry  Irving  Shakespeare  " 
the  editor  (the  lamented  Marshall,  who 
lived  to  edit  only  to  Act  I,  Sc.  3,  in  this 
play)  adopts  the  emendation  "  Polacks  " 
into  his  text,  and  in  his  notes  he  offers 
corroborative  evidence  from  Caldecott 
tending  to  show  that  Polack  means  a 
Polander.  But  of  this  there  is  no  doubt. 
The  testimony  would  be  to  the  point  if 
the  word  Polack  had  appeared  in  any 
of  the  old  editions  in  this  passage,  but 
it  does  not,  and  it  may  be  stigmatised 
as  a  modern  corruption.  Further  on 
he  says  :  "  It  is  very  unlikely  that  the 
elder  Hamlet,  who  is  represented  as  a 
man  of  great  dignity  and  self-restraint, 
should  have  struck  at  a  number  of  the 


POL 


POTT 


enemy  at  a  parley,  however  angry. ''^ 
Mr.  Marshall's  "chief  difficulty  in 
accepting  pole-axe  lies  in  the  word 
sledded,''^  the  reading  of  the  Folios,  and 
he  seems  to  think  that  weighted  with 
lead  appears  to  be  the  only  way  out.  I 
think  not.  A  battle-axe  with  lead 
attached  to  the  head  would  be  very 
liable  to  accident,  and  we  have  no  evi- 
dence that  weapons  loaded  or  weighted 
in  this  way  were  ever  einplo^^ed  by  any 
except  executioners,  and  they  only 
struck  two  or  three  blows  at  a  time. 
But  all  battle-axes  or  pole-axes  seem  to . 
have  been  sledded  or  furnished  with  a 
sledge  (a  well-known  Anglo-saxon  name 
for  a  hammer,  in  use  even  at  this 
day,  as  may  be  found  by  inquiring  in 
any  blacksmith's  shop),  so  that  they 
could  strike  a  blow  on  a  hard  substance 
without  injuring  the  sharp  edge,  and 
the  pole-axe  figured  in  Dr.  Rolfe's  cut 
shows  the  sledge  part  very  distinctly. 

I  think  that  the  arguments  on  both 
sides  may  be  fairly  summed  up  as  fol- 
lows— and  first  for  those  in  favor  of 
*'  pole-axe  "  : 

1.  The  spelling  in  all  the  old  editions, 
with  the  very  distinct  spelling  "Pole- 
axe  "  of  the  Fourth  Folio,  would  seem 
to  favor  the  "  pole-axe  "  reading.  That 
pollax  was  the  usual  spelling  of  pole-axe 
in  those  days  may  be  shown  by  numer- 
ous instances.  Thus,  in  the  address  to 
the  reader  in  "Euphues'  Golden  Leg- 
acie  "  we  find :  "I'll  down  into  the  hold 
and  fetch  out  a  rustie  pollax."  And  in 
Stany hurst's  "  Description  of  Ireland  " 
he  tells  us  that  "  the  gallowglasse  useth 
a  kind  of  pollax  for  his  weapon."  And, 
which  is  still  more  to  the  point,  in  LLL. 
V,  2,  580,  the  word  which,  in  the  g.  a. 
text,  is  spelled  pole-axe  (and  correctly 
so,  since  that  is  what  it  means),  is 
spelled  Pollax  in  the  Fl.  On  the  other 
hand,  Polack,  where  it  undoubtedly 
means  a  Polander,  is  spelled  Poleak, 
Polake,  Polacke,  Polack  (Second,  Third 
and  Sixth  Quartos),  Polak  and  Pollock, 
but  never  Pollax. 

2.  There  is  no  intimation  of  a  war 


between  Poland  and  Denmark.  It  was 
"  the  ambitious  Norway  "  that  Hamlet 
combated,  and  although  Poland  is  men- 
tioned twice  in  the  play,  nothing  is  said 
about  a  war  between  the  Danes  and 
that  country. 

3.  Horatio  speaks  of  a  "  parle,"  not  a 
fight  or  a  battle.  Now,  if  there  was  a 
"  parle  "  or  conference,  there  must  have 
been  a  truce,  and  for  Hamlet  to  have 
smitten  a  Polander  in  that  "parle," 
however  angry,  would  have  been  an 
act  of  treachery  to  which  his  nature,  as 
it  is  portrayed  to  us,  would  have  been 
entirely  repugnant. 

4.  Horatio  sai<;  him  frown  ;  therefore, 
he  must  have  seen  his  face,  which  must 
have  been  exposed,  an  unlikely  condition 
in  the  ev^entof  a  battle  or  even  a  sudden 
onslaught.  The  first  thing  he  would 
have  done  would  have  been  to  pull  down 
his  beaver.     See  beaver. 

5.  The  difficulty  raised  by  the  word 
sledded  can  only  arise  in  the  minds  of 
those  who  are  not  familiar  with  the 
construction  of  the  old  battle-axe.  A 
sled,  sledge  or  hannner  seems  to  have 
formed  an  essential  part  of  that  weapon. 
See  sledded. 

In  favor  of  the  interpretation  "  Po- 
lacks"  (Polanders)  I  can  find  no  argu- 
ment— nothing  but  the  arbitrary  cor- 
ruption of  Pope,  a  reading,  which  he 
evidently  evolved  out  of  his  own  im- 
agination, and  which  modern  eds.  sup- 
port only  by  ridicule  of  the  other  gloss. 
Consequently,  I,  for  one,  am  compelled 
to  reject  it  without  hesitation. 

To  the  unknown  editor  of  the  Fourth 
Folio  is  due  the  true  reading,  in  modern 
form,  "  pole-axe." 

I  have,  perhaps,  devoted  more  space 
to  this  word  than  its  real  importance 
would  justify.  The  fact  that  almost  all 
the  coms.  favor  the  side  opposite  to 
that  which  I  have  taken  is  my  only 
excuse. 

polled,  I    1.    Shorn ;  bald-headed.    Kins. 

pouPd.  )     V,  1,  85. 
2.  Bare ;  stripped ;  plundei*ed.    Cor.  IV, 
5,  215. 


POL 


229 


P08 


Polonius,  dr.p.  Lord  Chamberlain.  Hail. 

Polydore,  dr.p.  Name  assumed  by  Guide- 
rius.     Cym. 

pomander.  This  term  was  applied  both 
to  a  ball  composed  of  perfumes  and  to 
the  case  used  for  carrying  them  about 
the  person.  It  would  be  difficult  to  say 
which  is  meant  in  Wint.  I Y,  4, 609.  Po- 
manders were  carried  either  in  the 
pocket  or  suspended  from  the  neck  or 
girdle  and  were  sometimes  looked  upon 
as  amulets,  sometimes  as  an  efficient 
means  of  preventing  infection.  An  old 
recipe  for  making  them  directs  a  mix- 
ture of  carefully  prepared  garden  soil, 
labdanum,  benzoin,  storax,  ambergris, 
civet  and  musk.  These,  when  well  in- 
corporated, are  Warranted  "to  make 
you  smell  as  sweet  as  my  lady's  dog,  if 
your  breath  be  not  too  valiant." 

Pomegarnet.  A  blunder  for  Pomegran- 
ate ;  the  name  of  a  room  in  a  tavern. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  42.     See  tavern. 

pomewater.  A  kind  of  apple.  LLL.  IV, 
2,  4.  The  name  has  been  applied  to  a 
particular  variety  of  apple,  but  it  seems 
to  have  been  also  used  for  apples  in 
general.  Thus,  in  The  Puritan  we 
read  of  the  "pomewater  of  his  eye," 
meaning  the  apple  of  his  eye. 

Pompeius  Sextus,  dr.p.  A  friend  to 
Antony.     Ant. 

Pompey,  dr.p.  Servant  to  Mrs.  Over- 
done.    Meas. 

poop.    To  strike  fatally.     Per.  IV,  2,  25. 

Poor=John.  Hake  ;  a  cheap  kind  of  fish, 
salted  and  dried.     Tp.  II,  2,  28 ;  Rom. 

I,  1,    37.      Sometimes    written    poor 
John. 

poperin.  A  variety  of  pear  named  after 
Poperingne,  a  town  in  French  Flanders, 
two  leagues  distant  from  Ypres.     Rom. 

II,  1,  38: 

popinjay.  A  parrot ;  hence  a  name  for  a 
fop  or  coxcomb.     IHIV.  I,  3,  50. 

Popilius  Lena,  dr.p.  A  Roman  senator. 
Caes. 

popish.    Bigoted.     Tit.  V,  1,  76. 

popular.  Vulgar.  HV.  IV,  1,  38;  Cor. 
II,  1,  233. 

popularity.    Vulgarity.     IHIV.  Ill,  2, 69. 


poring  dark.  Darkness  which  makes  one 
strain  his  eyes.     HV.  IV,  Chor.  2. 

porpentine,  n.    1.  A  porcupine.    2HVI. 
Ill,  1,363;  Hml.  1,5,20. 
2.  The  name  of  an  inn.     Err.  Ill,  1,  116. 

porpentine,  v.  To  prick  or  irritate  as  the 
porcupine  does  with  its  quills.  It  was 
an  old  superstition  that  the  porcupine 
could  dart  its  quills  at  an  enemy.  Troil. 

II,  1,  27.  In  Dekker's  Satiro-Mastix, 
Tucca,  one  of  the  characters,  says: 
"  Thoul't  shoot  thy  quills  at  me,  when 
my  terrible  back's  turn'd,  for  all  this, 
wilt  not,  Porciipiyie  f  " 

porringer.  A  shallow  vessel  used  for 
holding  liquids  ;  hence  applied  to  a  head- 
dress shaped  like  such  a  vessel.  Shr.  IV, 
3,64;  HVIII.  V,  4,  50. 

port.  1.  Deportment  ;  bearing.  HV. 
Prol.  6;  2HVI.  IV,  1,19;  Ant.  IV, 
14,  52. 

2.  Pomp;  state;  importance.    Merch.  I, 

I,  124,  and  III,  2,  28:3 ;  Shr.  I,  1,  208. 

3.  A  gate.  All's.  Ill,  5,  39  ;  2HIV.  IV, 
5, 24 ;  Cor.  I,  7,  1. 

4.  A  natural  or  artificial  harbor  which 
vessels  can  enter  and  lie  safe  from  injury 
by  storms.     Mcb.  I,  3,  15. 

portable.    Bearable.    Mcb.  IV,  3,  89 ;  Lr. 

III,  6,  115. 

portage.  1.  A  port-hole;  an  opening. 
HV.  Ill,  1,  10. 

2.  Port-dues.     Per.  Ill,  1,  35. 
portance.    Conduct;   deportment.     Cor. 

II,  3,  232 ;  0th.  I,  3,  139. 

Portia,  dr.p.     A  rich  heiress.     Merch. 
Portia,  dr.p.     Wife  to  Brutus.     Caes. 
portly.     1.    Good-looking;    of  a  stately 
appearance.     Merch.  I,  1,  9 ;  Troil.  IV, 

5.  162. 

2.  Well-behaved ;  of  good  deportment. 

Rom.  I,  5,  68. 
posie,  )       A  short  motto,  often  inscribed 
posy.   \  on  rings  and  other  tokens.  Merch. 

V,  1,  151 ;  Hull.  Ill,  2,  164  ;  Kins.  IV, 

1,  90.     See  con. 
possess.     To    inform ;   to  give    one   the 

knowledge    of    what    was  intended  or 

what  had  happened.     Meas.  IV,  1,  45 ; 

Ado.  V,  1,  290 ;  Merch.  I,  3,  65,  and  IV, 

1,  35 ;  Tw.  II,  3,  149. 


P08 


230 


POW 


Posthumus  Leonatus,  dr.p.  A  gentle- 
man ;  husband  to  Imogen.     Cym. 

post,  in.  In  haste.  Rom.  V,  3,  273.  Some- 
times post-haste  (Hml.  I,  1,  107) ;  some- 
times joosi-pos^/iaA-fe  (0th.  I,  3,  46)  and 
also  haste-post-haste  (0th.  I,  2,  38). 

The  expression  Haste-Post-Haste — 
Ride  for  yoxir  life — your  life — these, 
was  a  common  inscription  on  letters 
and  packages  sent  by  express  in  Sh. 
time  and  much  later. 

pot,  to  the.  To  sure  destruction.  Cor.  I, 
4,  47. 

potato.  The  potato  mentioned  by  Sh.  in 
Wiv.  V,  5,  21,  and  Troil.  V,  2,  56,  is  not 
the  common  or  "Irish"  potato,  the 
solantim  tuberostun,  as  Dr.  Schm. 
states  it  is.  The  common  potato  was 
carried  to  Europe  from  this  country 
and  was  first  cultivated  on  the  estate  of 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  near  Cork.  The 
Irish  farmers,  to  whom  the  plant  was 
entirely  new,  supposed  that  the  potato 
grew  on  the  stems  just  as  tomatoes  are 
developed  on  the  tomato  plant,  and 
when  they  saw  no  "fruit,"  except  little, 
round  apples,  they  concluded  that  the 
entei*prise  was  a  failure  and  that  pota- 
toes would  not  grow  in  Ireland,  so  they 
ploughed  them  up  to  get  rid  of  them, 
and  then,  to  their  great  astonishment, 
they  found  the  tubers  in  abundant 
quantity.  This  was  later  than  1588, 
and  the  first  printed  description  of  the 
potato  appears  in  Gerard's  "Herbal," 
published  in  1597.  Gerard  gives  this 
description:  "The  roote  is  thick,  fat 
and  tuberous  ;  not  much  differing  either 
in  shape,  color  or  taste  from  the  com- 
mon potatoes,  saving  that  the  rootes 
hereof  are  not  so  great  nor  long  ;  some 
of  them  as  round  as  a  ball,  some  oual 
or  egg-fashion,  some  longer  and  others 
shorter ;  which  knobbie  rootes  are  fast- 
ened unto  the  stalks  with  an  infinite 
number  of  threddie  strings. "  The  "com- 
mon potatoes"  of  which  Gerard  speats 
are  the  tubers  of  convolvulus  batatas, 
or  sweet  potato.  W.  G.  Smith  tells  us 
in  the  "  Encyclopaedia  Britannica  "  that 
"  the  cultivation  of  the  potato  in  England 


made  but  little  progress,  even  though  it 
was  strongly  urged  by  the  Royal  Society 
in  1663,"  so  that  it  is  very  certain  that 
the  "Irish"  potato  was  not  the  one 
alluded  to  by  Sh.  And  I  have  never 
read  that  any  aphrodisiac  properties 
were  attributed  to  it. 

The  sweet  potato  was  imported  into 
England  in  considerable  quantities  from 
southern  Europe.  Gerard  tells  us  that 
he  bought  those  he  experimented  with 
at  the  Exchange  in  London,  and  he 
gives  an  interesting  account  of  the  uses 
to  which  they  were  put,  the  manner  in 
which  they  were  prepared  for  "sweet- 
meats," and  the  invigorating  properties 
claimed  for  them.  They  were  too  ex- 
pensive to  be  used  as  an  article  of  com- 
mon food. 

potch.  To  thrust  at;  to  push  violently. 
Cor.  I,  10,  15. 

potent.     A  potentate.     John  II,  1,  358. 

pottle.  A  large  tankard  ;  more  specific- 
ally, a  measure  holding  two  quarts. 
Wiv.  II,  1,  223  ;  0th.  II,  3,  87. 

pottle-deep.  To  the  bottom  of  the  pottle 
or  tankard.     0th.  II,  3,  56. 

pottle-pot.  A  tankard  containing  two 
quarts.-   2HIV.  II,  2,  83. 

poulter.  A  dealer  in  poultry  and  game ; 
an  old  form  of  poulterer.  IHIV.  II,  4, 
480.  Upon  the  phrase,  "  poulter 's  hare," 
Johnson  remarks  :  "  The  jest  is  in  com- 
paring himself  to  something  thin  and 
little.  So  a  poulter''s  hare ;  a  hare 
hanging  by  the  hind  legs  without  a  skin 
is  long  and  slender."  And  especially 
thin  when  it  has  been  eviscerated,  as 
such  hares  always  are. 

pouncet-box.  A  box  with  a  perforated 
lid  used  for  carrying  perfumes.  IHIV. 
1, 3, 38.  Pouncet-boxes  or  pounce-boxes 
were  also  used  until  quite  recent  times 
for  holding  pounce  or  sand  for  sprinkl- 
ing over  fresh  writing  on  paper  instead 
of  using  blotting-paper. 

pound.  To  shut  up  in  a  pin-fold.  Gent. 
I,  1,  110;  Cor.  I,  4,  17. 

pourquoi,   [       French  for  Why  ?    Tw.  I, 

pourquoy.  S    3,  95. 

powder.    The  expression,  Like  potvder 


POW 


331 


PEE 


in  a  skilless  soldier'' s  flash.  Is  set  afire 
by  thine  own  ignorance  (Rom.  Ill,  3, 
132),  may  not  be  easily  understood  in 
these  days  of  fixed  ammunition.  "  The 
ancient  English  soldiers  using  match- 
locks *  *  *  were  obliged  to  carry  a 
lighted  match,  hanging  at  their  belts, 
very  near  to  the  wooden  flask  in  which 
they  kept  their  powder."  Steevens. 
The  powder  and  bullets  were  carried 
loose ;  cartridges  had  not  been  invented, 

powder,  v.  1.  To  salt.  IHIV.  V,  4, 112. 
2.  An  old-time  cure  for  certain  diseases  ; 
see  poivdering-tub.  Meas.  Ill,  2,  62; 
HV.  II,  1,  79. 

powdering  =  tub.  An  apparatus  for  the 
cure  of  certain  diseases.     H V.  II,  1 ,  79. 

Powle.    St.  Paul.     RIII.  I,  1,  188. 

Powle's.  St.  Paul's  Church,  the  principal 
cathedral  of  London.  IHIV.  II,  4,  .576 ; 
HVIII.  V,  4,  16 ;  2HIV.  I,  2,  58.  See 
PaiiVs. 

pox.  This  word  is  frequently  used  as  a 
mild  form  of  oath,  and  some  have  con- 
sidered it  rather  coarse,  especially  in  the 
mouth  of  a  princess,  as  in  LLL.  V,  2, 
46.  Farmer,  in  reply  to  Theobald, 
stated  that  only  the  small-pox  is  meant, 
and  Rolfe  seems  to  agree  with  him. 
Dyce,  under  the  wordpoa?,  says :  "  Need 
I  observe  that,  in  Shakespeare's  time, 
this  imprecation  undoubtedly  referred 
to  the  small-pox  ?"  Surely  this  is  going 
too  far.  The  subject  is  not  one  for  ex- 
tended discussion  in  these  pages,  but 
that,  in  Sh.  time,  the  word  often  had 
the  same  meaning  that  it  now  has,  is 
easily  seen  by  examining  the  numerous 
passages  in  which  it  occurs.  The  ex- 
planation of  its  use  in  the  mouths  of 
ladies  and  people  of  the  better  class  is 
simply  that  in  those  days  the  language 
was  broader  than  it  is  now,  and  even  re- 
fined people  "called  a  spey'd  a  spey'd." 
Sh.  puts  expressions  quite  as  indelicate 
as  this  in  the  mouths  of  refined  women. 
The  times  tolerated  it,  and  it  is  not  best 
to  disguise  or  deny  this  fact.  We  might, 
perhaps,  be  charitable  enough  to  sup- 
pose that  these  ladies  did  not  understand 
the  meaning  of  the  words  they  used. 


I  have  heard  respectable  girls  use  words 
which  would  have  horrified  them  if 
they  had  known  their  true  meaning. 

practic.  Practical.  While  Sh.  uses  f/i^oric 
elsewhere,  the  only  passage  in  which 
practic  occurs  is  HV.  I,  1,  .51.  Johnson 
explains  the  passage  thus  :  "  His  theory 
must  have  been  taught  by  art  and 
practice;  which,  he  says,  is  strange, 
since  he  could  see  little  of  the  true  art 
or  practice  among  his  loose  companions, 
nor  ever  retired  to  digest  his  practice 
into  theory. ' ' 

practice.  Treachery  ;  artifice  ;  trick  ; 
wicked  device.  Meas.  V,  1,  107;  Ado. 
IV,  1,  190;  Tw.  V,  1,  360;  HV.  II,  2, 
90  ;  Hml.  IV,  7,  68. 

In  Hml.  IV,  7,  138,  and  in  a  pass  of 
j)ractice  Requite  him  for  your  father, 
the  word  practice  has  been  explained 
both  as  a  treacherous  thrust  [Clarendon) 
and  as  a  favorite  pass,  one  that  Laertes 
was  well  practised  in.  In  line  68  of  this 
scene  it  undoubtedly  means  treachery  ; 
but  here  it  seems  to  have  the  meaning 
usually  given  to  it  at  the  present  day. 

practisant.  One  who  carries  out  or  aids 
in  a  practice  or  artifice.  IHVI.  Ill, 
2,  20. 

practise,  v.    To  plot.     As.  I,  1,  158. 

praemunire.  A  writ  issued  against  one 
who  has  committed  the  offence  of  intro- 
ducing a  foreign  authority  or  power 
into  England.    HVIII.  Ill,  2,  340. 

"  The  word  is  low  Latin  tor  prcemon- 
ere.  The  writ  is  so  called  from  the 
first  words  of  it,  which  forewarn  the 
person  respecting  the  oft'ence  of  intro- 
ducing foreign  authority  into  England. " 
Rolfe. 

praise.  To  appraise;  to  estimate  the  value 
of.     Tw.  I,  5,  213 ;  0th.  V,  1,  66. 

prank.  To  dress  up  ;  to  adorn.  Tw.  II, 
4,  89;  Wint.  IV,  4,  10;  Cor.  Ill,  1,  23. 

preachment.  A  sermon ;  a  discourse. 
3HVI.  I,  4,  72. 

precedent.    1.  A  rough  draft.    John  V, 
2,  3. 
2.  A  prognostic ;  an  indication.   Ven.  26. 

precept.  A  summons  issued  by  a  court. 
2HIV.  V,  1,  14 ;  HV.  Ill,  3,  26. 


PRE 


232 


PBE 


preceptial.    Instructive.    Ado.  V,  1,  24. 

precious.  Employed  by  Sh.  with  the 
usual  meanings,  such  as  of  great  value. 
As.  II,  1,  14,  and  elsewhere.  The  ex- 
pression, precious  villain  (0th.  V,  2, 
235),  is  explained  by  Schm.  as  an  ironical 
use  of  the  word,  and  in  this  he  is  fol- 
lowed by  Rolfe,  Fleming  and  some 
others,  but  irony  seems  rather  out  of 
place  here.  The  word  is  frequently  used 
in  the  sense  of  excessive,  just  as  is  dear 
in  the  passage  dearest  foe.  SeQ  dear. 
In  "  Tom  Brown's  School  Days  at 
Rugby  "  we  find,  "  It's  hard  enough  to 
see  one's  way,  a  precious  sight  harder 
than  I  thought  last  night. ' '  Boston  ed.  p. 
851.  Precious  villain  means  thorough, 
great  villain,  and  precious  varlet,  in 
Cym.  IV,  2,  83,  simply  means  "  you 
wretched  varlet. ' '  Cloten  had  no  brains 
to  spare  for  irony  and  used  the  word  in 
a  thoroughly  idiomatic  sense. 

preciously.  Valuably;  i.e.,  in  business 
of  great  importance.     Tp.  I,  2,  241. 

precisian.  A  puritan ;  a  precise  person. 
This  word  is  found  in  Wiv.  II,  1,  5,  in 
the  Folies.  In  the  g.  a.  text  it  has  been 
changed  t©  jihysician.  The  reading, 
physician,  was  suggested  by  Theobald, 
and  upon  it  Johnson  has  the  following 
H©te:  "Of  this  word  [precisian]  I  do 
not  see  any  meaning  that  is  very  ap- 
posite to  the  pre?  ent  intention.  Perhaps 
Falstaff  said.  Though  love  use  reason 
as  his  physician  he  admits  him  not  for 
his  counsellor.  This  will  be  plain  sense. 
Ask  not  the  reason'  of  my  love ;  the 
Business  of  Reason  is  not  to  assist  love, 
but  to  cure  it."  Dyce  was  the  first  to 
introduce  physician  into  the  text. 

precurrer.     Forerunner.    Phoen.  6. 

predominance.  Superior  power  or  in- 
fluence. Troil.  II,  3,  138;  Mcb.  II,  4,  8. 
See  spherical. 

predominate.  To  oversway.  Wiv.  II,  2, 
294 ;  Tim.  IV,  3,  142. 

prefer.  1 .  To  recommend ;  to  commend. 
Lr.  I,  1,  277;  Cses.  V,  5,  GiJ;  Shr.  I,  1, 
97.  Reed  tells  us  that ''  to  prefer  seems 
to  have  been  the  established  phrase  for 
recommending  a  servant."    Upon  this. 


Craik  ("  English  of  Shakespeare,"  p.  344) 
remarks  :  "  But  to  prefer  was  more 
than  merely  to  recommend.  It  was, 
rather,  to  transfer  or  hand  over." 
2.  To  present;  to  offer.  In  several 
passages  Sh.  gives  to  this  word  its 
radical  meaning.  Commenting  on  it  as 
it  occurs  in  Mids.  IV,  2,  34,  Theobald 
says:  "This  word  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood in  its  most  common  acceptation 
here,  as  if  their  play  was  chosen  in  pre- 
ference to  the  others  (for  that  appears 
not  to  be  the  fact),  but  means  that  it 
was  given  in  among  others  for  the 
Duke's  option. "   See  also  Caes.  Ill,  1,  28. 

pregnancy.  Cleverness ;  fertility  of  in- 
vention.    2HIV.  I,  2,  192. 

pregnant.  This  word  occurs  fifteen  times 
in  the  plays,  and  as  its  meaning  has 
given  rise  to  considerable  discussion  we 
give  references  to  all  the  passages  in 
which  it  is  found.  They  are  :  Meas.  I, 
1,  12,  and  II,  1,  23;  Tw.  II,  2,  29  ;  do. 
Ill,  1,  100  and  101;  Wint.  V,  2,  34; 
Troil.  IV,  4,  90;  Ant.  II,  1,  45;  Lr.  II, 

1,  78,  and  IV,  6,  227;  Hml.  II,  2,  212, 
and  III,  2,  66;  0th.  II,  1,  239  ;  Cym.  IV, 

2,  325  ;  Per.  IV,  Prol.  44.  In  addition 
to  these,  pregnancy  occurs  once  (2HIV. 
I,  2,  192);  pregnantly  once  (Tim.  I,  1, 
92),  and  unpregnant  twice  (Meas.  IV, 
4,  23,  and  Hml.  II,  2,  595).  The  student 
can  easily  refer  to  these  passages  and 
consider  the  word  in  relation  to  its  con- 
text. 

The  "  Century  Dictionary  "  classifies 
the  various  meanings  of  the  word  under 
nine  heads,  between  some  of  which, 
however,  it  is  a  little  diflBcult  to  see  any 
great  difference.  Nares  arranges  the 
different  meanings  under  four  divisions 
which  may  be  briefly  described  as :  1. 
Stored  with  information,  2.  Ingenious, 
full  of  art  or  intelligence.  3.  Appre- 
hensive, ready  to  understand.  4.  Full 
of  force  or  conviction  ;  and  he  adds : 
*'The  word  was,  however,  used  with 
great  laxity,  and  sometimes  abused,  as 
fashionable  terms  are;  but  generally 
may  be  referred  to  the  ruling  sense 
of  being  full  or  productive  of  some- 


PRE 


PRE 


thing."  There  can  be  no  doubt  about 
this  being  the  sole  meaning  of  the  word 
at  the  present  time,  whether  it  is  used 
with  a  strictly  physiological  meaning 
or  metaphorically.  Sh.  never  uses  the 
word  in  its  physiological  or,  as  some 
have  called  it,  its  literal  sense,  though 
there  are  more  than  a  score  of  passages 
in  which  the  condition  is  stated  in  other 
words. 
Furness,  in  his  comments  on  Lr.  II, 

I,  78,  devotes  considerable  space  to  the 
subject.  He  agrees  with  Nares  and 
says  that  in  all  the  passages  in  w^hich 
the  word  occurs  it  has  this  meaning, 
"  productive  of  something. "  After  giv- 
ing the  views  of  Wright,  Caldecott, 
Keightley  and  others  on  the  passage 
found  in  Hml,  III,  2,  66, 

And  crook  the  pregnant  hinges  of  the 
knee 

Where  thrift  may  follow  fawning, 
he   adds:    "Pregnant    because    untold 
thrift  is  born  from  a  cunning  use  of  the 
knee." 

It  is  always  unsafe  to  differ  from  Dr. 
Furness,  because  he  is  evidently  in  the 
habit  of  giving  laborious  and  conscien- 
tious study  to  his  subject,  and  always 
with  a  judicial  mind.  Nevertheless,  I 
can  scarcely  agree  with  him  in  his  views 
on  this  question,  and  will  look  forward 
with  much  interest  to  his  forthcoming 
volume  for  an  explanation  of  pregnant 
*  *  *  ear,  as  found  in  Tw.  Ill,  1,  100. 
After  very  careful  consideration,  I 
cannot  avoid  the  thought  that  the  word 
is  found  in  Sh.  bearing  two  entirely 
opposite  meanings — one,  that  of  being 
producti\  e,  and  the  other,  that  of  being 
receptive  of  something.    Thus,  in  Hml. 

II,  2,  212,  in  the  expression.  How  preg- 
nant sotnetimes  his  replies  are!  we 
evidently  have  the  physiological  word 
used  metaphorically,  the  being  pro- 
ductive, i.e.,  bringing  forth  apt  and 
wise  thoughts.  But  in  Tw.  Ill,  1,  100, 
where  Viola  speaks  of  Olivia's  ear  as 
being  pregnant,  it  is  evident  that  the 
sense  is  that  her  ear  is  receptive ;  that 
it  takes  hold  of  what  is  offered  to  it. 


And  I  am  convinced  that  the  cause  of 
this  seeming  confusion  lies  in  the  fact 
that  we  have  here,  not  one  word  with 
two  or  more  meanings,  but  two  entirely 
different  words;  different  in  their  origins 
and  different  in  their  meanings,  but,  by 
mere  accident,  alike  in  spelling  and 
pronunciation. 

The  first  word  is  derived  from  the 
Latin  prcegnare,  to  be  about  to  bear. 
It  takes  the  form  "  pregnant  "  and  has 
the  usual  physiological  meaning  with 
metaphorical  applications  to  other 
things,  and,  as  Nares  very  properly  says, 
it  has  the  ruling  sense  of  being  full  or 
productive  of  something. 

The  second  word,  which  has  the  same 
spelling  and  pronunciation,  is  from  the 
French  prendre,*  prenant,  and  signi- 
fies to  grasp ;  to  take  hold  ;  to  appre- 
hend. The  word  pregnable  (a  slightly 
different  form)  is  from  the  same  root. 
And  it  is  this  word  which  is  found  in 
Tw.  Ill,  1,  100,  and  Lr.  IV,  6,  227,  while 
it  is  the  first  word  that  is  found  in  Hml. 
II,  2,  212.  t 

As  in  other  cases  of  this  kind,  the 
meanings  of  these  two  words  tended  to 
shade  off  into  each  other  and  to  become 
confounded  until  it  often  became  difficult 
to  determine  just  which  word  was  the 
one  used,  and  finally  one  became  obso- 
lete and  extinct,  as  has  happened  also 
in  the  case  of  the  two  lets  and  others. 
Keeping  these  points  in  mind,  I  think 
the  reader  will  have  no  difficulty  in 
reaching  the  correct  meaning  of  any 
passage  in  which  the  word  pregnant 
occurs. 

As  used  in  the  passage,  Crook  the 
pregnant  hinges  of  the  knee  Where 
thrift  may  follow  fawning,  Johnson 

*  Prendre  is  defined  in  French  dictionaries 
as,  to  take,  to  apprehend,  to  assume,  to 
contract,  to  imbibe,  to  undertake.  It 
has  a  wide  range  of  meaning. 

t  This  etymology  of  the  word  is  an  old  one; 
it  was  adopted  by  the  "  Imperial  Dic- 
tionary,'' but  was  not  accepted  by  the 
"Century,"  which  was  based  on  the 
"Imperial." 


PRE 


234 


PRE 


long  ago  defined  pregnant  as  "ready." 
It  is  the  fawning  that  is  productive  ; 
the  readiness  of  the  hinges  to  crook 
themselves  may  contribute  to  the  fawn- 
ing, and  the  more  so  in  that  they 
are  prompt  and  ready ;  but  surely  the 
hinges  themselves  cannot  be  said  to  be 
"  full  and  productive." 

In  the  passage  in  Meas.  II,  1,  23  : 
'Tis  very  pregnant 

The  jewel  that  we  find  we  stoop  and 
tak't 

Because  we  see  it, 

pregnant  certainly  means  obvious,  evi- 
dent, or,  as  Johnson  has  it,  plain ;  and 
the  idea  conveyed  is  that  the  thought 
takes  hold  of  us.  We  might,  with  per- 
fect conformity  to  the  sense,  substitute 
taking  for  pregnant,  and  this  meaning 
was  given  to  it  long  before  the  German 
corns,  were  born. 

Again,  the  passage  in  Wint.  V,  2,  34 : 
Most  true,  if  ever  truth  were  pregnant 
by  circumstance,  is  explained  by  Dr. 
Furnessas,  "if  ever  truth  were  stored 
full  by  circumstance. "  But  surely  this 
gloss  does  not  convey  the  meaning  that 
Sh.  wished  to  express,  which  is,  that 
the  truth  is  proved  by  circumstance,  or, 
in  other  words,  that  by  circumstance 
we  are  enabled  to  take  hold  of  it.  In 
his  comments  on  Lr.  II,  1,  78,  Dr.  Fur- 
ness  says  that  in  "Wint.  V,  2,  34,  preg- 
nant is  "used  in  so  metaphorical  a  sense 
that  one  may  give  to  it  almost  any 
meaning  that  his  mother  wit  suggests 
as  applicable  to  the  passage."  But  I 
think  this  dictum  will  not  hold  true  if  we 
only  get  rid  of  the  idea  of  pi'oductive- 
ness  and  accept  that  of  receptivity. 

Such,  in  a  very  condensed  form,  are 
the  conclusions  to  which  a  very  careful 
study  of  the  subject  has  led  me ;  but 
before  the  reader  adopts  my  views, 
which  are  in  a  large  measure  those  of 
the  older  coms.,  he  should  by  all  means 
examine  the  comments  of  Dr.  Fumess 
on  Lr.  II,  1,  78;  Hml.  Ill,  2,  56,  and 
Wint.  V,  2,  34. 
pregnantly.  Clearly;  forcibly.  Tim.  I, 
1,92. 


premised.  Pre-sent;  sent  before  their 
time.     Dyce.     2HVI.  V,  2,  41. 

prenominate.     1.   To  forename;  to  fore- 
tell.    Troil.  IV,  5,  250. 
2.  Aforesaid ;  just  named.    Hml.  II,  1, 43. 

prenzie.  Symons,  in  "  The  Henry  Irving 
Shakespeare,"  tells  us  that  "  few  words 
in  Shakespeare  have  given  rise  to  so 
much  controversy  as  this  word  prenzie.'''' 
It  occurs  twice :  Meas.  Ill,  1, 95,  and  98. 
In  the  F2.  the  reading  is  princely. 
Hanmer  emended  to  priestly,  and  this 
has  been  accepted  by  many,  amongst 
others,  by  Professor  Rolfe,  who  says 
that  prenzie  is  "  pretty  clearly  a  mis- 
print for  priestly  or  some  other  word," 
his  chief  reason  being  that  it  is  not 
English.  "Saintly,"  "pensive"  and 
many  other  words  have  been  suggested. 
It  seems  to  me  very  clear,  however, 
that  "priestly"  cannot  have  been  the 
woi'd ;  Angelo  was  not  a  priest  and 
there  is  no  indication  that  he  ever  pre- 
tended to  be  one.  That  he  wassi  prince 
we  know,  and  therefore  the  princely  of 
the  F2.  might  be  accepted.  But  the 
suggestion  that  p)renzie  is  merely  a 
modified  form  of  the  Scottish  or  old 
English prtmste  (prim,  demure)  removes 
the  need  of  emendation,  as  well  as  Pro- 
fessor Rolfe's  objection  that  it  is  not 
English.  Sh.  employs  a  great  many 
Scottish  words,  and  words  still  retained 
in  modern  English,  but  which  he  uses 
in  the  Scottish  sense.     See  silly. 

pre-ordinance.  Old  established  law.  Caes. 
Ill,  1,  38. 

presence.  Presence-chamber;  room  of 
state.  RII.  1,  3,  289 ;  HVIII.  Ill,  1,  17; 
Rom.  V,  3,  86. 

present.  In  hand  ;  thus,  present  money 
=  ready  money.     Err.  IV,  1 ,  34. 

presenter.  An  exhibiter ;  an  actor.  Shr. 
I,  1  (stage  direction). 

press.  1.  An  impress;  a  commission  to 
foi-ce  persons  into  military  service. 
IHIV.  IV,  2,  13. 

2.  A  printing  press.  Wiv.  II,  1,  80. 
There  is  an  evident  pun  here  upon 
printing  press  and  a  press  for  squeezing. 

pressed.    Impressed.    Cor.  1, 2, 9.    This 


PEE 


235 


PRI 


word  has  been  defined  by  some  as  ready 
(seeprest),  but  the  best  authorities  give 
the  definition  we  have  adopted.  Wright 
says:  ''Nothing  to  do  with  j:)>"es<, 
'ready,'  which  could  not  be  used  as  an 
active  participle.  " 

prest.  Ready.  Merch.  1, 1,  160  ;  Per.  IV, 
Prol.  45.  It  is  the  old  French  word 
2)rest,  now  pre^,  read}'. 

Prester  John.  A  fabulous  eastern  mon- 
arch.    Ado.  II,  1,  278. 

His  title  of  Prester  John  originated, 
according  to  that  veracious  traveler,  Sir 
John  Mandeville,  in  the  following  cir- 
cumstance :  The  said  king  having  gone 
with  a  Christian  knight  into  a  church 
in  Egypt,  was  so  pleased  with  the  ser- 
vice that  he  determined  no  longer  to  be 
called  king  or  emperor,  but  priest^ 
"and  that  he  wolde  have  the  name 
of  the  first  priest  that  wente  out  of 
the  chirche  :  and  his  name  was  John." 
Dyce. 

pretence.  Intention ;  purpose ;  design. 
Gent.  Ill,  1,  47 ;  Wint.  Ill,  2,  18  ;  Mcb. 
II,  3,  137. 

pretend.    1.    To  intend.     Gent.  II,  6,  37; 
Mcb.  II,  4,  24. 
2.  To  portend.     lH\a.  IV,  1,  16. 

pretended.  Predetermined  ;  intended. 
Kins.  I,  1,  210.  The  word  is  here  used 
with  its  etymological  meaning. 

pretenders.  Aspirants;  not  in  a  bad 
sense.     Skeat.     Kins.  V,  1,  158. 

pretty.  Bold ;  strong.  Merch.  Ill,  4, 64. 
In  former  times  a  pretty  man  did  not 
mean  a  good-looking  man,  but  a  strong, 
courageous  man.  Pretty  vaulting  = 
strong  vaulting.     2HVI.  Ill,  2,  94. 

prevent.  To  come  before  ;  to  forestall ; 
to  be  beforehand  with ;  to  anticipate. 
Merch.  I,  1,61;  Tw.  Ill,  1,94;  IHVI. 
IV,  1,  71 ;  Hml.  II,  2,  30.5. 

In  these  passages  the  word  is  used  in 
its  etymological  or  radical  meaning, 
which  was  the  usual  sense  in  Sh.  time. 
Thus,  in  Psalm  CXIX,  147,  we  find,  "  I 
prevented  the  dawning  of  the  morning, ' ' 
I.e.,  I  anticipated  the  dawning ;  not  that 
the  Psalmist  obstructed  the  dawning  of 
the  morning. 


Priam,  dr. p.     King  of  Troy.     Troil. 

Priam'  was  King  of  Troy  during  the 
Trojan  war.  He  was  a  son  of  Laomedon 
and  Strymo,  and  his  original  name  is 
said  to  have  been  Podarces,  or  "  the 
swift-f ooted, "  which  was  changed  to 
Priamus,  "the  ransomed,"  because  his 
sister  Hesione  ransomed  him  after  he 
had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Hercules. 
His  first  wife  is  said  to  have  been  Arisbe, 
daughter  of  Merops,  but  afterwards  he 
gave  her  up  to  Hyrtacus  and  married 
Hecuba,  by  whom  he  had  nineteen  sons. 
Hence  the  allusion  in  Hml.  II,  2,  531. 
By  other  women  he  is  said  to  have  been 
the  father  of  many  fnore,  the  Homeric 
tradition  crediting  him  with  the  father- 
hood of  fifty  sons,  to  whom  others  add 
an  equal  number  of  daughters.  At  the 
commencement  of  the  Trojan  war  Priam 
was  already  advanced  in  years  and  took 
no  part  in  the  fighting.  Once  only  did 
he  venture  upon  the  field  of  battle,  to 
conclude  the  agreement  respecting  the 
single  combat  between  Paris  and  Mene- 

■  laus.  After  the  death  of  Hector,  Priam, 
accompanied  by  Mercury,  went  to  the 
tent  of  Achilles  to  ransom  his  son's  body 
for  burial  and  obtained  it.  When  the 
Greeks  entered  Troy,  the  aged  king  put 
on  his  armor  and  was  on  the  point  of 
rushing  against  the  enemy,  but  was 
prevailed  on  by  Hecuba  to  take  refuge 
with  herself  and  her  daughters  as  a 
suppliant  at  the  altar  of  Jupiter.  While 
he  was  tarrying  in  the  temple,  his  son, 
Polites,  pursued  by  Pyrrhus,  rushed 
into  the  sacred  spot  and  expired  at  the 
feet  of  his  father;  whereupon,  Priam, 
overcome  with  indignation,  hurled  his 
spear  with  feeble  hand  against  Pyri-hus, 
but  was  forthwith  killed  by  the  latter. 
Hml.  II,  2,  490,  et  seq.  There  are 
numerous  references  to  Priam  outside 
of  Troilus  and  Cressida.  For  the 
allusion  in  2HIV.  I,  1,  72,  Sh.  probably 
had  recourse  to  his  imagination.  The 
account  given  by  Virgil  is  very  different. 
In  the  reference  to  Helen  in  All's.  I,  3, 
77,  there  is  probably  a  mistake — Prian? 
for  Paris. 


PHI 


236 


PEI 


prick,  n.  1.  A  dot  or  spot.  This  is  the 
original  sense  of  the  word.  Sharp  points, 
punctures,  etc.,  came  after.  Skeat. 
LLL.  IV,  1,  134.  Used  for  the  points 
marking  time  on  the  dial.  Noon-tide 
prick  (3HVI.  I,  4,  34)  and  prick  of  noon 
(Rom.  II,  4,  119)  =  the  mark  on  the 
dial  which  denotes  noon. 

2.  A  thorn  (see  nightingale)  ;  the  sharp 
quills  of  a  hedgehog.     Tp.  II,  2,  12. 

3.  A  wooden  skewer.     Lr.  II,  3,  16. 

4.  The  act  of  pricking  or  piercing  ;  the 
usual  action  of  the  needle.  HV.  II,  1,  36. 

5.  A  hurt  caused  by  a  sharp  point. 
HVIII.  II,  4,  171. 

6.  The  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Troil.  I,  3, 
343,  is  defined  by  Schm.  as  "a  small 
roll;"  Johnson  defined  small  pricks  as 
small  points  compared  with  the  volumes. 
Rolfe,  the  ed.  of  "The  Henry  Irving 
Shakespeare  "  and  most  English  coms. 
adopt  Johnson's  interpretation.  It  is 
true  that  prick  is  a  nautical  term  for  a 
small  roll  of  tobacco  or  spun  yarn,  but 
that  it  was  ever  used  for  a  small  volume 
may  be  doubted. 

7.  In  LLL.  IV,  1,  140,  the  expression 
she  is  too  hard  for  you  at  pricks, 
means  that  she  excels  you  in  shooting 
at  a  mark  ;  shooting  "at  pricks  "  being 
a  technical  term  in  archery,  opposed  to 
shooting  "at  rovers."  Schm.  entirely 
mistakes  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  in 
this  passage,  and  explains  pricks  as  "a 
hurt  made  by  a  prickle,  a  sting,  a 
stitch." 

prick,  V.  1.  To  mark  by  a  dot  or  other 
check-mark ;  to  mark  down.  LLL.  V, 
2,  548;  2HIV.  Ill,  2,  121;  Cses.  Ill, 
1,  216. 

In  LLL.  V,  2,  548,  the  reading  is  pick 
out  in  the  Globe,  the  Cambridge  and 
many  other  eds.  It  is  pricke  in  the 
Folios  and  Q2;  picke  in  QI.  In  many 
eds.,  amongst  others  "  The  Henry  Irving 
Shakespeare,"  the  reading  of  the  Fl.  is 
retained.  Marshall,  the  editor,  says 
*'  The  expression  prick  out  is  much 
more  characteristic."  Precisely  the 
same  expression  is  found  in  Caes.  Ill, 
1,  216. 


2.  To  stick  in.     Shr.  Ill,  2,  70. 

In  this  sense  the  word  is  still  in  use  in 
horticulture ;  the  gardener  speaks  of 
"pricking  out"  young  plants,  that  is, 
setting  them  out  with  a  dibble. 

3.  To  erect ;  to  point.     Tp.  IV,  1,  176. 

4.  To  hurt ;  to  wound.  This  is  un- 
doubtedly the  meaning  in  2HI V.  Ill,  2, 
122,  I  was  i^ricked  well  enough  before. 
Schm.  explains  it  as  "dressed  up; 
trimmed  ;"  but  it  is  doubtful  if  Sh.  ever 
used  the  word  in  that  sense.  As  it 
occurs  in  line  164,  same  Act  and  scene, 
if  he  had  been  a  vian\<i  tailor,  heHd 
ha^  pricked  you,  Schm.  again  defines 
the  word  prick  as  "to  dress  up,  to 
trim,"  and  fails  to  see  the  slur  here 
thrown  at  Justice  Shallow,  of  whomSh. 
old  enemy.  Sir  Thomas  Lucy,  was  the 
prototype.  Lucy  bore  as  his  coat  of  arms 
three  luces  or  pike,  or,  as  Parson  Evans 
calls  them  (Wiv.  1, 1, 16),  louses.  Now, 
the  cant  name  for  a  man's  tailor  was 
prick-louse,  a  word  which  will  be  found 
in  Burns  and  is  used  by  Sir  R.  L'Estrange 
(see  the  "Imperial  Dictionary,"  s.v. 
prick-louse).  Therefore,  if  Feeble  had 
been  a  man's  tailor,  he  would  have 
pricked  the  luce^  (louses)  which  repre- 
sented Lucy  or  Shallow.  See  "  Shake- 
spearean Notes  and  New  Readings," 
p.  16. 

prick-eared.  Having  pointed  ears.  HV. 
II,  1,  44. 

This  epithet  was  commonly  applied 
by  the  English  cavaliers  to  the  Puritans 
because,  their  hair  being  cut  close  all 
around,  their  ears  stood  out  prominently. 

pricket.  A  buck  in  his  second  j'ear.  LLL. 
IV,  2,  12,  etc. 

prick-song.  Music  sung  from  notes.  Rom. 
II,  4,  21. 

pride.  In  HV.  I,  2,  112 ;  IHVI.  Ill,  2, 40, 
and  IV,  6,  15,  pride,  according  to  War- 
burton,  means  "haughty  power."  Col- 
lier thinks  that  in  IHVI.  Ill,  2,  40,  the 
pride  of  France  means  La  Pucelle,  but 
a  careful  reading  of  the  context  shows 
that  he  is  manifestly  wrong.    Dyce. 

priest.  The  passage  in  Wint.  IV,  4,  471, 
Where  no  priest  shovels  in  dust,  is 


PEI 


287 


PBI 


explained  by  Grey  as  "meaning  that 
he  should  be  buried  under  the  gallows, 
without  burial  service.  In  the  Greek 
Church  the  puttlq^earth  upon  the  body 
was  thought  absolutely  necessary,  and 
the  priest  enjoined  to  do  it  in  the  form 
of  a  cross;  and  in  the  Popish  office, 
before  the  Reformation,  the  priest,  or 
person  officiating,  was  ordered  to  put 
earth  upon  the  body  of  the  deceased  in 
the  form  of  a  cross,  with  other  cere- 
monies." 

prig.    A  thief.     Wint.  IV,  3,  108. 

primal.  First ;  earliest.  Hml.  Ill,  3,  37 ; 
Ant.  I,  4,  41. 

prime.  The  spring  of  the  year.  Lucr. 
332  ;  Sonn.  XCVII,  7. 

primer.  More  important.    HVIII.  I,  2, 67. 

primero.  A  game  at  cards,  which  was 
very  fashionable  in  Sh.  time,  and  which 
seems  to  have  been,  from  the  meagre 
accounts  we  have  of  it,  "a  very  com- 
plicated amusement."  Gifford.  It 
seems  to  be  now  unknown.  Wiv.  IV, 
5,  104 ;  HVIII.  V,  1,  7. 

primrose-beds,  faint.  It  has  been  ques- 
tioned whether  the  word  faint  refers  to 
the  color  or  to  the  odor  in  Mids.  I,  1, 
215.  The  point  has  not  been  decided. 
Wright  says:  '"'■faint  primrose-heds, 
on  which  those  rest  who  are  faint  and 
weary.  This  proleptic  use  of  the  ad- 
jective is  common  in  Shakespeare." 

primy.  Early  or,  perhaps,  flourishing. 
Hml.  I,  3,  7. 

Prince,  The  Black.  The  allusion  to  Ed- 
ward, the  Black  Prince,  in  HV.  I,  2, 
105,  refers  to  the  battle  of  Cressy,  where 
the  king  refused  to  send  aid  to  his  son 
because  he  did  not  wish  to  diminish  the 
credit  which  would  be  due  to  him  in 
the  event  of  victory. 

prince  of  cats.  Tybalt  is  a  name  with 
various  modifications — Tibei't,  Tybert, 
Tyber,  all  from  Thibault.  In  "The 
Historye  of  Reynard  the  Foxe"  (of 
which  Caxton  published  two  editions, 
1481  and  1490)  the  cat  is  named  Sir 
Tibert,  and  Jonson  speaks  of  cats  as 
tiberts.  The  expression.  More  than 
prince  of  cats,  applied  to  Tybalt  by 


Mercutio  in  Rom.  II,  4, 19,  is  sometimes 
said  to  be  derived  from  Dekker's  Satiro- 
Mastix  or  The  Untrussing  of  the 
Humorous  Poet,  but  this  was  not  pub- 
lished until  1602  (Romeo  and  Juliet  had 
been  published  five  years  before  that) 
and,  as  Marshall  has  pointed  out  in 
"The  Henry  Irving  Shakespeare,"  the 
term  there  is  "prince  of  rattes."  The 
mistake  originated  with  Steevens  and 
has  been  followed  by  almost  all  sub- 
sequent corns.,  including Furness,  Rolfe, 
White,  down  to  the  latest  edition  by 
Dowden.  The  passage,  as  it  is  found 
in  Vol.  III.  of  "The  Origin  of  the 
English  Drama,"  by  Hawkins,  p.  189, 
reads  :  "  And  then  you  keep  a  revelling 
and  arrainging,  and  a  scratching  of 
men's  faces,  as  though  you  were  Tyber, 
the  long-tail'd  prince  of  rats,  do  you  ?" 
These  words  are  addressed  by  Tucca  to 
Horace,  under  which  name  Ben  Jonson 
is  ridiculed  or  "  untrussed." 

I  cannot  help  thinking  that  this  so- 
called  mistake  on  the  part  of  Steevens 
was  intentional.  We  all  know  that  he 
was  a  forger  of  the  meanest  kind ;  that 
he  introduced  readings  and  glosses  for 
the  mere  purpose  of  confusing  his  suc- 
cessors, and  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that 
he  was  the  author  of  some  of  the  forged 
papers  for  which  poor  Collier  was 
blamed.  But  in  Have  with  you  to 
Saffroyi  Waldon  (1596)  we  have  the 
phrase  "not  Tibalt,  prince  of  cats,^^ 
showing  that  it  was  in  common  use. 

Prince  Henry,  dr.p.    Son  to  King  John 
and  afterwards  Henry  III.    John. 

Prince  Humphrey  of  Gloucester,  dr.p. 
Son  to  Henry  IV.    2HIV.  and  2HVI. 

Prince  John  of  Lancaster,  dr.p.    Son  to 
Henry  IV.     2HIV. 

Prince  of  Aragon,  dr.p.  Suitor  to  Portia. 
Merch. 

Prince  of  Morocco,  dr.p.  Suitor  to  Portia. 
Merch. 

Prince  of  Wales,  dr.p.    Edward,  son  to 
Edward  IV.    RIII. 

Prince   of   Wales,   dr.p.    Henry,  after- 
wards Henry  V.     IHIV.  and  2H1V. 

Princess  Katherine,  dr.p.    Daughter  to 


PRI 


238 


FSO 


Charles  VI,  afterwards  Queen  of  Eng- 
land.   HV. 

Princess  of  France,  dr.p.    LLL. 

principality.  1.  According  to  some,  a 
person  of  the  highest  dignity,  but  in 
Gent.  II,  4,  152,  it  evidently  means 
something  more.  It  was  a  common 
Elizabethan  word  to  signify  a  high 
order  among  the  angels,  and  that  is 
evidently  its  meaning  here.  In  Romans 
viii,  38,  we  find  "nor  angels,  nor  prin- 
cipalities." Milton  ("Paradise  Lost," 
Book  VI)  has  :  "Next  upstood  Nisrock 
of  Principalities  the  prime,"  Scot,  in 
his  "Discoverie  of  Witchcraft,"  tells  us 
that  principalities  were  the  seventh  of 
the  nine  orders  of  angels. 
2.  In  Ant.  Ill,  13, 19,  the  word  evidently 
means  the  territory  of  a  prince. 

principals.    The  corner  beams  of  a  house. 
Per.  Ill,  2,  16. 

princox.    A  pert  young  coxcomb,     Rom. 
I,  5,  88. 

print.    The  phrase  in  print  (LLL.  Ill, 

I,  173)  means  accurately.     So  in  Gent. 

II,  1,  175,  /  speak  in  print  =  to  the 
letter;  with  great  precision.  Dyce  re- 
marks that  this  phrase  was  not  obsolete 
even  in  the  time  of  Locke,  and  quotes 
from  "  Some  Thoughts  Concerning 
Education  "  :  "  Who  is  not  designed  to 
lie  always  in  my  young  master's  bed  at 
home  and  to  have  his  maid  lay  all 
things  in  print  and  tuck  him  in 
warm." 

When  Mopsa  declares  that  she  loves 
"  a  ballad  in  print  o'  life,  for  then  we 
are  sure  they  are  true,"  she  gives  ex- 
pression to  a  feeling  that  seems  to  be 
common  at  this  day.  Wint.  IV,  4,  264. 
Priscian.  In  the  FL,  the  line  LLL.  V,  1, 
31,  reads :  "  Bome  boon  for  boon, 
prescian,  a  little  scratched,  'twilserue." 
In  the  Globe  ed.  the  reading  is:  "Bon, 
bon,  fort  bon,  Priscian !  a  little  scratched, 
'twill  serve."  In  the  g.  a.  text,  it  is  : 
*'  Bone  ? — bone  for  bene:  Priscian  a  little 
scratched,  'twill  serve."  This  emend- 
ation is  by  Theobald  and  has  been  ac- 
cepted by  Warburton,  Johnson,  Dyce, 
Rolfe  and  others.    It  is  probably  the 


true  reading.    For  a  discussion  of  the 
passage  see  Rolfe's  ed.,  p.  154. 

The  phrase,  "  Priscian  a  little 
scratched  "  is  a  paraphrase  of  a  common 
expression,  " Diminuis Prisciani  caput," 
which,  as  Theobald  says,  was  applied  to 
such  as  speak  false  Latin. 

Priscian  was  the  most  celebrated 
Latin  grammarian,  and  lived  about  500 
A.  D.,  or  somewhat  before  Justinian. 
Of  his  work  "  Institutiones  Grammati- 
cae  "  over  one  thousand  MS.  copies  were 
made  and  deposited  in  all  the  great 
libraries.  It  may  fairly  be  said  that 
from  the  beginning  of  the  sixth  century 
until  recently,  Priscian  has  reigned  over 
Latin  grammar  with  almost  as  generally 
recognised  an  authoi'ity  as  Justinian 
has  over  Roman  law.  For  an  excellent 
account  of  Priscian  and  his  works  see 
"  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,"  Vol.  XIX, 
p.  748. 

priser.  A  champion  or  challenger;  one 
who  has  taken  prizes  in  athletic  contests. 
As.  II,  3,  8. 

prize,  n.    1.  Value;  estimation.  Cym.  Ill, 
6,76. 
2.  Privilege.  3HVI.  1,4,  59  ;  do.  II,  1, 20. 

prize,  V.  To  value ;  to  estimate.  Ado. 
Ill,  1,  90. 

probal.  Satisfactory;  reasonable ;  another 
form  of  probable.     Oth.  II,  3,  347. 

process.  An  account  or  detailed  state- 
ment. Hml.  I,  5,38.  Clark  and  Wright 
think  that  perhaps  the  word  has  here 
the  sense  of  an  official  narrative,  coming 
nearly  to  the  meaning  of  the  French 
proces  verbal. 

Procrus.  A  corruption  of  Procris,  the 
wife  of  Cephalus.  Mids.  V,  1,  200.  See 
Cephalus. 

Proculeius,  dr.p.  Friend  to  Octavius 
Caesar.     Ant. 

procurator.  Substitute;  proxy.  2HVI. 
I,  1,  3. 

procure.  To  cause ;  to  prevail  with  to 
some  end  ;  to  bring.     Rom.  Ill,  5,  58. 

prodigious.  Portentous;  in  the  nature 
of  a  prodigy.  Rom.  I,  5,  143  ;  Mids.  V, 
1,  419.  Not  necessarily  monstrous  as 
some  have  it. 


PRO 


239 


PKO 


proditor.    A  traitor.    IHVI.  I,  3,  31. 

preface,  inter j.,  means  "  Much  good  may 
it  do  you!"    2HIV.  V,  3,  30. 

This  expression,  used  in  this  sense, 
seems  to  have  been  common  in  Sh.  time. 
It  is  so  explained  by  Florio  in  his 
"Second  Frutes." 

profane.  Irreverent ;  outspoken  ;  gross. 
0th.  I,  1,  11.5;  II,  1,  165. 

profanely.    Grossly.    Hml.  Ill,  2,  34. 

Progne.  A  mistake  for  Procne,  the  sister 
of  Philomela,  q.v.  The  reference  in 
Tit.  V,  2,  196,  is  to  the  killing  of  Itys 
and  the  serving  of  his  flesh  to  his  father, 
Tereus. 

prognostication.  The  passage,  in  the 
hottest  day  prognostication  claims 
(Wint.  IV,  4,  817)  is  explained  by  John- 
son as  the  hottest  day  foretold  in  the 
almanac.  Malone  tells  us  that  "al- 
manacs were  in  Shakespeare's  time 
published  under  this  title:  "An  Al- 
manac and  Prognostication  made  for 
the  year  of  our  Lord  God  1595." 

progress.  A  journey  made  by  a  sovereign 
through  his  dominions.     Hml.  IV,  3,  33. 

project.  To  define ;  to  shape.  Ant.  V, 
2,  121. 

prolixious.  Tedious ;  causing  delay.  Meas. 
II,  4,  163. 

prologue  arm'd.  ' '  The  prologue  speakers 
customarily  wore  black  cloaks.  There 
are  other  instances  in  which  they  are 
directed  to  appear  in  armour.  One  of 
these  is  afforded  by  Ben  Jonson's 
Poetaster,  the  first  part  of  the  prologue 
to  which  is  spoken  by  Envy,  who 
'  descends  slowly ' ;  then,  after  '  the 
third  sounding,'  '  as  she  disappears, 
enter  Prologue  hastily  in  armour.'  Jon- 
son's  Prologue  was  armed  as  if  to  defend 
the  poet  against  his  detractors  ;  Shake- 
speare's only  to  suit  the  martial  action 
of  the  play  which  he  introduced."  Grant 
White.     Troil.  I,  Prol.  23. 

Prometheus.  A  famous  Titan  whose 
name  signifies  "forethought."  He 
was  the  son  of  the  Titan  lapetus  and 
Clymene.  On  one  occasion  Jupiter 
wanted  to  destroy  the  whole  of  man- 
kind, whose  place  he  proposed  to  fill 


with  an  entirely  new  race  of  beings, 
but  Prometheus  prevented  the  execution 
of  the  scheme  and  saved  mankind  from 
destruction.  He  is  said  to  have  stolen 
fire  from  heaven  and  to  have  brought 
it  down  to  earth,  where  he  instructed 
men  in  its  use.  He  also  taught  them 
architecture,  mathematics,  astronomy, 
writing,  navigation,  medicine,  the  art 
of  working  metals  and  other  useful 
knowledge,  but  as  he  did  all  this  against 
the  will  of  Jupiter,  the  latter  ordered 
Vulcan  to  chain  him  to  a  rock  in  Scy  thia. 
As  he  still  remained  rebellious,  Jupiter 
hurled  both  the  rock  and  Prometheus 
down  to  Tartarus.  After  a  long  time, 
Prometheus  returned  to  the  upper  world, 
but  only  to  endure  a  fresh  course  of 
suffering,  for  he  was  now  fastened  to 
Mount  Caucasus  and  his  liver  devoured 
by  an  eagle  during  the  day,  while  at 
night  it  was  rene  wed,  so  that  he  under- 
went perpetual  torment.  Tit.  II,  1,  17. 
There  is  also  a  legend  according  to  which 
Prometheus  created  men  out  of  earth 
and  water,  at  the  very  beginning  of  the 
human  race,  or  after  the  flood  of  Deu- 
calion, and  that  he  stole  from  heaven 
the  fire  which  endowed  them  with  life. 
It  is  to  this  legend  that  reference  is 
made  in  LLL.  IV,  3,  304,  and  0th.  V, 
2,12. 

prompture.  Instigation;  suggestion.  Meas. 
II,  4,  178. 

prone.  1.  Eagerly ;  ready.  Cym,  V,  4,  208. 
2.  Peculiar  passage  in  Meas.  I,  2,  188, 
explained  by  some  as  "speaking  fer- 
vently and  eagerly  without  words." 
According  to  Malone,  "prompt,  sig- 
nificant, expressive."  Cotgrave  defines 
prone  as  "readie  *  *  *  easily  mouing, " 
and  it  is  in  this  sense,  no  doubt,  that  Sh. 
uses  it. 

proof.  1.  Temper;  impenetrability.  Arm- 
our of  proof  =  armour  hardened  till  it 
will  abide  a  certain  trial.  Johnson. 
RII.  I,  3,  73 ;  RIII.  V,  3,  219 ;  Mcb.  I, 
2,  54. 
2.  Strength  of  manhood.   Ado.  IV,  1,  46. 

propagation.     This  word  occurs  but  once 
in  Sh.  (Meas.  I,  2,  154)  and  has  given 


PEO 


240 


PRO 


work  to  the  corns.,  who  have  offered 
several  emendations.  In  the  Fl.  it  is 
propagation ;  in  the  other  Folios  pro- 
pagation ;  Malone  suggested  proroga- 
tion ;  Jackson,  procuration,  and  Grant 
White,  preservation.  Marshall  explains 
it  as  improvement  or  increase,  and  this 
is  the  sense  which  the  verb  {propagate) 
has  in  All's.  II,  1,  200;  Rom.  I,  1,  193, 
and  Tim.  1, 1,  67.  Claudio  and  Julietta 
were  anxious  to  keep  their  marriage 
secret  so  that  Julietta's  dower  might 
not  be  lost,  it  being  still  in  the  possession 
of  her  friends.  Other  suggestions  have 
been  offered,  but  in  the  face  of  this  very- 
forcible  explanation  emendations  are 
unnecessary. 

propagate.  1.  In  Per.  I,  2,  73,  this  word 
has  the  usual  meaning  and  is  used  in 
the  usual  sense — to  beget. 
2.  To  improve ;  to  increase ;  to  augment ; 
to  advance.  All's.  II,  1,  200 ;  Rom.  I, 
1,  193 ;  Tim.  I,  1,  67. 

propend.    To  incline.    Troil.  II,  2,  190. 

propension.   Inclination.  Troil.  II,  2, 133. 

proper.  I.  One's  own;  what  specially 
belongs  to  an  individual.  Tp.  Ill,  3, 
60  ;  Tw.  V,  1,  327.  Proper  deformity 
seems  not  in  the  fiend  so  horrid  as  in 
woman  (Lr.  IV,  2,  60)  is  thus  explained 
by  Warburton  :  "  Diabolic  qualities  ap- 
pear not  so  horrid  in  the  dev  il,  to  whom 
they  belong,  as  in  woman  who  unnatur- 
ally assumes  them." 

In  this  sense  it  is  evidently  an  adoption 
of  the  French  propre. 

2.  Appropriate;  suitable;  peculiar.  Meas. 
I,  1,  31 ;  2H1V.  I,  3,  32  ;  Hml.  II,  1,  114 ; 
Lr.  IV,  2,  f>0. 

3.  Honest ;  respectable  (used  of  women). 
All's.  IV,  3,  240  ;  2HIV.  II,  2,  169. 

4.  Handsome;  fine  looking.  Tp.  II,  2, 
63  ;  As.  Ill,  5,  51 ;  RIII.  I,  2,  255;  0th. 
IV,  3,  35.  Schm.  confines  the  use  of 
the  word  in  this  sense  to  men,  but  in 
As.  lit,  5,  51,  proper  is  applied  to  a 
woman,  and  evidently  in  regard  to  her 
physical  qualities. 

proper-false.    Handsome   and  deceitful. 
Tw.  II,  2,  30. 
Johnson  strangely  misunderstood  this 


passage  and  reversed  its  meaning.  He 
says :  "  The  meaning  is,  how  easy  is 
disguise  to  women;  how  easily  does 
their  own  falsehood,  contained  in  their 
waxen  changeable  hearts,  enable  them 
to  assume  deceitful  appearance."  The 
meaning  of  the  passage  is  evidently  just 
the  reverse  of  this.  It  is  :  How  easy  is 
it  for  handsome  and  deceitful  persons 
to  impress  their  forms  on  the  hearts  of 
women. 

property,  n.  1.  Ownership.  Lr.  I,  1, 
116;  Phoen.  37. 
2.  Scenes,  dresses,  etc.,  used  in  a  theatre. 
Wiv.  IV,  4, 78  ;  Mids.  1, 2, 108.  Wright, 
Clarendon  ed.,  defines  properties  as  "a 
theatrical  term  for  all  the  adjuncts  of  a 
play  except  the  scenery  and  the  dresses 
of  the  actors."  This  is  probably  tech- 
nically correct,  as  it  is  understood  by 
theatre  managers. 

property,  V.    1.  Toendow  with  properties 
or  qualities.     Ant.  V,  2,  83. 
2.  To  take  possession  of;  to  make  pro- 
perty of.     Tw.  IV,  2, 99 ;  John  V,  2,  79 ; 
Tim.  I.  1,  57. 

Prophetess,  Cassandra,  the,  dr.p.  Troil. 
See  Cassandra. 

propose,  n.    Conversation.  Ado.  Ill,  1, 12. 

propose,  V.  1.  To  place  before;  to  pro- 
mise as  a  reward.  RIII.  I,  2,  170 ;  Caes. 
I,  2,  110;  Hml.  Ill,  2,  204. 

2.  To  call  before  the  mind's  eye ;  to 
imagine.  2HIV.  V,  2,  92 ;  Troil.  II,  2, 
146.  Hence  =  to  meet ;  to  encounter. 
Tit.  II,  1,  80. 

3.  To  speak.     Ado.  Ill,  1,  3;  Oth.  1, 1,25. 
propinquity.    Nearness  ;  kindred.    Lr.  I, 

1,  116. 

propriety.  Individuality ;  consciousness 
of  self .  Tw.  V,  1, 150.  Hence  =  proper 
state  or  condition.     Oth.  II,  3,  176. 

propugnation.  Means  of  opposition  or 
defence.     Troil.  II,  2,  136. 

prorogue.  To  draw  out ;  to  lengthen ;  to 
extend.     Ant.  II,  1,  26 ;  Per.  V,  1,  26. 

Proserpina.  The  daughter  of  Jupiter 
and  Ceres.  The  Greek  form  of  the  name 
is  Persephone.  Jupiter,  without  the 
knowledge  of  Ceres,  promised  Proser- 
pina to  Pluto  or  Dis  (Wint.  IV,  4,  118), 


?B0 


241 


PUB 


and  as  her  mother  objected  to  her  going 
down  to  Hades,  Jupiter  advised  Pluto 
to  carry  her  ofJ.  He  accordingly  seized 
her  while  she  was  gathering  flowers 
with  Diana  and  Minerva  and  bore  her 
away  to  his  realms  below  the  earth. 
Ceres  was  absent  when  this  happened, 
but  as  soon  as  she  missed  her  daughter 
she  sought  for  her  all  over  the  earth 
with  torches,  until  at  last  she  discovered 
the  place  of  her  abode.  She  also,  in 
her  wrath,  smote  with  sterility  the  fields 
over  which  she  passed,  thus  causing  a 
fearful  famine  upon  the  earth,  nor 
would  she  let  the  crops  grow  again  until 
Proserpina  was  restored  to  her.  Jupiter, 
pitying  the  sufferings  of  men,  consented 
that  Ceres  should  have  her  child  again, 
provided  the  latter  had  eaten  nothing 
during  her  sojourn  in  Hades.  But  Pluto 
had  given  her  the  kernel  of  a  pomegran- 
ate to  eat,  whereby  she  became  doomed 
to  the  lower  world.  It  was,  therefore, 
agreed  that  she  should  spend  part  of 
the  year  with  her  mother  and  part  with 
Pluto. 

Even  with  the  ancients,  the  story  of 
Proserpina  was  supposed  to  be  sym- 
bolical of  vegetation,  which  during  a 
portion  of  the  year  is  hid  under  the 
earth,  and  when  spring  comes  shoots 
forth  and  reappears  in  all  its  glory.  In 
the  mysteries  of  Eleusis  the  return  of 
Cora  (i.e.,  maiden  or  daughter)  from 
the  lower  world  was  regarded  as  the 
symbol  of  immortality,  and  hence  she 
was  frequently  represented  on  sar- 
cophagi. In  the  mystical  theories  of 
the  Orphics  she  is  described  as  tLe  all- 
pervading  goddess  of  nature  who  both 
produces  and  destroys  everything. 
.  In  works  of  art  Proserpina  is  seen 
very  frequently  ;  she  bears  the  grave 
and  severe  character  of  an  infernal 
Juno,  or  she  appears  as  a  mystical 
divinity  with  a  sceptre  and  a  little  box, 
but  sbe  was  mostly  represented  in  the 
act  of  being  carried  off  by  Pluto.  She 
is  referred  to  in  Tp.  IV,  1,  89. 
Prosper©,  dr.p.  The  rightful  Duke  of 
Milan.    Tp.    See  Sycorax. 


Proteus,  dr.p.     A  gentleman  of  Verona. 

Gent. 
Proteus.  The  Proteus  referred  to  in 
3HVI.  Ill,  2,  192,  was  the  herdsman  of 
Neptune  and  attended  to  the  flocks  of 
that  god,  which,  however,  were  not 
sheep,  but  seals.  He  was  also  called 
"  the  prophetic  old  man  of  the  sea," 
because  he  had  the  gift  of  foretelling 
the  future,  and  was  also  endowed  with 
the  power  of  assuming  various  shapes. 
His  habit  was  to  rise  from  the  flood  at 
midday  and  sleep  in  the  shadow  of  the 
rocks  of  the  coast  while  the  monsters  of 
the  deep  lay  around  him.  Any  one 
wishing  to  compel  him  to  foretell  the 
future  was  obliged  to  catch  hold  of  him 
at  that  time  ;  he  would  then  call  into 
play  his  power  of  assuming  every  pos- 
sible shape  and  thus  try  to  escape.  But 
whenever  he  saw  that  his  endeavors 
were  of  no  avail,  he  resumed  his  usual 
appearance  and  told  the  truth.  When 
he  had  finished  his  prophecy  he  returned 
into  the  sea.  In  art  he  is  sometimes 
represented  as  riding  through  the  sea 
in  a  chariot  drawn  by  Hippocampae. 

proud-pied.  Gorgeously  variegated.  Sonn. 
XCVIII,  2. 

provand.  Food ;  provender.  Cor.  II,  1, 
267. 

provincial.  Belonging  to  or  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  a  province.  Noi'  here 
provincial  (Meas.  V,  1,  318)  =  nor  sub- 
ject to  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  of 
this  province.     Dyce.     See  Eoses. 

provision.  Foresight ;  provident  care. 
Tp.  I,  2,  28 ;  Lr.  I,  1,  176. 

prune.  1.  To  dress  up  ;  to  adorn.  LLL. 
IV,  3,  183. 

2 .  To  preen  ;  to  dress  or  trim  the  feathers 
as  birds  do.     Cym.  V,  4,  118. 

Publius,  dr.p.     A  Roman  senator.     Cses. 

Publius,  dr.p.  Son  to  Marcus  Andronicus. 
Tit. 

Publius.  Who  is  your  sister''s  son, 
Mark  Antony.  Caes.  IV,  1,  6.  This  is 
a  mistake  of  the  poet,  as  Upton  has 
shown ;  the  person  meant,  Lucius  Caesar, 
was  uncle  by  the  mother's  side  to  Mark 
Antony. 


PUC 


d4d 


PTJG 


Pucelle,  Joan  La,  dr.p.  IHVI.  LaPucelle 
is  French  for  the  maid.  PuceLle  d'' Or- 
leans =  the  maid  of  Orleans.  See  Joan 
la.  Pucelle. 

Puck ^  dr. p.    A  fairy.     Mids. 

The  name  of  Sh.  "merry  wanderer  of 
the  night  "  is  a  modification  of  pouke — 
an  old  name  for  the  devil,  and  Keightley 
tells  us  that  "  it  is  first  in  Sh.  that  we 
find  Puck  confounded  with  the  House- 
spirit  and  having  those  traits  of  char- 
acter which  are  now  regarded  as  his 
very  essence."  Of  the  origin  of  pouke 
or  Puck  much  has  been  written.  In 
Icelandic,  Puki  is  an  evil  spirit,  and  this 
name  easily  became  Puck,  Pug  and  Bug ; 
and  finally,  in  Friesland  the  Kobold 
or  evil  spirit  is  called  Puk.  The  pranks 
to  which  this  being  is  addicted  are  well 
described  in  A  Midsummer  NighVs 
Dream.  To  what  is  there  said  we  may 
add  what  Reginald  Scot  tells  of  him  in 
regard  to  his  doing  the  work  of  those  to 
whom  he  took  a  liking  :  "  Indeed,  your 
grandam's  maids  were  wont  to  set  a 
bowl  of  milk  before  him  (Incubus)  and 
his  cousin  Robin  Goodf ellow  for  grind- 
ing of  malt  or  mustard  and  sweeping 
the  house  at  midnight ;  and  you  have 
also  heard  that  he  would  chafe  exceed- 
ingly if  the  maid  or  good  wife  of  the 
house,  having  compassion  on  his  naked- 
ness, laid  any  clothes  for  him  beside  his 
mess  of  white  bread  and  milk,  which 
was  his  Standing  fee;  for  in  that  case 
he  saith  : 
'  What   have    we  here  ?     Hempten, 

hamten, 
Here  will  I  never  more   tread   nor 

stampen.' " 
About  the  year  1584  there  was  pub- 
lished in  London,  by  an  unknown  author, 
a  little  work  called  "  The  Mad  Pranks 
and  Merry  Jests  of  Robin  Goodf  ellow," 
and  it  is  thought  that  from  this  book 
Sh.  derived  some  of  his  ideas  of  Puck. 
In  it  we  are  told  that  Robin  was  the 
offspring  of  "  a  proper  young  wench  by 
a  hee-f  ayrie, ' '  a  king  or  something  of  that 
kind  among  them.  iBy  the  time  he  was 
six  years  old  he  was  so  mischievous  and 


unlucky  that  his  mother  undertook  to 
give  him  a  whipping  and  he  ran  away. 
After  various  adventures,  he  lay  down 
to  sleep  by  the  wayside,  and  in  his  sleep 
he  had  a  vision  of  fairies.  When  he 
awoke,  he  found  lying  beside  him  a 
scroll,  evidently  left  by  his  father, 
which,  in  verses  written  in  letters  of 
gold,  informed  him  that  he  should  have 
any  thing  he  wished  for,  and  have  also 
the  power  of  turning  himself  "to horse, 
to  hog,  to  dog,  to  ape,"  etc.,  but  he  was 
to  harm  none  but  knaves  and  queans, 
and  was  to  "  love  those  that  honest  be, 
and  help  them  in  necessitie." 

Amongst  many  other  adventures,  he 
came  to  a  farmer's  house  and  took  a 
liking  to  a  "good  handsome  maid  "  that 
was  there.  In  the  night  he  did  her 
work  for  her,  breaking  hemp  and  flax, 
bolting  meal,  etc.  Having  watched  one 
night  and  seen  him  at  work,  and  ob- 
served that  he  was  rather  bare  of  clothes, 
she  provided  him  with  a  waistcoat  by 
the  next  night,  but  when  he  saw  it  he 
started  and  said  : 

"Because   thou    layest    me   himpen 

hampen 
I  will  neither  bolt  nor  stampen. 
'Tis  not  your  garments,  new  or  old. 
That  Robin  loves  ;  I  feel  no  cold. 
Had  you  left  me  milk  or  cream. 
You  should  have  had  a  pleasing  dream; 
Because  you  left  no  drop  or  crum, 
Robin  never  more  will  come." 

Those  who  are  interested  in  this 
curious  department  of  folk-lore  will  find 
much  interesting  matter  in  Keightley's 
"Fairy  Mythology  "  and  Dyer's  " Folk- 
Lore  of  Shakespeare,"  from  which  we 
have  condensed  the  above  account. 

pudding.  HeHl  yield  the  crow  a  pudding 
(HV.  II,  1,  91)  =  he  will  become  food 
for  crows — a  rude  way  of  intimating 
that  he  has  not  long  to  live. 

puddle.     To   make  muddy ;   to   befoul ;   . 
metaphorically,  to  confuse.     Err.  V,  1, 
173;  Oth.  Ill,  4,  143. 

pudency.    Modesty.     Cym.  II,  5,  11. 

pugging.  Of  this  word,  as  it  occurs  in 
Wint.  IV,  3,  7,  Johnson  says:  "  It  is 


PTII 


243 


PUB 


certain  that  '  pugging '  is  not  now  under- 
stood. But  Dr.  Thirlhy  observes  that 
this  is  the  cant  of  gipsies."  It  is  not 
found  in  the  slang  glossaries  with  any 
meaning  applicable  to  this  passage,  the 
cant  meaning  of  pug  being  inferior.  It 
is  generally  defined  as  thievish,  and  it 
is  supposed  to  be  used  in  the  same  way 
that  we  speak  of  a  person's  having  "a 
sweet  tooth  "  when  he  is  fond  of  sweets. 
Another  interpretation  of  the  passage 
is  this :  Autolycus,  thinking  of  the 
white  sheets  which  he  sees  on  the  hedges, 
has  his  appetite  for  ale  sharpened  when 
he  thinks  how  he  might  steal  the  sheet 
and  at  the  ale-house  exchange  it  for  a 
quart  of  ale.  And  Furness  thinks  that 
the  connection  between  sheets  and  ale 
in  this  passage  is  confirmed  by  the 
following  quotation  from  The  Three 
Ladies  of  London  (Hazlitt's  ed.  of 
"Dodsley,"p.  347): 

Our  fingers  are  lime-twigs,  and  barbers 

we  be, 
To  catch  sheets  from  hedges,  most 

pleasant  to  see  ; 
Then  to  the  ale-wife  roundly  we  set 

them  to  sale, 
And  spend  the  money  merrily  upon 

her  good  ale. 

But  all  this  does  not  explain  "pug- 
ging." Collier  thinks  it  is  a  misprint 
for  prigging,  and  in  this  he  is  perhaps 
right.  For  various  other  suggestions 
see  Furness's  ed.  of  The  Winter''s  Tale, 
p.  164. 

puisny.    Unskilful.     As.  Ill,  4,  44. 

puissance.    1.  Strength.   HV.  Ill,  Chor. 
21 ;  2HVI.  IV,  2,  173. 
2.  Armed  forces.  John  III,  1, 339 ;  2HIV. 
1,3,9;  RIII.  V,  3,  299. 

puke-stocking.  Puke  =  dark  -  colored  ; 
perhaps  puce.     IHIV.  II,  4,  79. 

pump.  A  light  shoe.  Rom.  II,  4,  64. 
See  roses. 

pun.  To  beat ;  to  pound.  Troil.  II,  1,  42. 
This  word  still  survives  in  the  dialects 
of  some  of  the  counties  of  England. 

punished.  For  the  fate  of  the  surviving 
characters,  as  referred  to  in  Rom.  V,  3, 
808,  see  nurse. 


punto.  A  stroke  or  thrust ;  a  term  in 
fencing.     Wiv.  II,  3,  26. 

punto  reverso.  A  back-handed  stroke  in 
fencing.  Rom.  II,  4,  28.  According  to 
Saviola  "you  may  give  him  [your 
adversary]  a  punta  either  dritta  or 
ri  versa." 

purchase,  n.  1.  A  cant  term  for  stolen 
goods.  IHIV.  II,  1, 101 ;  RIII.  Ill,  7, 187. 
2.  Profit;  gain;  advantage.  Fer.,Prol.  9. 
The  expression  found  in  Tw.  IV,  1,  24, 
after  fourteen  years  purchase,  evi- 
dently means  at  a  high  rate  or  price. 
"Fourteen  (or  any  other  number  of)  years 
purchase  "  is  a  technical  term,  much  used 
in  England  in  the  purchase  or  sale  of 
land,  but  almost  unknown  in  the  United 
States.  It  means  a  present  sum  equal 
to  the  entire  rent  for  fourteen  years.  It 
seems  that  the  current  rate  in  Sh.  time 
was  about  twelve  years  purchase,  so 
that  fourteen  years  would  be  a  rather 
high  rate. 

purcliase,  v.    1.  To  acquire;  to  obtain. 

As.  Ill,  2,  360  ;  in  Cor.  II,  1,  155,  true 

purchasing =d.esert  earned  by  exertion. 

2.  Obtained  by  unfair  means.  2HIV.  IV, 

5,  200.    Dyce. 

Puritan.  An  adherent  of  the  sect  which 
intended  to  restore  the  Church  to  the 
pure  form  of  apostolic  times  ;  generally 
disliked  and  ridiculed  by  the  young 
bloods  of  the  time.  All's.  I,  3,  56  ;  Tw. 
II,  3,  152 ;  Wint.  IV,  3,  46.  See  horn- 
pipe. 

purl.  To  curl ;  to  run  in  circles.  Lucr. 
1407. 

purlieus.  The  grounds  on  the  borders  of 
a  forest.     As.  IV,  3,  77. 

purples,  long.     "  This  is  the  early  purple 
orchis  (orchis  mas cula),  which  blossoms 
in  April  and  May ;  it  grows  in  meadows 
and  pastures,  and  is  about  ten  inches 
high  ;  the  flowers  are  purple,  numerous 
and  in  long  spikes.     The  poet   refers 
to  another  name  by  which  this  flower 
was  called  by  liberal  shepherds,  and 
says  that 
Cold  maids  did  [do]  dead  men'' s  fingers 
call  them. 
From  this  I  consider  that  the  cold  maids 


PXFE 


244 


PYG 


mistook  one  of  the  other  orchids,  having 
palmated  roots,  for  long  purples.  The 
orchis  mascula  has  two  bulbs,  and  is 
in  many  parts  of  England  called  by  a 
name  that  liberal  shepherds  used,  and 
which  is  found  in  the  herbals  of  Shake- 
speare's time.  The  spotted  palmate 
orchis  {orchis  maculata)  and  the  marsh 
orchis  [orchis  latifolia)  have  palmated 
roots  and  are  called  '  dead  men's  fingers, ' 
which  they  somewhat  resemble."  Beis- 
ley's  "  Shakspere's  Garden."  The  vari- 
ous names  given  to  this  plant  in  the 
herbals  are  too  gross  for  repetition  ; 
Malone  tells  us  that  one  of  the  grosser 
names  which  Gertrude  had  a  particular 
reason  to  avoid  was  the  rampant  widow. 
Hml.  IV,  7.  170. 

purple-in-grain.  A  color  obtained  from 
the  kermes  or  coccus,  an  insect  which 
feeds  on  oak  and  various  other  plants. 
It  was  very  durable  and  was  so  manip- 
ulated as  to  give  a  great  number  of 
different  shades.  For  a  discussion  of 
grain  in  the  sense  of  a  dye,  the  reader 
will  do  well  to  consult  Marsh's  "Lec- 
tures on  the  English  Language  "  (revised 
ed.),  pp.  56-65.  Also  Furness's  New 
Variorum  ed.  of  A  Midsummer  NighVs 
Dream,  p.  41.  See  also  grain  in  ap- 
pendix to  this  book. 

pursy.  Fat  and  shortwinded.  Hml.  Ill, 
4,  153.  Cotgrave  gives  :  "  Poulsif  : 
Pursie,  shortwinded."*^ 

push.  1.  An  emergency  ;  a  special  occa- 
sion. Wint.  V,  3,  129;  Mcb.  V,  3,  20. 
Schm.,  following  Delius,  defines  push 
in  the  first  quotation  as:  "an  impulse 
given;  a  setting  in  motion."  But,  as 
Furness  says,  the  explanation  given 
above,  which  is  that  of  the  Clarkes, 
"  seems  to  be  the  best." 
2.  An  expression  of  contempt;  an  old  form 
of  "  pish !  "  Ado.  V,  1, 38.  Boswell  and 
some  others  think  that  push  here  means 
defiance,  resistance ;  but  Collier's  ex- 
planation, which  we  adopt,  seems  to  be 
preferred  by  the  best  English  coms. 

push-pin.  A  childish  game.  LLL.  IV, 
3,  169. 

put  over.    To  refer.    John  I,  1,  62. 


putter-on.    1.  Inventor ;  author.  flVllI. 
I,  2,  24. 
2.  Instigator.     Wint.  II,  1,  141. 

putter-out.  Schm.  defines  this  as  "one 
who  goes  abroad,"  but  this  is  certainly 
wrong.  The  phrase :  Each  putter  out 
of  fine  for  one,  as  it  stands  in  the  Fl., 
Tp.  Ill,  3, 48,  alludes  to  a  practice  which 
was  common  in  Sh.  time,  and  which,  as 
Furness  says,  "in  effect  reverses  [the 
practice  of]  the  modern  Travellers'' 
Insurance  Companies.''''  It  is  fully  ex- 
plained in  Jonson's  Every  Man  out  of 
His  Humour,  II,  1,  where  Puntarvolo 
says  :  "  I  do  intend,  this  year  of  jubilee 
coming  on,  to  travel ;  and  because  I  will 
not  altogether  go  upon  expense,  I  am 
determined  to  put  forth  some  five  thou- 
sand pound,  to  be  paid  me  five  for  one. 
upon  the  return  of  myself,  my  wife  and 
my  dog  from  the  Turk's  court  in  Con- 
stantinople. If  all  or  either  of  us  mis- 
carry in  the  journey,  'tis  gone;  if  we 
be  successful,  why,  there  will  be  five 
and  twenty  thousand  pound  to  entertain 
time  withal." 

Objection  has  been  made  to  the  ex- 
pression of  five  for  one,  and  some  have 
claimed  that  it  should  be  one  for  five. 
Theobald  emended  to  on  five  for  one, 
but  the  phrase  seems  to  have  been  one  in 
common  use,  and  well  understood  to 
mean  "  at  the  rate  of  five  for  every  one 
put  out."  For  a  full  discussion  see 
Furness's  ed.  p.  179. 

puttock.  A  kite.  2HVI.  Ill,  2,  191 ; 
Cym.  I,  1,  140. 

puzzel.  A  hussy  ;  a  foul  drab.  IHVI.  I, 
4,  107.  The  word  is  from  the  Italian 
puzzolente,  and  was  in  common  use  in 
Sh.  time.  Sometimes  spelled  pussle. 
The  play  on  pucelle,  a  chaste  maid,  and 
puzzel,  a  foul  drab,  is  obvious. 

Pygmalion.  A  famous  king  of  Cyprus. 
He  was  a  skilful  sculptor  and  is  said  to 
have  fallen  in  love  with  the  ivory  image 
of  a  maiden  which  he  himself  had  made. 
At  the  festival  of  Venus  he  prayed  to 
the  goddess  that  the  statue  might  be 
endowed  with  life.  His  prayer  was 
granted,  and   Pygmalion   married   the 


PYG 


245 


PYR 


animated  image  which  he  so  loved,  and 
she  became  by  him  the  mother  of  Paphus. 
The  name  given  to  the  image- maiden  is 
Gralatea  in  the  modem  vei*sions  of  the 
legend,  but  it  is  apocryphal.  Meas. 
Ill,  2,  48. 

The  editor  of  the  "  Century  Cyclo- 
paedia of  Names"  confounds  the  Pyg- 
malion of  the  image  legend  with  an 
entirely  different  character,  Pygmalion, 
the  brother  of  Dido  and  the  murderer 
of  Acerbas  or  Sichseus,  the  husband  of 
the  latter.  See  Dido. 
Pygmies.  A  race  of  dwarfs  who  were 
so  called  because  their  height  was  that 
of  a  pygnie,  a  Greek  measure  equal  to 
the  distance  between  the  elbow  and  the 
hand.  According  to  Homer  they  had 
every  year  to  sustain  a  war  against  the 
cranes  on  the  banks  of  Oceanus,  which 
was  supposed  by  the  ancients  to  be  a 
huge  river  encompassing  the  earth. 
Various  stories  are  told  of  them,  such 
as  that  they  cut  down  each  stalk  of 
wheat  viith  an  axe.  When  Hercules 
came  into  their  country  they  climbed 
with  ladders  to  the  edge  of  his  goblet 
to  drink  from  it,  and  when  they  attacked 
the  hero,  three  whole  armies  combined 
in  the  assault.  Ovid  relates  that  CEnoe, 
the  mother  of  the  pygmies,  was  changed 
by  Juno  into  a  crane  because  she  entered 
into  a  contest  with  the  goddess,  and  in 
this  form  she  was  obliged  to  make  war 
upon  her  own  people. 

There  was  also  a  legend  of  northern 
pygmies  who  lived  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Thule;  they  are  described  as  very 
short  lived,  small  and  armed  with  spears 
like  needles.  Another  account  tells  of 
a  race  of  Indian  pygmies  who  lived  under 
the  earth  on  the  east  of  the  river  Ganges. 
Aristotle  did  not  believe  that  the 
accounts  of  the  pygmies  were  altogether 
fabulous,  but  that  they  were  a  tribe  in 
Egypt  who  had  exceedingly  small  horses 
and  dwelt  in  caves.  And  modern  dis- 
covery has  revealed  the  existence  of 
African  races  of  dwarfish  size,  but 
nothing  comparable  to  that  of  the  old 
legends.     Ado.  II,  1,  278. 


It  is  quite  probable  that  like  many 
other  myths,  that  of  the  pygmies  was 
originally  based  on  the  accounts  given 
by  travelers  of  people  who  really  existed, 
these  accounts  being  afterwards  dis- 
torted and  magnified  by  the  poets. 

pyramides.    A  pyramid.     Ant.  V,  2,  61. 

pyramis.    A  pyramid.     IHVI.  I,  6,  21. 

Pyramus,  dr. p.  A  character  in  the  inter- 
lude.    Mids. 

The  story  of  Pyramus  and  Thisbe  is 
found  in  Ovid's  Metamorphoses,  and 
is  not  by  any  means  a  burlesque  as 
originally  told.  The  lovers  lived  in  ad- 
joining houses  in  Babylon  and  often 
conversed  secretly  with  each  other 
through  an  opening  in  the  wall,  as  their 
parents  would  not  sanction  their  marri- 
age. The  rendezvous  at  the  tomb  of 
Ninus  (or  Ninny  as  Bottom  calls  him), 
the  lion  and  all  the  rest  are  pretty  much 
as  set  down  in  the  play.  Ovid  relates 
that  Thisbe,  with  her  last  breath,  com- 
manded the  mulberry  tree,  under  which 
she  and  her  dead  lover  lay,  to  bear 
thenceforth  black  fruit  instead  of  white, 
and  that  the  gods  so  decreed. 

Pyrrhus.  The  Pyrrhus  mentioned  in  Hml. 
II,  2,  472,  et  seq. ,  was  the  son  of  Achilles, 
and  was  so  called  either  because  of  his 
fair  hair  or  because  his  father,  when 
disguised  as  a  girl,  bore  the  name  of 
Pyrrha.  He  was  also  called  Neoptole- 
mus.  He  was  brought  up  in  Scyros  in 
the  palace  of  Lj'comedes,  and  was 
brought  thence  by  Ulysses  to  join  the 
Greeks  in  the  war  against  Troy,  Helenus 
having  prophesied  that  Neoptolemus 
and  Philoctetes  were  necessary  for  the 
capture  of  Troy.  He  was  one  of  those 
concealed  in  the  wooden  horse.  When 
Troy  was  taken  he  killed  Polites,  a  son  of 
Priam,  before  the  eyes  of  the  latter, 
and  when  the  old  king  upbraided  him 
for  this  act,  Pyrrhus  brutally  slew  him 
also  at  the  sacred  hearth  of  Jupiter,  and 
then  sacrificed  Polyxena  to  the  spirit  of 
his  father.  When  the  Trojan  captives 
were  distributed  among  the  conquerors, 
Andromache,  the  widow  of  Hector,  was 
given  to  Pyrrhus,  and  by  her  he  became 


PYX 


246 


atTA 


the  father  of  Molossus,  the  ancestor  of 
the  Molossian  kings.  He  was  finally 
slain  at  Delphi,  but  the  circumstances 
connected  with  his  death  are  variously 
related, 
Pythagorus.  A  celebrated  philosopher, 
the  events  of  whose  life  are  shrouded  in 
the  mists  of  antiquity.  The  date  of  his 
birth  is  placed  at  about  582  B.C.,  and 
that  of  his  death  about  80  years  later. 
He  was  born  in  Samos  in  Greece,  and 
ultimately  settled  at  Crotona,  one  of 
the  Dorian  colonies  in  the  south  of 
Italy.  Here  he  founded  the  Pythagorean 
brotherhood.  He  is  said  to  have  been 
the  discoverer  of  several  valuable  geo- 
metrical truths,  the  most  important 
being  that  known  as  the  Pythagorean 
proposition.  It  form  s  the  f am  ou  s  f or ty- 
seventh  proposition  of  the  first  book  of 
Euclid,  that  the  square  on  the  hypoth- 
enuse  of  a  right-angled  triangle  is  equal 
to  the  sum  of  the  squares  erected  on  the 
sides.  But  the  doctrine  by  which  he  is 
most  generally  known  is  that  of  the 
metempsychosis  or   transmigration  of 


souls,  an  idea  probably  adopted  from 
the  Orphic  mysteries.  The  bodily  life 
of  the  soul,  according  to  this  doctrine,, 
is  an  imprisonment  suffered  for  sins 
committed  in  a  former  state  of  exist- 
ence. At  death  the  soul  reaps  what  it 
has  sown  in  the  present  life.  The  re- 
ward of  the  best  is  to  enter  the  cosmos, 
or  the  higher  and  purer  regions  of  the 
universe,  while  the  direst  crimes  re- 
ceive their  punishment  in  Tartarus. 
But  the  general  lot  is  to  live  afresh  in  a 
series  of  human  or  animal  forms,  the 
nature  of  the  bodily  prison  being  deter- 
mined in  each  case  by  the  deeds  done  in 
the  life  just  ended.  Xenophanes  men- 
tions the  story  of  his  interceding  on 
behalf  of  a  dog  that  was  being  beaten, 
professing  to  recognise  in  its  cries  the 
voice  of  a  departed  friend.  He  himself 
is  said  to  have  pretended  that  he  had 
been  Euphorbus  in  the  Trojan  war,  as 
well  as  various  other  characters — a 
tradesman,  a  courtezan,  etc.  Merch. 
IV,  1,  131;  As.  Ill,  2,  187;  Tw.  IV,  2, 
54.     See  rat  and  verse. 


^^^^•jUAIL,  w.     1.    A  bird  somewhat 
^^Y/»V    resembling  our  American  quail, 
^j^^^^    or,  as  it  is  sometimes  called, 
'S^ifr^l   partridge    (Bob     White),    but 
rather  smaller.     The  ancients  trained 
them  to  fight  just  as  the  moderns  train 
gamecocks.  Ant.  11,3, 37.  ^eeinhooped. 
2.  Cant  term  for  a  loose  woman.     Troil. 
V,  1,  57. 
quail,  V.     1.   To  quell;  to  crush.    Mids. 
V,  1,292;  Ant.  V,  2,  8,5. 
2.  To  faint ;  to  slacken ;  to  be  terrified. 
As.  II,  2,  20 ;  IHIV.  IV,  1,  39;  Cym.  V, 
5,  149. 

In  the  lines :  And  let  not  search  and 
inquisition  quail  To  bring  again  these 
foolish  runaways  (As.  II,  2,  20),  it  has 
been  suggested  that  quail  is  a  misprint 
for  fail,  and  certainly  the  latter  word 


seems  most  appropriate.  But  Cotgrave 
makes  quaile  and  faile  synonymous. 
Douce  cites  from  The  Choise  of  Change 
the  following  line  in  support  of  the 
claim  that  quail  means  to  slacken,  re- 
lax, diminish:  "Thus  Hunger  cureth 
love,  for  love  quaileth  when  good 
cheare  faileth."  But  quail  here  may 
mean  to  become  afraid,  its  usual  sig- 
nification. 
quaint.  1.  Neat ;  pretty ;  dainty.  Wiv. 
IV,  0,  41 ;  Shr.  IV,  3, 103;  Mids.  II,  2,  7. 
2.  Ingenious  ;  clever ;  artful.  Tp.  I,  2, 
316;  Merch.  Ill,  4,  69;  Shr.  Ill,  2,  149; 
2HVI.  Ill,  2,  274. 

"  The  word  is  derived  from  the  Latin 
cognitus,  which  in  old  French  became 
coint.  Cotgrave  gives  '  Coint  *  *  * 
Quaint,  compt,  neat,  fine,  spruce,  brisk. 


QUA 


247 


aTTA 


smirke,  smug,  daintie,  trim,  tricked 
vp.'  "     Wright. 

quaintly.  Prettily;  daintily;  pleasantly. 
Gent.  II,  1,  128 ;  III,  1,  117  ;  Hml.  II, 
1,  31. 

quake.  To  cause  to  tremble.  Cor.  I,  9, 
6.  Steevens  quotes  from  T,  Heywood, 
Silver  Age  (1613):  "We'll  quake  them 
at  that  bar  where  all  souls  wait  for 
sentence."     Whitelaiv. 

qualification.  Appeasement;  pacification. 
Whose  qualification  shall  come  into 
no  true  taste  again  (0th.  II,  1,  282)  = 
"whose  resentment  shall  not  be  so 
qualified  or  tempered,  as  to  be  well 
tasted,  as  not  to  retain  some  bitterness." 
Johnson. 

qualify.  To  moderate ;  to  soften.  Lucr. 
424;  Meas.  I,  1,  66;  John  V,  1,  13  ;  Lr. 
I,  2,  176;  0th.  II,  3,  41  (slily  mixed 
with  water). 

quality.  1.  Profession ;  calling.  Gent. 
IV,  1, 58 ;  Meas.  II,  1, 59 ;  Hml.  II,  2,  363. 

2.  Rank.     Lr.  V,  3,  120 ;  V,  3,  111  ;  HV. 
IV,  8,  95. 

3.  Cause  ;    occasion,      Troil.  IV,  1,  44  ; 
Tim.  Ill,  6,  117. 

Peculiar  passage  in  IHIV.  IV,  3,  36 ; 
probable  meaning  :  are  not  of  our  kind, 
i.e.,  of  our  party. 
quantity.  Besides  the  usual  meanings, 
we  have:  1.  Proportion;  corresponding 
degree.  Mids.  1, 1, 232 ;  Hml.  Ill,  2, 177. 
2.  Very  small  portion.  Shr.  IV,  3, 112 ; 
JohnV,  4,  23. 

Falstaff  says  (2HIV.  V,  1,  70) :  If  I 
were  sawed  into  quantities  [little 
pieces]  /  should  make  four  dozen  of 
such  bearded  herm.its  staves  as  Master 
Shallow. 
quarrel.    Cause  ;  suit.    2HVI.  Ill,  2,  233. 

The  passage  in  HVIII.  II,  3,  14,  if 
that  quarrel  fortune  do  divorce  it 
from  the  bearer,  has  occasioned  much 
discussion.  Warburton  takes  quarrel 
to  mean  arrow.  This  makes  good  sense. 
Johnson  reads  "quarreler,"  and  other 
emendations  have  been  suggested.  Quar- 
rel, in  the  sense  of  arrow,  is  used  by 
Spenser,  and  in  "Hakluji^'s  Voyages  " 
we  find :  "  A  servaunt  *  *  *  was  found 


shooting  a  quarrellof  a  crossbow  with  a 
letter."  The  "Century  Dictionary" 
gives  "  quarrel  =  quarreler,"  but  with- 
out any  authority  except  this  passage, 
which  seems  hardly  suflScient. 

In  Mcb.  I,  2,  14,  the  sentence.  And 
Fortune  on  his  damned  quarrel  smil- 
ing has  given  rise  to  comments  which 
fill  a  full  page  of  the  "New  Variorum. " 
Johnson  explains  quarrel  here  as  cause, 
a  meaning  which  it  has  in  other  passages. 
Others  read  "quarry."  But  the  sense 
of  the  above  and  the  following  line 
seems  to  be  that  Fortune,  while  she  ap- 
peared to  smile  on  his  accursed  cause, 
deceived  him  (Macdonwald). 

In  the  Fl.  the  reading  is  Quarry; 
Johnson  proposed  quarrel,  and  Fur- 
ness  adopts  this  reading.  The  word 
quarrel  is  used  by  Hollinshed  in  the 
very  passage  which  Sh.  here  used :  "  For 
out  of  the  Western  Isles  there  came 
unto  him  a  great  multitude  of  people, 
offering  themselves  to  assist  him  in 
that  rebellious  quarrel,  and  out  of 
Ireland  in  hope  of  the  spoil  came  no 
small  number  of  Kernes  and  GaUow- 
glasses." 

Numerous  attempts  have  been  made 
to  trace  the  origin  of  Touchstone's  dis- 
sertation on  quarrels  in  As.  V,  4,  94 :  O, 
Sir,  we  quarrel  in  print  by  the  book, 
etc.  It  seems  that  the  "  bloods  "  of  Sh. 
time  studied  the  art  of  duelling  as  laid 
down  in  several  books  which  had  been 
published  on  the  subject.  Warburton, 
Malone  and  others  give  the  titles  of 
some  of  them,  and  some  endeavor  to 
point  out  the  particular  book  which  Sh. 
had  in  view,  but  it  is  more  than  probable 
that  reference  was  made  to  no  special 
treatise,  but  to  the  general  fact  that  the 
science  of  quarreling  and  the  art  of 
self-defence  were  favorite  studies  with 
those  whom  Theobald  calls  "  the  boister- 
ous Gallants  in  Queen  Elizabeth's 
reign." 
quarrelous.  Disposed  to  quarrel;  quarrel- 
some. Cym.  Ill,  4,  162. 
quarry.  As  used  by  Sh.  signifies  a  heap 
of  slaughtered  game.     Cor.  I,  1,  202; 


QUA 


348 


auE 


Mcb.  I,  2,  14 ;  do.  IV,  3,  206 ;  Hml.  V, 
2,  375. 

This  word  is  derived  from  the  French 
(yiirie,  which  Cotgrave  defines  as  "a 
(dogs)  reward ;  the  hounds  fees  of,  or 
part  in,  the  game  they  have  killed." 
The  word  was  also  written  cuyerie,  and 
came  into  English  in  the  form  of  querre 
or  querry.  {Defendre  la  curee,  to  keep 
the  dogs  from  the  game  till  it  was 
properly  prepared  for  them).  From 
this  it  came  to  mean  simply  the  slain 
animal.  This  is  certainly  better  than 
the  derivation  from  carree^  the  square 
enclosure  into  which  the  game  was 
driven.     Whitelaw. 

quart  d'ecu.  A  quarter  of  a  French 
crown  or  fifteen  pence.  All's.  IV,  3,  311 ; 
V,  2,  35.     See  cardecue. 

quarter,  n.  This  word,  as  used  in  Err. 
II,  1, 108,  and  0th.  II,  3, 180,  is  explained 
by  Schm.  as  peace  ;  friendship ;  concord. 
Others  think  it  means  at  the  appointed 
station  or  post.  To  keep  fair  quarter 
with  his  bed  can  hardly  mean  to  keep 
peace  with  his  bed,  but  rather  to  keep 
the  set  appointment  with  his  bed ;  to  V>e 
in  his  proper  place.  The  plural,  quartern 
=  lodging  or  encampment. 

quarter,  v.     1 .    To  place  the  arms  of  an- 
other family  in  the  compartments  of  a 
shield.     Wiv.  I,  1,  24. 
2.  Lodged;    stationed.     RIII.  V,  3,  34; 
Caes.  IV,  2,  28. 

Behold  their  quartered  fires  (Cym. 
IV,  4,  18)  =  their  camp  fires ;  the  fires 
burning  in  their  quarters. 

quartered.    Slaughtered.    Cor.  I,  1,  205. 

quat.   A  pimple.  0th.  V,  1,  11.  Seesen.s*^. 

quatch-buttock.  Squat  or  flat  buttock. 
All's.  II,  2,  19. 

queasy.    1.  Squeamish  ;  nauseated.    Ado. 
II,  1,399;  Ant.  Ill,  6,20. 
2.  Ticklish ;  nice.     Lr.  II,  1,  19. 

queasiness.  Nausea;  disgust.  2HIV.  I, 
1,  196. 

Queen,  dr.p.    Wife  to  Cymbeline.    Cym. 

Queen  Elizabeth,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Edward 
IV.     3HVI.  and  RIII. 

Married  Sir  John  Grey,  and  after- 
wards Edward  IV.  The  tree  in  Whittle- 


bury  Foi-est,  near  Grafton,  under  which 
Elizabeth  waited,  with  her  two  young 
sons,  to  petition  King  Edward  for  the 
restitution  of  their  father's  lands,  is 
still  known  as  the  Queen's  oak. 

Queen  Isabella,  dr.p.  Wife  to  Richard 
II.    RII. 

Queen  Katharine  (of  Aragon),  dr.p.  Wife 
to  Henry  VIII.     HVIII. 

Queen  Margaret  (of  Anjou),  dr.p.  Wife 
to  Henry  VI.  IHVI.,  2HVI.,  3HVI. 
and  RIII. 

quell.    Murder.     Mcb.  I,  7,  72. 

quench.    To  grow  cool.     Cym.  I,  5,  47. 

quern.  "  A  handmill  for  grinding  corn 
[wheat]  made  of  two  corresponding 
stones.  It  is  one  of  our  oldest  words 
and  with  slight  variations  is  found  in 
all  northern  languages."  Brockett. 
Mids.  II,  1,  36. 

Delius  makes  quern  =  churn,  but  this 
is  unquestionably  wrong.  Johnson  sees 
a  difficulty  in  the  fact  that  the  Fairy 
mixes  up  good  and  bad  acts  by  Puck, 
but  we  must  remember  that  she  is  re- 
counting all  his  tricks,  as  he  himself  does 
in  The  Pranks  of  Puck.,  as  reprinted  in 
Percy's  "Reliques."    f^ee  Puck. 

quest.    1.  A  search.    Per.  Ill,  Prol.  21. 

2.  A  body  of  searchers.     0th.  I,  2,  46. 

3.  Inquiry.     Meas.  IV,  1,  62. 

4.  Inquest ;  an  impanelled  jury.  RIII. 
I,  4,  189;  Hml.  V,  1,  24. 

questant.    A  seeker ;  aspirant.    All's.  II, 

1,  16. 

question,  n.  1.  Conversation.  As.  Ill, 
4,  37;  Merch.  IV,  1,  73. 
2.  The  subject  of  conversation  or  inquiry. 
Ai}y  constant  question  (Tw.  IV,  2,  53) 
=  settled,  determinate,  regular  question. 
Johnson.  The  question  of  his  death 
is  enrolled  in  the  Capitol.  Caes.  Ill,  2, 
40.  "  The  word  question  is  here  used 
in  a  somewhat  peculiar  sense.  It  seems 
to  mean  the  statement  of  the  reasons." 
Craik. 
Cry  out  on  top  of  question  (Hml.  II, 

2,  356)  =  recite  at  the  very  highest 
pitch  of  their  voices. 

^Tis  the  way  To  call  hers  exquisite^ 
in  question  more.    Rom.  I,  1, 235.    The 


QUE 


249 


QUI 


usual  explanation  of  this  passage  is  "to 
make  her  unparalleled  beauty  more  the 
subject  of  thought  and  conversation." 
Malone.  And  he  further  adds  that 
question  here  does  not  mean  to  doubt 
or  dispute,  but  conversation.  On  the 
other  hand  we  must  remember  that  the 
passage  is  a  reply  by  Romeo  to  Ben- 
volio's  advice  to  compare  Rosaline  with 
others ;  it  seems  to  me,  therefore,  that 
a  correct  paraphrase  of  Romeo's  speech 
would  be :  "  The  way  to  make  her  beauty 
appear  superior  to  others  is  to  call  it 
more  in  question  by  comparing  them." 
question,  v.   To  converse ;  to  talk.    Lucr. 

questionable.  That  may  be  questioned 
or  talked  with;  inviting  conversation. 
Hml.  I,  4,  43. 

questrist.  One  who  goes  in  quest  or 
search  of  another.     Lr.  Ill,  7,  17. 

queubus.  A  nonsensical  word  probably 
used  by  the  clown  and  quoted  by  Sir 
Andrew  in  Tw.  II,  3,  25;  bombastic 
language  manufactured  by  Feste ;  big 
words  without  any  sense. 

quick.  1.  Alive;  living.  Wiv.  Ill,  4,  90 ; 
Tim.  IV,  3,  44 ;  Hml.  V,  1,  137. 

2.  Lively;   sprightly.     LLL.  I,   1,   162; 
RIII.  I,  3,  5  ;  Ant.  V,  2,  216. 

3.  In  action,  as  running  springs  of  water. 
Tp.  Ill,  2,  75. 

4.  Pregnant.     LLL.  V,  2,  682. 

5.  The    quick  =  the    sensitive    nerves. 
Hml.  II,  2,  636. 

quicken.    1.  To  come  to  life.     Lr.  Ill, 
7,  39 ;  0th.  Ill,  3,  277 ;  Ant.  IV,  15,  39. 
2.  To  bring  to  life.     Tp.  Ill,  1,6;  AU's. 
II,  1,  77. 

Quickly,  Mrs.,  dr. p.  Hostess  of  a  tavern 
and  afterwards  wife  to  Pistol.  IHIV., 
2H1V.  and  HV. 

Quickly,  Mrs.,  dr. p.  Maid  of  all  work  to 
Dr.  Caius  ;  "in  the  manner  of  his  nurse, 
or  his  dry  nurse,  or  his  cook,  or  his 
laundry,  his  washer,  and  his  wringer." 
Wiv.  I,  2,  3,  et  seq. 

quiddit,    I  Equivocation;  subtlety;  cavil. 

quiddity,  f     IHIV.  1, 2, 51 ;  Hml.  V,  1, 107. 

quid  for  quo.  Tit  for  tat.  IHVl.  V,  3, 
109. 


quietus.    Final  settlement  of  an  account ; 
audit.  Sonn.  CXXVI,  12;  Hml.  Ill,  1, 75. 
From  the  law  term,  quietus  est,  used 
in  the  settlement  of  accounts. 

quill.  Pipe;  voice.  Mids.  Ill,  1,  131. 
The  wren  with  little  quill  ==  the  wren 
with  small  voice  or  note.  In  this  passage 
Schm.  makes  it  "  the  strong  feather  of 
the  wing  of  a  bird."  But  it  certainly 
has  not  that  meaning  here.  cf.  Milton's 
"Lycidas,"  line  188: 
He  touched  the  tender  stops  of  various 

quills. 
In  the  quill  =  all  together ;  in  a  body. 
2H  VI.  1, 3, 4.  There  has  been  considerable 
diversity  of  opinion  in  regard  to  the 
meaning  of  this  phrase.  In  the  coil  or 
confusion ;  in  proper  form,  i.e., as  ruffs, 
etc.,  were  quilled;  penned  or  written, 
just  as  we  say,  in  print,  etc.,  etc.  But 
Ainsworth,  in  his  "Latin  Dictionary" 
(1761),  explains  in  the  quill  by  "acting 
in  concert"  (ex  compacto  agunt),  and 
in  the  Devonshire  Danisefs  Frolic, 
where  a  bevy  of  girls  are  described  as 
swimming  close  together,  we  find : 
Thus  those  females  were  all  in  a  quill 
And  following  on  their  pastimes  still. 

quillet.  A  sly  trick  in  argument ;  chi- 
canery. LLL.  IV,  3,  288  ;  IHVI.  II,  4, 
17;  Hml.  V,  1,  108 ;  0th.  Ill,  1,  25. 

Quince,  dr. p.    The  carpenter.     Mids. 

quintain.  A  post  or  figure  set  up  for 
tyros  in  chivalry  to  practise  at.  At 
first  it  was  a  mere  post ;  then  a  figure 
dressed  like  a  Saracen  ;  afterwards  it 
was  made  more  complicated  and  turned 
round  on  a  pivot  or  axis.  The  object 
of  this  was  that  if  the  horseman  did  not 
direct  his  lance  with  sufficient  dexterity 
to  strike  the  figure  fair  in  the  center  it 
would  turn  round  and  give  the  awkward 
tilter  a  blow  with  the  wooden  sword 
which  it  held  in  its  hand.  This  was 
considered  a  disgrace  to  the  horseman 
and  was  a  source  of  great  merriment  to 
the  spectators.     As.  I,  2,  263. 

Quinapalus.  An  author  of  whom  nothing 
is  known.  The  name  was  evidently 
manufactured  for  the  occasion  by  Festa. 
Tw.  I,  5,  31. 


QUI 


BAG 


Quintus,  dr. p.  Son  to  Titus  Andronicus. 
Tit. 

quip.  A  sharp  jest ;  a  taunt.  Gent,  IV, 
2,  12 ;  Ado.  II,  3,  249 ;  As.  V,  4,  79. 

quire,  n.     1.   A  company.    Mids.   II,   1, 
55 ;  2H VI.  I,  3,  92. 
2.  A  place  for  singers.     Cym.  Ill,  3,  43. 

quire,  v.  To  sing  in  concert.  Merch.  V, 
1,  62  ;  Cor.  Ill,  2,  113. 

quirlc.  1 .  A  sudden  turn ;  an  evasion. 
Per.  IV,  6,  8. 

2.  A  shallow  conceit.     Ado.   II,  3,  258  ; 
0th.  II,  1,  63. 

quit.  To  repay  ;  to  requite ;  to  pay  off. 
Meas.  V,  1,  416;  3HVI.  Ill,  3, 128  ;  Hml. 
V,  2,  68;  V,  2,  280. 

quital.    Requital ;  retaliation.    Lucr.  236. 

quittance,  n.  1.  A  discharge  from  obliga- 
tion or  debt,  Wiv.  1, 1, 10;  As.  Ill,  5, 133. 
2.  Return;  acquital.  HV.  II,  2,  34; 
Tim.  I,  1,  291.  Rendering  faint  quit- 
tance (2HIV.  I,  1,  108)  =  giving  faint 
return  of  blows.  Ail  use  of  quittance 
(Tim.  I,  1,  291)  =  all  the  customary  re- 
turns made  in  discharge  of  obligations. 
Warhurton. 

quittance,  v.  To  requite  ;  to  retaliate. 
IHVI.  II,  1,  14. 


quiver,  adj.    Nimble  ;  active.   2HIV.  Ill, 

2,  301. 
quoif.    A  cap  or  hood  generally  worn  by 

women  and  sick  people.     Wint.  IV,  4, 

226 ;  2HIV.  I,  1,  147. 
quoit.    To   pitch  as  one   does   a  quoit. 

2HIV.  II,  4,  205. 
quondam.  Former  ;  that  used  to  be.  HV. 

II,    1,    82,     Quondatn    day  (LLL.    V, 

I,  7)  =  yesterday.  The  play  occupies 
two  days  according  to  Daniel,  and 
this  speech  was  made  on  the  second 
day. 

quote.    1.  To  note;   to  observe,    Gent. 

II,  4,  18  (a  pun  upon  quote  and  coat). 
Troil.  IV,  5,  233 ;  Hml.  II,  1,  112;  Rom. 

1,  4,  31, 

2.  To  construe ;  to  interpret.     LLL.  V, 

2,  796, 

3.  To  note ;  to  set  down  as  in  a  note- 
book, LLL,  II,  1,  246  ;  All's.  V,  3,  205 ; 
John  IV,  2,  222. 

quotidian.    A    fever    whose   paroxysms 
return  every  day.     As.  Ill,  2,  383, 

In  HV.  II,  1,  124,  the  Hostess  speaks 
of  a  burning  quotidian  Tertian^  thus 
mixing  up  big  words  so  as  to  make 
nonsense.    See  Tertian. 


^  THE  eighteenth  letter.     Rom. 

II,  4,  223. 
Even    in    the    days    of    the 

Romans,  R  was  called  the 
dog's  letter  from  its  resemblance  in 
sound  to  the  snarling  of  a  dog.  Lucilius 
alludes  to  it  in  a  fragment,  and  Ben  Jon- 
son,  in  his  "English  Grammar,"  says 
that  R  "is  the  dog's  letter,  and  hurreth 
in  the  sound ;  the  tongue  striking  the 
inner  palate  with  a  trembling  about 
the  teeth." 
rabato.  A  kind  of  ruff  or  band  (French 
rabat).  Ado.  Ill,  4, 6.  "  Menage  saith 
it  comes  from  rabattre,  to  put  back, 
because  it  was  at  first  nothing  but  the 
collar  of  the  shirt  or  shift  turned  back 
towards  the  shoulders. "    Hawkins. 


rabbit-sucker.  A  young  rabbit.  IHIV. 
II,  4,  480. 

Some  editors  make  rabbit-sucker  =  a 
weasel,  but  in  Lyly's  "Endymion  "  we 
find :  "  I  prefer  an  old  coney  before  a 
rabbit-sucker. "  The  context  shows  that 
a  young  rabbit  was  meant.  Weasels 
were  not  hung  by  the  heels  in  con- 
nection with  poulter's  hares."  See 
poulter. 

rabblement.  The  rabble.  Cses.  I,  2, 
245. 

race.    A  root.    Wint.  IV,  3,  50.    cf.  raze. 

rack,  n.  Floating  vapor ;  a  cloud.  Sonn. 
XXXIII,  6;  Tp.  IV,  1,  156;  Hml.  II, 
2,  506  ;  Ant,  IV,  14,  10, 

rack,  V.  1.  To  move  as  clouds.  3HVI. 
II,  1,  27. 


BAD 


251 


KAN 


2.  To  extend;  to  stretch  ;  to  strain.  Ado. 

IV,  1,222;  Merch.  I,  1,181. 

In  LLL.  V,  2,  828,  the  word  rack'd, 
which  is  the  reading  of  the  old  eds., 
seems  inexplicable.  Rowe  emended  to 
rank,  which  seems  the  true  meaning. 
cf.  Hml.  Ill,  3,  36:  O,  my  offence  is 
rank,  it  smells  to  heaven. 

raddock.    See  ruddock. 

rag.  A  terra  of  contempt  applied  to 
persons.  Wiv.  IV,  2,  194 ;  Shr.  IV,  3, 
112 ;  RIII.  V,  3,  328 ;  Tim.  IV,  3,  271. 

raged.    Chafed.    RII.  II,  1,  70. 

raging=wood.  Raving  mad.  IHVI.  IV, 
7,  35.     cf.  wood. 

rake,  n.  This  well-known  implement  was 
the  symbol  of  leanness,  probably  because 
in  that  condition  the  ribs  showed  regu- 
larly like  the  teeth  of  a  rake.     In  Cor. 

I,  1,  21,  there  is  probably  a  play  on  the 
words  inkes  and  rakes,  both  being 
used  in  agriculture,  one  for  gathering 
together,  the  other  (pike  or  pitch-fork) 
for  tossing  into  place. 

rake,  v.  1.  To  search  for  as  with  a  rake. 
HV.  II,  4,  87  and  97. 

2.  To  cover  up.  Before  the  invention 
of  lucifer  matches,  fu'es  were  "  raked  " 
every  night,  i.e.,  covered  with  ashes  or 
culm  so  that  they  would  keep  in  all 
night.  See  Wiv.  V,  5,  48 :  Where  fires 
thou  find''st  unrak''d,  etc.  Lr.  IV,  6, 
281 :  here  in  the  sands  thee  Fll  rake  up. 

Rambures,  dr.p.    A  French  lord,    HV. 

ramp.  A  wanton  wench.  Cym.  I,  6,  134, 
The  meaning  given  by  Schm.  is  "a 
leap,"  a  definition  which  utterly  des- 
troys the  sense  of  the  passage.  Cotgrave 
gives  "  Rampeau.  Droict  de  ramp.  A 
priuiledge,  or  power,  to  lecher."  Mid- 
dleton  and  Dekker  use  the  word  in  the 
sense  we  have  given  : 
The  bouncing  ramp,  that  roaring  girl, 
my  mistress. 

—Roaring  Girl,  III,  .3. 

rampallian.    A  term  of  low  abuse.   2HIV. 

II,  1,  67.  Probably  formed  from  the 
word  ramp,  q.v. 

rampant.  Rearing  ;  standing  on  the  hind 
legs  as  if  preparing  to  spring.     2HVI. 

V,  1,  203. 


ramping.  Rampant ;  or  it  may  have  the 
sense  in  which  Chaucer  uses  ranipen, 
"to  rage,  be  furious  with  anger. "  IHIV. 
Ill,  1, 152. 

rank,  n.  The  expression :  The  right 
butter-women'' s  rank  to  market  (As.  Ill, 
2,  103)  has  puzzled  the  coms. ,  but  here, 
as  in  many  other  passages,  although  the 
precise  definition  of  some  of  the  words 
may  be  subject  to  doubt,  the  general 
meaning  of  the  passage  is  clear  enough. 
Touchstone  means  to  ridicule  the  sing- 
song cadences  of  Orlando's  rhymes. 
Various  emendations  have  been  pro- 
posed for  rank,  such  as  rate,  rant, 
racke,  etc.  Whiter  says:  "The  right 
butter- women's  rank  to  market '  means 
the  jog-trot  rate  (as  it  is  vulgarly  called) 
with  which  butter-women  uniformly 
travel  one  after  another  in  their  road 
to  market;  in  its  application  to  Orlando's 
poetry  it  means  a  set  or  string  of  verses 
in  the  same  coarse  cadence  and  vulgar 
uniformity  of  rhythm."  Here  rank 
means  row  or  file. 

rank,  adj.    1.   Swollen.     Ven.  71. 

2.  Lustful;  rutting,     Merch.  I,  3,  81. 

3.  Strong,  in  the  sense  of  offensive,  noi- 
some, rancid.  Sonn,  LXIX,  12  ;  Wiv. 
Ill,  5,  93 ;  Hml,  III,  3,  36  ;  Tw,  II,  5, 136. 

4.  Luxuriant ;  gross.  HV.  V,  2,  45 ;  Hml. 
Ill,  4,  152 ;  Lr.  IV,  4,  3. 

The  passage  in  As.  IV,  1,  85,  I  should 
think  my  honesty  ranker  than  my  wit, 
has  puzzled  the  coms.  Schm.  defines 
ranker  here  as  "greater;"  this  seems 
to  me  the  very  opposite  of  what  is 
meant.  Collier's  MS.  Corrector  changes 
to  "I  should  thank  my  honesty  rather 
than  my  wit,"  a  reading  which  White 
says  has  found  some  favor,  but  which 
Dyce  condemns.  Fumess,  after  quoting 
these  three,  leaves  the  matter  where  he 
finds  it. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  meaning  is 
not  far  to  seek.  Rank  here  has  the 
sense  of  strongly  offensive  ;  rancid ;  and 
Cotgrave  has  "  Ranci :  Mustie,  fustie, 
reasie,  restie,  tainted,  stale,  putrified, 
wafted,  stinking,  unsauorie,  ill-smell- 
ing."   Rosalind  evidently  means  that 


EAN 


252 


BAU 


she   would   think    her    honesty   more 
tainted  than  her  wit. 

The  line  0th.  II,  1,  315,  which  in  the 
g.  a.  text,  reads :  Abuse  him  to  the 
Moor  in  the  rank  garb  (the  reading  of 
the  Quartos),  is  right  garb  in  the  Folios, 
Bank  is  defined  by  Malone  as  "  lascivi- 
ous "  ;  Steevens,  "  grossly,  i.e.,  without 
mincing  the  matter";  Rolfe,  "in  the 
coarsest  fashion. "  Furness  thinks  that 
the' reading  of  the  Folio  is  the  true  one : 
"  lago's  plans  are  not  yet  settled,  all  is 
'but  yet  confused,'  details  will  depend 
on  circumstances  as  they  arise ;  the 
main  point  is  to  get  Cassio  on  the  hip 
and  then  abuse  him  to  the  Moor  in  the 
right  garb,  in  the  best  fashion,  what- 
ever that  fashion  maybe."  For  garb 
=  fashion,  see  Lr.  II,  2,  104,  and  Hml 
II,  2,  390. 

ransom,  v.     1.  To  redeem.     Err.  I,  1,  23 

Cym.  V,  5,  85. 
2.  To  release  for  ransom.    LLL.  I,  2,  64 
Cor.  I,  6,  36. 

rap.  To  transport  with  emotion.  Cym 
I,  6,  51 ;  Cor.  IV,  5,  122 ;  Mcb.  I,  3,  57 
Tim.  V,  1,  67. 

rapture.  1.  A  fit;  a  passion.  Cor.  II,  1, 235, 
2.    A  violent  seizure.     Per.  II,  1,  161. 

rarely.  Early.  Sometimes  spelt  r early 
Kins.  IV,  ],  110. 

rascal.  A  deer  lean  and  out  of  season 
As.  Ill,  3,  58. 

"  Certain  animals,  not  accounted  as 
beasts  of  chace,  were  so  termed  *  *  * 
the  hart,  until  he  was  six  years  old,  was 
accounted  rascayle.''^  Way.  After 
wards  applied  to  men. 

rascal-like.  Like  lean  and  worthless  deer 
IHVI.  IV,  2,  49. 

rash.  To  strike  as  does  a  boar  with  his 
fangs.  Percy,  in  the  glossary  to  the  ' '  Re- 
liques  of  Ancient  English  Poetry,"  says : 
*'  Rashing  seems  to  be  the  old  hunting 
term  to  express  the  stroke  made  by  the 
wild  boar  with  his  fangs, "  It  occurs  in 
some  eds.  of  Sh.  in  Lr.  Ill,  7,  58  {sticke 
in  the  Fl.) ;  RIII.  Ill,  2, 11.  (Generally 
rased.) 

rat.  A  well-known  animal  with  which 
many  superstitions  are  connected.  Thus, 


in  Tp.  I,  2,  147,  Prospero  says  of  the 
old  hulk  aboard  which  he  was  placed 
that  the  very  rats  instinctively  had 
quit  it.  This  is  a  universal  superstition 
amongst  sailors.  So,  too,  with  houses ; 
i*ats  are  said  to  forsake  a  house  that  is 
in  danger  of  falling.  These  ideas  may 
have  arisen  from  the  fact  that  rats  are 
quite  sensitive  to  any  unusual  motion 
indicating  weakness  in  a  structure.  Rats 
are  also  known  to  migrate  in  large 
numbers  from  one  barnyard  to  another, 
and  even  from  one  part  of  a  country  to 
another.  The  same  is  true  of  squirrels. 
That  they  have  a  motive  for  this,  the 
reason  of  which  we  may  not  be  able 
to  see,  is  beyond  question.  The  supply 
of  food  and  drink  are  probably  great 
incentives  to  such  migrations.  A  story 
is  told  of  a  cunning  Welsh  captain  who 
wanted  to  get  rid  of  rats  that  infested 
his  ship,  then  lying  in  the  Mersey  at 
Liverpool.  Having  found  out  that  there 
was  a  vessel  laden  with  cheese  in  the 
basin,  and  getting  alongside  of  her 
about  dusk,  he  left  all  his  hatches  open 
and  waited  till  all  the  rats  were  in  his 
neighbor's  ship  and  then  moved  off. 
See  tail  and  verses. 

Ratcliff,  Sir  Richard,  dr.p.    RIII. 

He  was  the  "  rat  "  of  CoUingbourne's 
rhyme  (see  Catesby)  and  was  such  a 
cruel,  bloodthirsty  wretch  that  he  was 
called  "the  jackall"  of  Richard,  He 
shared  his  master's  fate  at  the  battle  of 
Bosworth, 

rat-catcher.  A  cat;  a  pun  on  Tybalt's 
name,  Rom,  III,  1,  78,  See  Tybalt 
and  Prince  of  Cats. 

rate,  n.  Estimate.  Tp.  I,  2,  92 ;  II,  1, 
109 ;  Mids.  Ill,  1,  157. 

In  the  latter  passage  it  probably 
means  rank  or  worth. 

rate,  v.    1.  To  apportion.    Ant.  Ill,  6, 25. 
2.  To  equal  in  value.     Ant.  Ill,  11,  69. 

ratolorum.  Slender's  blunder  for  rotu- 
lorum.    Wiv.  I,  1,  8. 

raught.  Reached;  an  old  form  of  the 
past  tense  and  participle  of  the  verb  to 
reach.  LLL,  IV,  2,  41 ;  HV.  IV,  6,  21 ; 
3HVI.  I,  4,  68 ;  Ant.  IV,  9,  30, 


BAV 


253 


BED 


ravel.    To   unravel.     RII.    IV,    1,    228; 

Hml.  Ill,  4,  186. 
ravined.    Gorged  with  prey.    Mcb.  IV, 

I ,  24.  Mason  thought  that  it  meant  the 
opposite,  starved,  but  the  word  seems 
to  have  been  used  by  writei-s  of  that 
period  in  the  sense  that  we  have  given. 

ravish'd.   Snatched  from.    Kins.  II,  2,  22. 
rawly.     "Without    due    preparation    and 

provision.     HV.  IV,  1,  147. 
rawness.    Unprepared  and    unprovided 

condition.     Mcb.  IV,  3,  26. 
rayed.   1.  Defiled;  dirtied.    Shr.  IV,  1,3. 
2.  Afflicted;  sick.     Shr.  Ill,  2,  54. 
raze,  n.    A  root  or,  perhaps,  a  package. 

IHIV.  II,  1,  27. 
razed.    Slashed  or  streaked  in  patterns. 

Hml.  Ill,  2,  293. 
reach.    Far  sightedness.     We  of  wisdom 

and  of  reach  =  we  who  are  endowed 

with  wisdom  and  reach.     Hml.  II,  1, 

64.    cf.  We  of  taste  and  feeling.    LLL. 

IV,  2,  30. 
rear-mouse.    See  rere-mouse. 
rearward.  The  last  troop  ;  the  rearguard. 

IHVI.  Ill,  3,  33.     Figuratively  in  Sonn. 

XC,  6;  Rom.  111,2,  121. 
reason.    1.  To  converse;  to  talk.    Merch. 

II,  8,  27  ;  John  IV,  3,  29 ;  RIII.  IV,  4, 
537. 

2.  To  argue  ;  to  debate.     HV.  V,  2,  165; 
Lr.  V,  1,  28. 

rebate.  To  blunt;  to  take  off  the  edge. 
Meas.  I,  4,  60. 

rebeck.  A  three-stringed  fiddle.  Used 
as  a  name  in  Rom.  IV,  5,  135. 

recheat.  "  A  recall  or  retreat ;  from  the 
old  French  recept  or  recet.  A  hunting 
term  for  a  certain  set  of  notes  sounded 
on  the  horn  to  call  the  dogs  off.  In 
Ado.  I,  1,  243,  the  meaning  is:  '"I  will 
supply  horns  for  such  a  purpose  " 
(Nares),  i.e.,  for  sounding  a  recheat, 
alluding,  of  course,  to  the  threadbare 
joke  of  the  cuckold's  horns.  For  a  full 
discussion  of  recheat,  see  Fumess's 
"New  Variorum,"  Ado.  p.  32. 

receipt.    1.   The  thing  received ;  money. 
RII.  1,1,126;  Cor.  1,1,116. 
2.  Capacity;  power  of  receiving.     Sonn. 
CXXXVI,  7. 


3.  Receptacle ;  a  place  for  receiving  and 
containing  anything.  HVIII.  II,  2,  139 ; 
Mcb.  I,  7,  66. 

receive.  1.  To  accept  (intellectually) ;  to 
acknowledge  ;  to  believe.  Gent.  V,  4, 
78;  Meas.  I,  3,  16;  Tw.  Ill,  4,  212; 
Mcb.  I,  7,  74. 

2.  To  understand.  Meas.  II,  4,  82 ;  re- 
ceiving =  capacity  or  rmderstanding. 
Tw.  Ill,  1,  131. 

reck.  To  heed  ;  to  care ;  to  mind.  Ven. 
283;  As.  II,  4,  81 ;  Hml.  I,  3,  51  ;  Cym. 
IV,  2,  154. 

record.  1.  To  witness.  Tit.  I,  1,  255 ; 
Tim.  IV,  2,  4. 

2.  To  sing.  Gent.  V,  4,  6 ;  Per.  IV, 
Prol.  27. 

recordation.  Remembrance.  2HIV.  II, 
3,  61;  Troil.  V,  2,-  116-  In  the  latter 
instance,  perhaps  =  recall  to  mind. 

recorder.  A  kind  of  flute  or  flageolet. 
Mids.  V,  1,  123 ;  Hml.  Ill,  2,  303. 

recourse.  Frequent  flowing.  Troil.  V, 
3,  55.  The  word  is  evidently  used  here 
in  its  radical  or  etymological  sense. 

recover  the  wind.  To  get  the  windward 
of  the  game  so  that  it  may  not  scent 
the  hunter  and  thus  prevent  him  from 
approaching  it  and  driving  it  into  the 
toil.     Hml.  Ill,  2,  368. 

recure.  To  restore  to  health  ;  to  heal. 
Ven.  465  ;  Sonn.  XLV,  9  ;  RIII.  Ill,  7, 
130.     cf.  unrecuring. 

rede.    Advice ;  counsel.    Hml.  I,  3,  51. 
This  word  is  stiU  in  use  in  Scotland. 
Compare  the  closing  lines  of  Burns's 
"  Epistle  to  a  Young  Friend  " : 
And  may  ye  better  reck  the  rede 
Than  ever  did  th'  adviser  1 

red-lattice.  It  is  said  that  a  lattice 
window  painted  red  was  formerly  a 
common  distinction  of  an  alehouse; 
hence,  red-lattice  phrases  =  alehouse 
talk.  2HIV.  II,  2,  86.  Other  colors 
seem  also  to  have  been  used,  as  appeai-s 
from  the  following  note  by  Gifford  on 
the  Green  Z/a^^ice  mentioned  in  Jonson's 
Every  Man  in  His  Humour:  "  In  our 
author's  time  the  windows  of  alehouses 
were  furnished  with  lattices  of  various 
colors  (glass,  probably,  was  too  costly 


BED 


254 


BEG 


and  too  brittle  for  the  kind  of  guests 
which  frequented  them).  Thus  we  hear 
of  the  red,  the  blue  and  in  this  place  of 
the  Green  Lattices.  There  is  a  lane  in 
the  city  yet  called  Green-lettuce  (lattice) 
Lane,  from  an  alehouse  which  once  stood 
in  it ;  and  Serjeant  Hall,  in  The  Tatler, 
directs  a  letter  to  his  bi'other  at  the  Red 
Lettace  (lattice)  in  Butcher  Row."  May 
not  different  alehouses  have  been  dis- 
tinguished by  different  colors,  and  may 
not  the  "Red  Lattice"  have  had  the 
reputation  of  being  low  ? 

red  plague.  According  to  Steevens  == 
the  erysipelas ;  Dr.  Krautt  believes  it 
to  be  the  leprosy.  In  the  "General 
Practise  of  Physicke "  (1605),  p.  675, 
three  different  kinds  of  the  plague-soi-e 
are  mentioned — 'sometimes  it  is  red, 
other  whiles  yellow,  and  sometimes 
blacke,  which  is  the  very  worst  and 
most  venimous.'  "  Halliwell.  Tp.  I,  2, 
364;  Troil.  II,  1,  20;  Cor.  IV,  1,  13. 

reduce.  1.  To  bring  back;  HV.  V,  2, 
63 ;  RIII.  V,  5,  36. 

2.  To  bring ;  to  convey.     RIII.  II,  2,  68. 
In  all  these  instances  the  word  bears 
the  etymological  meaning, 

reed,  n.  Any  tall,  broad-leaved  grass 
growing  on  the  margins  of  streams  or 
other  wet  places.  The  common  reed 
was  extensively  used  for  thatching 
buildings,  and  the  dripping  rain  falling 
from  the  eaves  furnishes  a  striking 
simile  in  Tp.  V,  1,  17. 

Musical  pipes  were  also  made  of  the 
hollow  stems  of  reeds ;  hence,  simile  in 
Merch.  Ill,  4,  67.  See  eaves  and  eaves- 
dropper. 

reed,  adj.  Piping.  Merch.  Ill,  4,  67. 
See  reed,  n. 

re-edify.  To  rebuild.  RIII.  Ill,  1,  71. 
This  is  the  radical  or  etymological 
meaning  of  the  word. 

reek,  n.  Smoke  ;  vapor.  Wiv.  Ill,  3,  86 ; 
Cor.  Ill,  3,  121.  The  word  reek  (both 
as  noun  and  verb)  is  still  used  in  Scot- 
land. The  city  of  Edinburgh  is  known 
as  *'  Auld  Reeky "  from  the  great 
quantity  of  smoke  produced  by  the  com- 
bustion of  bituminous  coal. 


reek,  v.  To  emit  smoke  or  vapor ;  to  per- 
spire. Ven.  555;  LLL.  IV,  3,  140; 
HVIII.  II,  4,  208 ;  Lr.  II,  4,  30. 

reeky.  Smoky  ;  squalid ;  stinking.  Rom. 
IV,  1,  83 ;  Ado.  Ill,  3,  143. 

reeling  ripe.    See  ripe. 

refel.    To  refute.    Meas.  V,  1,  94. 

refer,  v.  refl.  1.  To  appeal.  Wint.  Ill,  2, 
116;  0th.  1,2,64. 

2.  To  have  recourse  to.     Meas.  Ill,  1, 255. 

3.  To  devote  one's  self  to  ;  to  give  one's 
self  up.     Cym.  I,  1,  6. 

Regan,  dr. p.  Daughter  to  King  Lear.  Lr. 

regiment.  Government ;  sway.  Ant.  Ill, 
6,  95. 

region.    1.   A  tract  of  country ;  a  neigh- 
bourhood ;  a  locality.     IHVI.  II,  1,  9  ; 
Cor.  IV,  6,  102 ;  Lr.  I,  1,  147. 
2.  Place;  rank;  station;  dignity.    Wiv. 
111,2,75;  Cym.  V,  4,  93. 

The  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Hml.  II,  2, 
509,  is  thus  explained  by  the  "  Clarendon 
Press"  ed. :  "Originally,  a  division  of 
the  sky  marked  out  by  the  Roman 
augurs.  In  later  times  the  atmosphere 
was  divided  into  three  regions — upper, 
middle  and  lower."  And  this  meaning 
has  been  generally  given  to  the  word  in 
this  passage,  as  also  in  line  509  of  same 
act  and  scene,  and  in  Rom.  II,  2,  21. 
But  the  usual  meaning,  viz.,  a  locality, 
a  tract,  seems  to  fit  all  these  cases.  The 
"region  kites"  may  mean  simply  the 
kites  of  that  neighborhood ;  Hamlet  cer- 
tainly does  not  mean  all  the  kites  that 
frequent  the  upper  regions  of  the  whole 
atmosphere.  So,  too,  in  Rom.  II,  2,  21 ; 
the  very  expression  "airy  region" 
shows  that  region  did  not  specially  de- 
note the  air  in  Sh.  mind. 

Reignier  (Ren6e),  dr.p.  Duke  of  Anjou. 
IHVL 

regreet,  n.   Salutation ;  greeting.   Merch. 

II,  9,  89 ;  John  III,  1,  241. 

regreet,  v.     1.   To  greet   again ;  to  re- 
salute.    RII.  I,  3,  142. 
2.  To  greet ;  to  salute.    RII.  I,  3,  67. 
reguerdon,  n.   Reward  ;  requital.  IHVI. 

III,  1,  170. 

reguerdon,  v.  To  reward.  IHVI.  Ill, 
4,23. 


REJ 


255 


REN 


rejourn.    To  adjourn.     Cor.  II,  1,  80. 

relative.    Applicable ;  pertinent ;  conclu- 
sive.    Hml.  II,  2,  633. 

Symons  truly  observes  that  the  best 
comment  which  has  been  made  on  these 
lines  is  to  be  found  in  Mr.  Irving's 
acting.  This  is  described  by  Marshall, 
in  his  "Study  of  Hamlet,"  as  follows  : 
"  He  takes  his  tablets  out  of  his  pocket 
before  speaking  the  words — 

I'll  have  grounds 
More  relative  than  this. 
The  precise  meaning  of  the  word  '  this  ' 
and  what  it  refers  to,  never  seemed  very 
clear ;  but  this  action  explains  it.  In 
the  first  act,  after  the  Ghost  has  left 
him,  it  will  be  remembered  that  Hamlet 
has  written  down  in  his  tablets  that 
Claudius  was  a  villain.  These  same 
tablets  he  holds  now  in  his  hand;  in 
them  he  is  going  to  put  down  some  ideas 
for  the  speech  which  he  intends  to  in- 
troduce into  the  play  to  be  performed 
before  Claudius  with  the  object  of 
making 

his  occulted  guilt 
*    *    *    itself  unkennel. 

Can  there  be  any  more  natural  action 
than  this,  that  he  should  touch  those 
tablets  with  the  other  hand  while  he 


I'll  have  grounds 
More  relative  than  this, 

i.e.,  'than  this  record  of  my  uncle's 
guilt  which  I  made  after  the  interview 
with  my  father's  spirit.'  " 

relume.    To  light  again.    0th.  V,  2,  13. 

remainders.  In  the  passage  Cym.  1, 1, 129, 
it  is  obvious  that  by  good  remainders 
Posthumus  means  those  that  are  to  abide 
at  the  court.  Evans  thinks  that  there  is 
a  touch  of  irony  here,  and  points  it  out 
thus  :  "  Posthumus  prays  for  a  blessing 
on  the  good  people  left  at  court  when 
it  was  relieved  of  the  burden  of  his  un- 
worthiness."  Surely  this  is  a  mistake. 
Imogen,  his  wife  whom  he  worshipped, 
was  there.  Did  he  throw  his  ironical 
slurs  at  her  ?  There  was  no  thought  of 
irony  or  of  his  own  unworthiness,  as 
Schm.  suggests,  but  an  expression  of 


feeling  for  the  loved  ones  he  was  com- 
pelled to  leave. 

remediate.  Medicinal ;  able  to  furnish  a 
remedy.     Lr.  IV,  4,  17. 

remember.  To  remind.  Sonn.  CXX,  9 ; 
Wint.  Ill,  2,  231 ;  IHIV.  V,  1,  32 ;  Lr. 

I,  4,  72.     cf.  learn. 

remorse.    Pity.    Meas.  II,  2,  54 ;  Hml. 

II,  2,  513  ;  Lr.  IV,  2,  73. 

This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  0th.  Ill,  3, 
468,  And  to  obey  shall  be  in  me  remorse, 
is  not  easily  explained,  and  it  has  been 
suggested  that  the  passage  is  probably 
corrupt.  In  the  same  act  and  scene, 
line  369,  the  word  remorse  would  seem 
to  mean  conscience  rather  than  pity, 
and  it  may  have  the  same  meaning  here. 

remorseful.  Tender-hearted ;  compassion- 
ate. Gent.  IV,  3,  13;  2HVL  IV,  1,  1; 
RIII.  I,  2,  156. 

remotion.  Removal ;  keeping  aloof ;  non- 
appearance. Tim.  IV,  3,  346 ;  Lr.  II, 
4,  115. 

remove,  n.    A  post  stage.    All's.  V,  3, 131. 

removed.  1.  Remote ;  sequestered.  Meas. 

1,  3,  8 ;  As.  Ill,  2,  360 ;  Hml.  I,  4,  61. 
2.  The  passage  in  As.  V,  4,  71,  a  lie  seven 

times  removed,  is  explained  by  Schm. 
as  "seven  steps  in  the  scale  of  grada- 
tion." Perhaps,  however,  the  word  is 
here  used  in  its  radical  sense  and  means 
simply,  repeated — re-moved,  each  time 
becoming  more  offensive  than  the  pre- 
ceding. For  a  full  discussion  of  the 
whole  passage,  see  the  "New  Variorum  " 
of  Furness. 

As  it  occurs  in  IHIV.  IV,  1,  35 :  On 
any  soul  removed  but  on  his  own, 
Johnson  explains  as :  "  On  any  less 
near  to  himself  ;  on  any  whose  interest 
is  remote. ' ' 

render.  Statement ;  account.  Cym.  IV, 
4,  11. 

renege.    To  renounce ;  to  deny.     Lr.  II, 

2,  84 ;  Ant.  I,  1,  8.  Still  in  use  in  this 
country  as  a  term  in  card-playing. 

renown.  Goodness;  praise  worthy  quality. 

Cym.  V,  5,  202. 
rent.   To  rend  ;  to  tear.    Mids.  Ill,  2, 215. 
renying.   Denying  ;  disowning ;  becoming 

a  renegade.     Pilgr.  250. 


REP 


256 


RET 


repair.    To  comfort.     All's.  I,  2,  30. 
repasture.    Food.    LLL.  IV,  1,  96. 

A  sense  somewhat  similar  to  repast, 

i.e.,  a  meal. 
repeal,  n.    Recall  from  exile.    Gent.  Ill, 

1,  234 ;  Cor.  IV,  1,  41. 
repeal,  v.    To  recall  from  exile.     Gent. 

V,  4,  143 ;  RII.  II,  2,  49. 
replenished.    Consummate.    Wint.  II,  1, 

78 ;  RIII.  IV,  3,  18. 
replication.  1.  Echo;  reverberation.  Caes. 

I,  1,  50. 

2.  Answer.     Hml.  IV,  2,  13. 
report.    Reputation.     Cym.  Ill,  3,  57. 
reportingly.  On  hearsay.  Ado.  Ill,  1, 116. 
reprisal.    Prize.    IHIV.  IV,  1,  118. 
reprobation.    Perdition.    0th.  V,  2,  209. 

In  some  eds.  the  word  here  is   repro- 

bance.    q.v. 
reprobance.  Perdition  ;  damnation.  0th. 

V,  2,  209. 
reproof.    1.  Refutation.    IHIV.  I,  2,  213. 

Troil.  I,  3,  33 ;  Cor.  II,  2,  37. 

2.  Contradiction.  HV.  IV,  1,  216;  Per. 
I,  2,  42. 

3.  Check ;  reprimand.    As.  V,  4,  82. 
repugn.  To  oppose  ;  to  resist.   IHVI.  IV, 

1,94. 

repugnancy.   Opposition.  Tim.  Ill,  5,  46. 

requiem.  Mass  for  the  dead,  so  called 
because  it  begins  with  the  words,  "  Re- 
quiem eternam  dona  eis,  Domine." 
Hml.  V,  1,  260. 

rere-mouse.  A  bat.  (Plural,  rere-mice). 
Mids.  II,  2,  4. 

The  word  is  a  form  of  the  Anglo- 
saxon  hrere-mus,  hrere  being  from 
•  hreran,  to  stir,  to  agitate.  The  name 
corresponds  to  the  old  word  flitter- 
niouse,  which  is  used  by  Jonson  in  the 
Alchemist,  V,  2 : 

My  fine  flitter-mouse. 
My  bird  o'  the  night. 
Schm.  gives  rear-mouse  as  the  correct 
mode  of  spelling,  but  this  is  decidedly 
wrong. 

reserved.  As  it  occurs  in  Cym.  1, 1,  87, 
Johnson  explains  the  expression  thus: 
"I  say  I  do  not  fear  my  father,  so  far 
as  I  may  say  it  without  breach  of  duty." 

resolutes.    Desperadoes.    Hml.  I,  1,  98. 


respect,  n.  1.  Deliberation ;  reflection. 
Lucr.  275;  LLL.  V,  2,  792;  John  IV,  2, 
214. 

2.  Reason  ;    consideration.    Ado.  II,  3, 
176;  RIIL  III,  7,  175;  Hml.  Ill,  1,  68. 

The  passage  in  Merch.  V,  1,  99,  No- 
thing is  good,  I  see,  without  respect, 
evidently  means  that  the  good  or  bad 
qualities  of  things  depend  upon  circum- 
stances. 

respect,  v.  Misapplied  by  Elbow  and 
Pompey  instead  of  suspect.  Meas.  II, 
1,  169 ;  do.  176,  177,  183,  184. 

respective.     1.    Caring   for;    regardful. 
Merch.  V,  1,  156;  Rom.  Ill,  1,  128. 
2.  Worthy  of  being  cared  for.     Gent. 

IV,  4,  200. 

respectively.  Respectfully.  Tim.  Ill,  1, 8. 
responsive.  Correspondent ;  suited.  Hml. 

V,  2,  159. 

'rest.    To  arrest.    Err.  IV,  2,  42. 

rest.  "  To  set  up  one's  rest,"  meaning 
that  the  speaker  is  perfectly  determined 
on  a  thing,  is  "a  metaphor  taken  from 
play,  where  the  highest  stake  the  parties 
were  disposed  to  venture  was  called  the 
rest.  To  appropriate  this  term  to  any 
particular  game,  as  is  sometimes  done, 
is  extremely  incorrect. ' '  Gilford's  note 
in  "Massinger's  Works."  The  expression 
occurs  quite  frequently  in  Sh.  Lr.  I, 
1,  125;  Merch.  11,2,  110. 

The  metaphor  is  generally  said  to  be 
taken  from  the  play  of  primero,  a  game 
at  cards.  Dowden,  in  a  note  on  Rom. 
IV,  5,  6,  says :  "  As  I  understand  it,  the 
stake  was  a  smaller  sum,  the  rest  a 
larger  sum,  which  if  a  player  were  con- 
fident (or  desperate)  might  all  be  set  or 
set  uj),  that  is,  be  wagered.  In  the 
game  of  primero,  played  in  dialogue,  in 
the  'Dialogues'  (p.  26)  appended  to 
Minsheu's  'Spanish  Dictionary.'  'two 
shillings  form  the  stake,  eight  shillings 
the  rest.'  Florio  explains  the  Italian 
restare,  '  to  set  up  one's  rest,  to  make 
a  rest,  or  play  upon  one's  rest  at  pri- 
mero.' " 

resty.    Lazy  ;  slothful.    Cym.  Ill,  6,  84. 

retail.    To  tell ;  to  hand  down.    2HIV.  I, 


KET 


257 


RHE 


retire,  n.     1.   Retreat.     IHIV.  II,  3,  54; 

Cor.  I,  6,  3 ;  Cym.  V,  3,  40. 
2.  Return.     Lucr.  573 ;  John  II,  1,  253. 
retire,  v.    1.  To  return.   Van.  906  ;  Troil. 

I,  3,  281. 

2.  To  answer.     Troil.  I,  3,  54. 

3.  To  withdraw.     RII.  II,  2,  46. 
reverb.  To  echo  ;  to  resound.  Lr.  I,  1, 156. 
reverence.    This  word,  as  used  by  Sh., 

has  in  general  the  usual  signification, 
viz.,  respect  and  veneration.  In  some 
cases,  as  in  HV.  1, 2, 20,  it  is  used  towards 
church  dignitaries  much  as  the  word 
*'  worship  "  is  used  towards  judges,  etc. 
— a  sort  of  title  of  honor.  As  it  occurs 
in  As.  I,  1,  54,  it  has  called  forth  a  long 
note  in  most  annotated  editions.  Thus, 
after  quoting  the  passage,  Warburton 
remarks  as  follows :  "  This  is  sense, 
indeed,  and  may  be  thus  understood — 
The  reverence  due  to  my  father  is,  in 
some  degree,  derived  to  you,  as  the 
first-born — but  I  am  persuaded  that 
Orlando  did  not  here  mean  to  compli- 
ment his  brother,  or  condemn  himself  ; 
something  of  which  there  is  in  that 
sense.  I  rather  think  he  intended  a 
satirical  reflection  on  his  brother,  who 
by  letting  him  feed  with  his  hinds, 
treated  him  as  one  not  so  nearly  related 
to  old  Sir  Robert  *  as  himself  was.  I 
imagine,  therefore,  Shakespear  might 
write, — albeit  your  coming  before  ine 
is  nearer  to  his  Revenue,  i.e.,  though 
you  are  no  nearer  in  blood,  yet  it  must 
be  owned,  indeed,  you  are  nearer  in 
estate." 

There  was  no  irony  here;  it  was  all 
sober  earnest,  and  Orlando  spoke  strictly 
according  to  the  facts  as  they  were 
recognised  in  England.  The  eldest  son 
inherited  the  title  and  honors  and  these 
carried  the  revenues,  so  that  War  bur- 
ton's alteration  is  no  improvement. 

Caldecott's  explanation  is  evidently 
the  true  one.    He  makes  nearer  to  his 

*  A  strange  mistake,  seeing  that  the  true 
name.  Sir  Rowland,  occurs  only  five 
lines  lower  down.  Warburton  prob- 
ably had  old  Sir  Robert  Faulconbridge 
in  his  mind. 


reverence  =  "more  closely  and  directly 
the  representative  of  his  honours ;  the 
head  of  the  family,  and  thence  entitled 
to  a  larger  proportion  of  derivative 
respect ;  so  Prince  Henry  to  his  father : 
My  due  from  thee  is   this  imi)erial 

crown, 
Which,  as  immediate  from  thy  place 

and  blood, 
Derives  itself  to  me. 

2HIV.  IV,5,41,e<seg." 
In  regard  to  Oliver's  sudden  outburst 
of  violence,  Furness  says:  "It  is  evi- 
dently the  irony  in  the  tone,  whatever 
the  word,  which  inflames  Oliver."  But 
surely  no  irony  was  needed.  It  was 
Orlando's  direct  and  bitter  upbraidings 
(no  irony  about  them)  that  excited 
Oliver  into  the  attempt  to  lay  violent 
hands  on  his  brother. 
revolt.    A  deserter.     John  V,  2,  151 ;  V, 

4,  7 ;  Cym.  IV,  4,  6. 
Reynaldo^  dr. p.  Servant  to  Polonius.  Hml. 
rlieum.    1.  Tears.     Ado.  V,  2,  85  ;  Hml. 
II,  2,  529. 

2.  Saliva.    Merch.  I,  3,  118. 

3.  Rheumatism.  Meas.  Ill,  1,  31.  This 
is  the  usual  explanation,  but  it  is 
possibly  wrong.     See  rheumatic. 

rheumatic.  Malone  (Variorum  ed..  Vol. 
V,  p.  216)  says:  "Rheumatic  diseases 
signified  in  Sh.  time  not  what  we  now 
call  rheumatism,  but  distillations  from 
the  head,  catarrhs,  etc. "  In  the  Sydney 
"  Memorials  "  it  is  said  of  the  health  of 
Sir  Henry  Sydney  that  "  He  hath  verie 
much  distemporid  divers  pai-ts  of  his 
bodie ;  as,  namelie,  his  hedde,  his 
stomack,  etc.  And  thereby  is  always 
subject  to  distillacions,  coughes  and 
other  rumatick  diseases."  And  in  Hol- 
land's "  Translation  of  Pliny's  Natural 
History,"  bk.  XIX,  cap.  23,  occurs: 
"  And  these  are  supposed  to  be  singular 
for  thoses  fluxes  and  catarrh es  which 
take  a  course  to  the  belly  and  breed 
fluxes  called  by  the  Greeks  Eheu- 
matisms.^"    Mids.  II,  1,  105. 

The  accent  is  on  the  first  syllable,  as 
in  Ven.  135 : 

O'erwom,  despised,  rheumatic  and  cold. 
The  word  is  used  blunderingly  by  Mrs. 


RH£ 


268 


EIC 


Quickly  in  H V.  II,  3,  40.  It  is  not  very 
clear  what  word  she  meant  to  use ; 
lunatic  and  fanatic  have  been  sug- 
gested ;  perhaps  erratic. 

Rhesus.  A  son  of  King  Eioneus  in  Thrace 
and  an  ally  of  the  Trojans  in  their  war 
with  the  Greeks.  He  possessed  horses 
white  as  snow  and  swift  as  the  wind, 
which  were  carried  off  by  night  by 
Ulysses  and  Dioniedes,  the  latter  of 
whom  murdered  Rhesus  himself  in  his 
sleep.    3HVI.  IV,  2,  20. 

Rhodope.  A  famous  Greek  courtezan  of 
Thracian  origin.  Her  name  signifies 
"the  rosy-cheeked,"  and  she  was  a 
fellow  slave  with  -lEsop,  the  poet,  both 
of  them  belonging  to  ladmon,  a  Samian. 
She  afterwards  became  the  property  of 
Xanthes,  another  Samian,  who  carried 
her  to  Naucratis,  in  Egypt,  in  the  reign 
of  Amasis,  and  at  this  great  seaport, 
the  Alexandria  of  ancient  times,  she 
carried  on  the  trade  of  an  hetaera  for 
the  benefit  of  her  master.  Charaxus, 
the  brother  of  Sappho,  having  come  to 
Naucratis  in  the  way  of  business,  fell 
desperately  in  love  with  her  and  ran- 
somed her  from  slavery.  She  continued 
to  live  at  Naucratis  after  she  obtained 
her  freedom  and,  pursuing  her  old 
occupation,  amassed  so  much  wealth 
that  it  is  said  that  she  was  able  to  build 
the  third  pyramid.  It  is  to  this  that 
allusion  is  made  in  IHVI.  I,  6,  22. 
Herodotus  tries  to  prove  that  there  was 
no  truth  in  this  story,  and  it  is  claimed 
that  the  third  pyramid  was  built  by 
Nitocris,  an  Egyptian  queen,  famous 
for  her  beauty.  On  the  other  hand,  it 
is  claimed  that  Rhodope  and  Nitocris 
are  the  same,  and  the  following  account 
of  the  way  in  which  she  became  queen 
is  given :  As  Rhodope  was  one  day 
bathing  at  Naucratis,  an  eagle  took  up 
one  of  her  sandals,  flew  away  with  it, 
and  dropped  it  in  the  lap  of  the  Egyptian 
king,  as  he  was  administering  justice  at 
Memphis.  Struck  by  the  strange  oc- 
currence and  the  beauty  of  the  sandal, 
he  did  not  rest  until  he  had  found  out 
the  fair  owner,  and  as  soon  as  he  had 


discovered  her  he  made  her  his  queen. 
-(Elian  calls  the  king  "  Psammitichus," 
but  the  accuracy  of  this  is  doubtful. 

The  passage  in  IHIV.  I,  6,  22,  reads 
Then  Rhodophe'^s  or  Memphis  ever 
was  in  the  Fl.  Capell  suggested  that 
or  was  a  misprint  for  of,  which  it  un- 
doubtedly is,  and  this  emendation  was 
adopted  by  Dyce  and  is  now  usually 
found  in  the  g.  a.  text. 

rhymed.    See  rat  and  verses. 

Rialto.  The  meaning  of  this  name  is 
thus  given  by  Florio  in  his  "Italian 
Dictionary  "  :  "  As  it  were,  Rivo  Alto, 
a  high  shore.  *  *  *  An  eminent  place 
in  Venice  where  Marchants  commonly 
meet."  The  name  Rialto  was  applied 
to  three  different  objects :  A  large 
island  on  which  the  Exchange  was 
built ;  the  Exchange  itself,  and  the 
bridge  which  connected  the  island  with 
St.  Mark's  Quarter.  Sh.  always  refers 
to  the  Exchange.  Coryat,  in  his  "  Crud- 
ities "  (1611),  thus  describes  the  building : 
"The  Rialto,  which  is  at  the  furthest 
side  of  the  bridge  as  you  come  from  St. 
Mark's,  is  a  most  stately  building,  being 
the  Exchange  of  Venice,  where  the 
Venetian  gentlemen  and  the  merchants 
doe  meete  twice  a  day,  betwixt  eleuen 
and  twelue  of  the  clocke  in  the  morning, 
and  betwixt  flue  and  sixe  of  the  clocke 
in  the  afternoone.  This  Rialto  is  of  a 
goodly  height,  built  all  with  bricke  as 
the  palaces  are,  adorned  with  many 
faire  walkes  or  open  galleries  that  I 
before  mentioned,  and  hath  a  prety 
quadrangular  court  adioyning  to  it. 
But  it  is  inferior  to  our  Exchange  in 
London,  though  indeede  there  is  a  farre 
greater  quantity  of  building  in  this 
then  in  ours."    Merch.  I,  3,  20. 

rib,  V.  To  enclose  and  protect  from  injury. 
Merch.  II,  7,  51 ;  Gym.  Ill,  1,  19. 

ribaudred.   Lewd ;  ribald.   Ant.  Ill,  8, 20. 

Richard,  dr.jy.  Afterwards  Duke  of 
Gloucester  and  Richard  III.  3HVI. 
and  RIII. 

Various  attempts  have  been  made  to 
show  that  Richard  was  not  the  monster 
that   he   is   generally   represented    in 


KIC 


259 


EIM 


history,  but  without  success.  Walpole, 
in  his  "Historic  Doubts,"  was  amongst 
the  first.  The  consensus  of  opinion  now 
is,  that  instead  of  representing  him 
in  the  play  as  blacker  than  he  was, 
Sh.  has  really  done  him  more  than 
justice. 

Richard,  dr. p.  Son  to  Plantagenet,  Duke 
of  York.    2HVI. 

Richard  Cceur-de-lion.  The  passage  (John 
I,  1,  267),  Nor  keep  his  princely  heart 
from  Richard'' s  hand,  alludes  to  a  story 
told  in  the  old  metrical  romance  of 
"Richard  Cceur  de  Lyon,"  a  very  full 
account  of  which  will  be  found  in  the 
Introduction  to  the  Third  Series  in 
Percy's  "  Reliques  of  Ancient  English 
Poetry."  In  this  romance  we  are  told 
that  Richard,  on  his  return  from  the 
Holy  Land,  having  been  discovered  in 
the  habit  of  "a  palmer  in  Almaye," 
was  seized  as  a  spy  and  thrown  into 
prison.  Wardrewe,  the  king's  son, 
hearing  of  Richard's  great  strength, 
desires  the  jailor  to  let  him  have  a  sight 
of  his  prisoners.  Richard  being  the 
foremost,  Wardi'ewe  asks  him  "if  he 
dare  stand  a  buffet  from  his  hand?" 
and  that  on  the  morrow  he  shall  return 
him  another.  Richard  consents  and  re- 
ceives a  blow  that  staggers  him.  On 
the  morrow,  having  previously  waxed 
his  hands,  he  waits  his  antagonist's 
arrival.  Wardrewe  "held  forth  as  a 
trewe  man"  and  Richard  gave  him  a 
blow  that  broke  his  jaw-bone,  and  killed 
him  on  the  spot.  The  king,  to  revenge 
the  death  of  his  son,  orders,  by  the 
advice  of  one  Eldrede,  that  a  lion,  kept 
purposely  from  food,  shall  be  turned 
loose  upon  Richard.  But  the  king's 
daughter,  having  fallen  in  love  with 
him,  she  not  only  told  him  of  the  plot, 
but  furnished  him  with  forty  ells  of 
white  silk  "  kever-chefes  "  ;  these 
"  aboute  his  arme  he  wonde,"  and  when 
the  lion  attacked  him  he  thrust  his  arm, 
thus  protected,  down  the  lion's  throat 

"And  rente  out  the  herte  with  his 

honde 
Lounge  and  all  that  he  there  f  onde. 


The  lyon  fell  deed  to  the  grounde": 
Richard  felte  no  wem,"  i.e.,  wound  or 
hurt. 

Rastell,  in  his  "  Chronicle,"  makes 
mention  of  this  memorable  feat,  but 
adds :  "  Therfore  some  say  he  is  called 
Rycharde  Cure  de  Lyon;  but  some  say 
he  is  called  Cure  de  Lyon  because  of 
his  boldenesse  and  hardy  stomake." 

The  reference  to  Great  Coeur-de- 
lion's  heart  in  IHVL  III,  2,  83,  is  to 
Holinshed's  account  of  Richard's  last 
directions  as  to  the  disposal  of  his  body 
after  death,  which  is  as  follows :  "  Fi- 
nallie  remembring  himselfe  also  of  the 
place  of  his  buriall,  he  commanded  that 
his  bodie  should  be  interred  at  Fonteu- 
vard  at  his  father's  feet,  but  he  willed 
his  heart  to  be  conueied  vnto  Rouen, 
and  there  buried  in  testimonie  of  the 
loue  which  he  had  ever  found  in 
the  citizens  there.  His  bowels  he  or- 
deined  to  be  buried  in  Poictiers,  as  in  a 
place  naturallie  vnthankefull  and  not 
worthie  to  reteine  any  of  the  more 
honorable  parts  of. his  body," 

It  is  said  that  in  accordance  with  the 
above  directions  the  heart  of  Richard 
was  buried  in  Rouen  Cathedral,  and  is 
now  in  the  museum  of  that  town.  For 
an  account  of  the  death  of  Richard,  see 
Lymoges. 

Richmond,  Henry  Tudor,  Earl  of,  dr. p. 
Afterwards  Henry  VII.  3HVI.  and 
RIII. 

rid.  To  destroy.  Tp.  I,  2,  364;  RII.  V, 
4,  11 ;  3HVI.  V,  5,  67. 

rigglsh.    Wanton  ;  lewd.  Ant.  II,  2,  245. 

right,  n.  Satisfaction.  Dome  right  {AWs. 
V,  1,  149)  =  meet  me  in  combat.  Same 
expression  in  2HIV.  V,  3,  77  =  pledge 
me  in  drink. 

right,  adj.  True ;  exact ;  downright. 
Mids.  Ill,  2,  302 ;  As.  Ill,  2,  103 ;  also 
127  and  290. 

rigol.    A  circle.    Lucr.  1745 ;  2HIV.  5,  36. 

rim.  Some  part  of  the  abdomen  not  very 
weU  defined.     HV.  IV,  4,  15. 

"  The  original  reading  [the  Fl.]  is 
rymme,  which  Capell,  judging  from 
the  main  object  of  the  speaker,  boldly 


RIN 


RIV 


pronounced  to  signify  money;  others 
have  wished  to  read  ryno,  but  that  terra 
is  probably  not  of  such  antiquity,  and 
the  conjecture  supposes  the  original 
word  to  be  rym,  which  it  is  not.  Pistol, 
with  a  very  vague  notion  of  the  anatom- 
ical meaning  of  rymme,  seems  to  use 
it  in  a  general  way  for  any  part  of  the 
intestines;  his  object  being  to  terrify 
his  prisoner. 

The  slender  rimme  too  weak  to  part 
The  boyling  liver  from  the  heart. 

Gorge's  Lucan. 
In  the  latter  passage  it  seems  more  like 
the  diaphragm,  as  Mr.  Steevens  inter- 
prets it,  but  it  is  not  properly  so.  Nares. 
ring.  See  cracked  and  rush. 
ringlets.  The  curious  rings  which  are 
frequently  seen  in  pastures  and  on  hill- 
sides were  supposed  to  be  caused  by  the 
fairies.  They  are  of  two  kinds,  one  in 
which  the  grass  is  of  a  brighter  green 
than  elsewhere,  and  which  were  supposed 
to  be  kept  in  good  condition  by  being 
watered  and  tended  by  these  strange 
beings.  Mids.  II,  1,  9,  and  Wiv.  V,  5, 
73.  In  the  others  the  grass  is  poor  and 
the  ground  almost  bare.  In  these  the 
grass  was  supposed  to  be  injured  by  the 
dancing  of  the  l)ad  fairies.  The  refer- 
ences to  these  rings  or  ringlets  in  the 
older  literature  are  quite  numerous.  In 
addition  to  those  already  quoted  from 
Sh.,  see  Tp.  V,  1,  37;  Mids.  II,  1,  86; 
Mcb.  IV,  1,  42.  Drayton  thus  refers  to 
them  in  his  "Nymphidia  "  : 
And  in  their  courses  make  that  round 
In  meadows  and  in  marshes  found, 
Of  them  so  called  the  fayrie  ground 

Of  which  they  have  the  keeping. 
Douce,  in  his  note  on  Mids.  II,  1,  9, 
says :  "When  the  damsels  of  old  gathered 
the  May  dew  on  the  grass,  and  which 
they  made  use  of  to  improve  their  com- 
plexions, they  left  undisturbed  such  of 
it  as  they  perceived  on  the  fairy  rings ; 
apprehensive  that  the  fairies  should,  in 
revenge,  destroy  their  beauty.  Nor  was 
it  reckoned  safe  to  put  the  foot  within 
the  rings  lest  they  should  be  liable  to 
the  fairies'  power. ' ' 


The  cause  of  these  rings  was  for  a 
long  time  a  mystery,  but  it  is  now 
generally  believed  that  they  are  due  to 
the  growth  of  a  species  of  fungus  which 
spreads  from  a  centre,  gradually  dying 
down  and  enriching  the  soil  as  it  decays, 
fungi  being,  as  is  well  known,  very  rich 
in  nitrogen.  While  the  fungus  is  grow- 
ing, it  crowds  out  the  grass  and  causes 
an  appearance  of  barrenness ;  after  it 
dies  out  or  becomes  dormant  the  grass 
springs  up  with  renewed  vigor.  Mar- 
shall says  that  he  has  examined  many 
of  these  fairy  rings,  but  never  could  find 
any  trace  of  the  fungi.  I  think  I  have 
seen  it  stated  that  they  are  microscopic. 

ring  time.  In  some  eds.  these  words  are 
hyphenated,  but  in  the  Cambridge  Sh. 
and  most  others,  as  well  as  in  the  Edin- 
burgh MS.,  they  are  given  as  two 
words.  In  the  Folios  the  word  is  rang 
time;  Johnson  suggested  rank  time, 
and  Steevens  conjectured  ring  tim,e,  i.  e. , 
"  the  aptest  season  for  marriage. "  Douce 
notes  that  "in  confirmation  of  Mr. 
Steevens's  reading,  it  appears  from  the 
old  calenders  that  the  spring  was  the 
season  of  marriage."  Steevens's  con- 
jecture was  confirmed  by  the  finding  of 
an  old  MS.  which,  as  Knight  says, 
"cannot  have  been  written  later  than 
sixteen  years  after  the  publication  of 
the  present  play,"  i.e.,  As  You  Like  It. 
The  meaning  given  by  Steevens  and 
Douce  is,  no  doubt,  the  true  one,  though 
Schm.  gives  an  explanation  slightly 
different.     As.  V,  3,  20.     See  rye. 

ripe.  Mature;  brought  to  completion. 
Thus  reeling  ripe  (Tp.  V,  1,  279)  = 
ready  to  reel  or  stagger ;  in  this  case 
from  drunkenness.  Also,  in  LLL.  V, 
2,  274,  weeping-riije  =  ready  to  weep. 
So,  too,  in  Err.  I,  1,  78,  sinking-ripe  = 
ready  to  sink.  In  Chapman's  May 
Day  we  find  rope-ripe,  i.e.,  ready  for 
hanging.  Ripe,  of  itself,  does  not  mean 
drunk,  though  we  have  seen  it  so  defined. 

rivage.     The  shore.    HV.  Ill,  Chor.  14. 

rival.     An   associate ;   a   companion ;   a 

partner.     Mids.  Ill,  2, 156 ;  Hml.  1, 1, 13. 

This  word,  which  now  means  a  com- 


EIV 


261 


BOB 


petitor  or  antagonist,  is  derived  from 
rivalis,  one  who  uses  the  same  brook  as 
another,  a  neighbour.  Even  in  Sh. 
time  it  was  beginning  to  change  its 
meaning.  Thus  one  of  Cotgrave's  de- 
finitions is:  "A  competitor  in  loue," 
and  it  is  used  in  this  sense  in  several 
passages.  Mids.  Ill,  2,  155 ;  Lr.  I,  1,  47. 
cf.  rivality. 

rivality.  Co-partnership ;  equality.  Ant. 
Ill,  5,  8. 

rive.  To  discharge ;  to  fire.  IHVI.  IV, 
2,29. 

rivelled.  Corrugated ;  wrinkled.  Troil. 
V,  1,  26. 

Rivers,  Earl,  dr.p.  Antony  Woodville, 
brother  to  Lady  Grey.  3HVI.  and  RIII. 
The  name  of  Antony  Woodville  will 
be  known  as  long  as  men  give  any 
attention  to  the  history  of  English 
letters.  He  was  one  of  the  most  learned 
men  of  his  age  and  was  the  patron  of 
Caxton,  who,  under  his  auspices,  pro- 
duced the  first  book  printed  in  England. 
He  was  also  the  translator  of  the  second 
book  printed  by  Caxton,  viz.,  "The 
Dictes  and  Sayeings  of  the  Philosophers 
translated  out  of  French  by  Antone  Erl 
Ryuyers."  This  was  published  in  folio 
in  1477. 

rivo.  A  word  of  doubtful  meaning ;  a 
bacchanalian  exclamation.  IHIV.  II, 
4,  126. 

road.  1.  A  roadstead ;  a  place  where 
ships  may  ride  at  anchor  in  safety. 
Merch.  I,  1,  19;  Sh.  II,  1,377. 

2.  A  journey;  a  stage.    HVIII.  IV,2,  17. 

3.  An  inroad ;  a  foray.  HV.  I,  2,  188  ; 
Cor.  Ill,  1,  5.  Probably  a  variant  of 
raid. 

In  2HIV.  II,  2,  183,  Doll  Tearsheet  is 
said  to  be  a  common  road,  evidently 
meaning  that  she  was  easily  accessible. 
As  an  instance  of  emendation  run  mad 
we  find  the  reading  Doll  Tearstreet 
suggested. 
roast.  The  passage,  2HVI.  I,  1,  109,  in 
the  g.  a.  text-reads,  7^ule  the  roast.  In 
all  the  Folios  the  word  is  rost,  and  some 
doubt  has  been  expressed  as  to  whether 
rost  should  be  rendered  roast  or  roost. 


i.e.,  whether  the  reference  is  to  the 
master  who  sits  at  the  head  of  the  table 
and  rules  the  feast  or  to  some  one  who 
is  "cock  of  the  walk,"  i.e.,  master  of 
the  hens  that  roost  with  him.  It  has 
also  been  suggested  that  it  is  the  word 
roust,  "the  turbulent  part  of  a  channel 
or  firth  occasioned  by  the  meeting  of 
rapid  tides, "  but  how  this  could  be  ruled 
is  not  easily  seen.  Another  suggestion 
is  that  it  is  roadst  or  council.  This 
would  be  most  appropriate  provided 
any  authority  could  be  produced  for  the 
word  roadst. 
rob.  To  plunder.  In  0th.  I,  1,  87,  the 
expression:  ^Zounds, sir,  you^rerobb^d; 
for  shame,  put  on  your  gown,  as  It 
is  found  in  the  g.  a.  text,  reads,  Sir, 
y''are  rob^d,  for  shame  put  on  your 
Gowne,  in  the  Fl.  *  As  found  in  the 
Fl.  there  seems  to  be  a  pun  upon 
"robb'd"  and  "rob'd,"  which  is  lost 
in  the  modern  reading.  The  admonition 
— put  on  your  Gowne,  lends  force  to 
this.  Theobald  thinks  that  gowyi  does 
not  mean  a  nightgown,  but  his  senatorial 
gown.  cf.  toga.  This  would  be  as 
much  as  to  say  :  Put  on  your  senatorial 
dignity  and  powers. 

In  a  note  conununicated  to  Dr.  Fur- 
ness  by  the  late  Edwin  Booth  we  are 
told  that  "Brabantio  should  be  seen 
through  the  open  window  at  his  books 
or  papers ;  this  would  account  for  his 
appearance,  instead  of  his  servants,  at 
this  '  terrible  summons. '  lago  should 
keep  in  shadow  during  this."  It 
must  seem  desperately  presumptuous 
for  a  mere  amateur  like  myself  to  differ 
from  two  such  high  authorities,  but 
surely  they  are  not  sustained  by  the 
context.  Brabantio  could  not  read  his 
books  and  papers  without  a  light,  and 
yet  the  first  thing  he  does  after  he 
realises  the  situation,  is  to  ask  for  a 
taper.     Why  should  he  order  the  serv- 

*  The  "  Cambridge  Shakespeare,"  which 
professes  to  give  all  important  vari- 
orum readings,  reads  "robb'd"  and 
makes  no  note  of  the  reading  of  the  Fl. 


ROB 


HOE 


ants  to  "strike  on  the  tinder"  if  be 
already  had  a  lamp  burning  ?  And  if 
he  sat  reading  at  his  papers,  he  would 
have  been  dressed  and  lago's  joke  about 
"robbing"  and  "robing"  would  have 
fallen  flat.  I  have  no  doubt  that  Sh. 
intended  to  have  Brabantio  in  bed  when 
Roderigo  and  lago  roused  him.  See 
rouse  and  tinder. 

Robert  Bigot,  Earl  of  Norfolk,  dr.p. 
John. 

Robert  Faulconbridge,  dr.p.  Lawful  son 
to  Sir  Robert  Faulconbridge.    John. 

Robin,  dr.p.  Page  to  Sir  John  Falstaff. 
Wiv. 

Robin  Qoodfellow,  dr.p.  A  fairy.  Mids. 
See  Puck. 

Robin  Hood.    See  Hood,  Robin. 

robin  -  redbreast.  A  bird  well  known 
in  Europe,  but  not  an  inhabitant  of 
America,  our  robin  not  being  a  robin 
at  all,  but  a  thrush — the  Turdus  migra- 
tor ius  or  migratory  thrush.  The  English 
robin  is  known  to  ornithologists  as  the 
Erithacus  rubecula.  It  is  not  quite  as 
large  as  the  English  sparrow,  being 
about  53^  inches  long  and  9  inches  in 
extent  of  wing,  while  the  sparrow  is 
6  inches  long  and  9^  inches  in  extent  of 
wing.  It  has  an  olive-brown  back  and 
a  red  breast,  the  color  of  the  latter 
being  much  brighter  than  that  of  our 
American  robin.  It  is  so  great  a  favorite 
with  all  classes  in  Great  Britain  that  it 
is  looked  upon  as  almost  sacred,  so  that 
amongst  the  common  people  it  is  con- 
sidered almost  a  crime  to  kill  one.  On 
the  continent,  however,  it  is  regarded 
as  a  great  delicacy  for  the  table  and  is 
caught  in  enormous  numbers  by  pro- 
fessional birdcatchers.  It  is  a  migratory 
bird,  and  on  the  approach  of  winter 
presses  in  myriads  towards  the  south, 
although  a  certain  number  always  re- 
main in  their  old  haunts,  so  that  in  the 
coldest  winter  they  may  be  seen  even  in 
Scotland,  where  they  approach  the 
houses  and  become  quite  familiar.  It 
is  curious  that  this  favorite  bird  is  men- 
tioned only  three  times  in  Sh.  :  Gent. 
II,  1,  21;  IHIV.  Ill,  1,  265,  and  Cym. 


IV,  3,  234,  where  it  is  called  the  "rud- 
dock" ("Raddocke"  in  Fl).  In  the 
latter  passage  allusion  is  made  to  that 
common  belief  which  is  embodied  in  the 
ballad  of  The  Babes  in  the  Wood,  and 
which  holds  that  the  ruddock  or  red- 
breast always  covers  with  leaves  or 
moss  any  dead  body  that  it  may  find 
exposed. 

In  the  passage  in  IHIV.  Ill,  1,  265, 
referring  to  a  redbreast  teacher,  a 
teacher  or  trainer  of  singing  birds  is 
undoubtedly  meant.  On  this  point, 
however,  Marshall  ("The  Henry  Irving 
Shakespeare")  says:  "Bullfinches  are 
commonly  taught  to  pipe ;  redbreasts 
rarely.  We  might  have  supposed  the 
bullfinch  to  be  the  bird  here  meant,  but 
robin  redbreast  is  not,  so  far  as  I  know, 
a  name  given  to  that  bird." 

It  may  be  well  to  note  here  that  the 
English  names  given  to  American  plants 
and  animals  are  often  misleading  to 
American  readers.  When  the  first 
English  colonists  landed  here  they  saw 
a  bird  which  appeared  to  resemble  the 
robin  of  their  old  home,  much  larger  in 
size,  it  is  true,  but  with  a  reddish  breast, 
and  so  they  gave  it  the  name  of  ' '  robin. ' ' 
The  grouse  they  called  a  pheasant,  and 
a  bird  halfway  between  a  partridge  and 
a  quail  they  sometimes  called  quail  and 
sometimes  partridge.  Other  names  were 
misapplied,  and  if  we  wish  to  know 
with  any  approach  to  accuracy  just 
which  plant,  bird,  beast  or  fish  is  meant, 
the  only  way  is  to  use  the  scientific 
name. 

robustious.  Rough  ;  stout ;  sturdy.  Hml. 
Ill,  2,  10 ;  HV.  Ill,  7,  159. 

rocked.     Shook  ;  trembled.     Lucr.  263. 

Roderigo,  dr.p.     A  Venetian  gentleman. 
0th. 

roe.     This   word,  as  used    by  Mercutio, 
Rom.  II,  4,  41,  has  afforded  some  fun  if 
nothing  else. 
Benvolio.    Here  comes  Romeo,  here 

comes  Romeo. 
Mercutio.    Without   his   roe,    like   a 
dried  herring. 
Here  roe  can  scarcely  mean  anything 


E06 


263 


BOS 


else  tbau  the  roe  of  a  fish.  Dowden,  in 
his  edition  of  this  play,  gives  the  follow- 
ing interesting  note  on  the  passage  : 
"  Seymour  has  the  grotesque  notion  that 

-  Romeo  without  his  roe  is  meo  or  O,  me! 
a  lover's  sigh.  Rolfe  thinks  roe  may 
mean  mistress  (from  the  female  deer). 
Why,  has  not  some  'ingenious  gentle- 
man '  said  that  i^oe  stands  for  i?o-saline? 
'  A  herring  without  a  roe '  is  the  crown- 
ing comparison  of  Menelaus  with  con- 
temptible creatures  put  into  Thersites' 
mouth.  Troilus  and  Cressida,  V,  1, 
168." 

Rogers,  dr.p.  A  Sicilian  gentleman. 
Wint. 

roguing.    Vagrant;  roaming.     Per.  IV, 

I,  97. 

roisting.     Bullying;   blustering.     Troil. 

II,  2,  208. 

romage.  Bustle ;  turmoil.  Hml.  1, 1, 107. 
That  this  word,  as  used  in  this  passage, 
has  the  meaning  we  have  given  to  it  all 
the  coms.  are  agreed,  but  its  origin  is 
not  so  obvious.  The  words  roomage  and 
rummage  are  nautical  terms  almost 
equivalent  to  stowage.  Rummage  has 
acquired  the  sense  of  to  tuni  over,  to 
search,  and  this  change  of  meaning  is 
not  greater  than  has  occurred  in  the 
case  of  many  other  words.  Various 
origins  have  been  suggested,  but  none 
that  seem  to  aid  matters.  It  is  just 
possible  that  the  word,  as  here  used, 
may  be  a  variant  of  roamage,  a  roaming 
or  running  to  and  fro  in  the  land. 

Rome.  That  this  word  was,  sometimes  at 
least,  pronounced  room  is  evident  from 
John  III,  1,  180,  and  Cses.  I,  2,  147. 

Romeo,  dr.p.  Son  to  Montague  and  lover 
and  husband  of  Juliet.     Rom. 

For  note  on  fate  of  subordinate  actors 
in  this  play,  see  nurse. 

rondure.    Circle.     Sonn.  XXI,  8. 

ronyon.  A  mang}-,  scabby  creature. 
(French,  rogneux.)  Wiv.  IV,  2,  195; 
Mcb.  I,  3,  6. 

rood.  The  crucifix.  2HIV.  Ill,  2,  3; 
Rom.  I,  3,  36;  Hml.  Ill,  4,  14. 

"It  would  appear  that,  at  least  in 
earlier   times,  the   rood   signified   not 


merely  the  cioss,  but  the  image  of  Christ 
on  the  cross."    Dyce. 

rook,  n.  A  cheater ;  a  thief.  Wiv.  I,  3,  2. 
(In  bully-rook. ) 

rook,v.  To  perch;  to  roost.  3HVI.V,6,47. 

rooky.  Misty  ;  gloomy.  Perhaps  full  of 
rooks  or  crows.     Mcb.  Ill,  2,  51. 

rooted.    Learned  by  heart.  Cor.  Ill,  2,  55. 

roots.  The  word  roots,  as  it  occurs  in 
Hml.  I,  5,  34,  is  rots  in  the  Folios,  and 
this  has  been  followed  in  many  modern 
eds.  The  Quartos  have  rootes.  Either 
word  makes  sense,  but  roots  seems  the 
most  forcible  as  well  as  the  true  reading. 
Rotting  with  ease  does  not  convey  as 
striking  an  idea  as  rooting  with  ease, 
and,  as  White  remarks,  the  opposition 
of  roots  to  stir  in  the  next  line  also 
supports  this  reading. 

ropery.  Probably  the  nurse's  word  for 
roguery.     Rom.  II,  4,  154. 

rope-tricks.  Roguery.  Shr.  I,  2,  112. 
It  has  been  suggested  this  word  is  here 
confounded  with  rhetoric.  Others  ex- 
plain it  as  "  tricks  such  as  are  played 
by  a  rope-dancer."  Malone  says: 
'•'•  Ropery  or  rope-tricks  originally  sig- 
nified abusive  language,  without  any 
determinate  idea ;  such  language  as 
parrots  are  taught  to  speak. "  Another 
explanation  is:  "tricks  deserving  the 
rope,  that  is,  hanging."  Why  not  de- 
serving or  calling  for  a  whipping  with 
a  rope  or  rope's  end  ?    cf.  Err.  IV,  1, 16. 

roping.  Dripping.  HV.  IV,  2,  48.  cf. 
down-roping. 

Rosalind,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  the  banished 
duke.     As. 

Rosaline,  dr.p.  A  lady  attending  on  the 
Princess  of  France.     LLL. 

Rosaline.  Romeo's  first  love.  Rom.  II, 
3,  44,  and  elsewhere.  She  was  prob- 
ably a  Capulet  (Rom.  I,  2,  72),  as  her 
name  was  on  the  list  of  Capulet's  in- 
vitations. See  rote. 
rosemary.  This  plant  was  considered  as 
a  symbol  of  remembrance,  and  used  at 
weddings  and  funerals.  At  weddings 
it  was  usual  to  dip  the  rosemary  in  the 
cup,  and  drink  to  the  health  of  the 
newly-married   couple.     Sometimes  it 


ROS 


264 


Ron 


made  a  garnish  for  the  meats.  Rose- 
mary was  also  carried  at  funerals, 
probably  for  its  odour,  and  as  a  token 
of  remembrance  of  the  deceased,  which 
custom  is  noticed  as  late  as  the  time  of 
Gay,  who  refers  to  it  in  his  Pastoral 
Dirge.  Nares.  Dekker,  in  The  Won- 
derful Year.,  has:  "Death  rudely  lay 
with  her  and  spoild  her  of  a  maiden- 
head. *  *  *  the  rosemary  that  w  as 
washt  in  sweete  water  to  set  out  the  Brid- 
all  is  now  wet  in  teares  to  furnish  her 
buriall."  Rolfe  quotes  from  Sir  Thomas 
More :  "  I  lett  it  run  alle  over  my 
garden  walls,  not  onlie  because  my 
bees  love  it,  but  because  tis  the  herb 
sacred  to  remembrance,  and  therefore  to 
friendship,  whence  a  sprig  of  it  hath 
a  dumb  language  that  maketh  it  the 
chosen  emblem  at  our  funeral  wakes 
and  in  our  buriall  gronnds, " 

It  was  said  to  have  the  power  of 
strengthening  the  memory. 

Rosencrantz,  dr. p.    A  courtier.    Hml. 

roses.  In  Hml.  Ill,  2,  288,  with  two  pro- 
vincial roses  on  my  razed  shoes, 
Hamlet  is,  of  course,  speaking  of  the 
ornamental  shoe-ties  called  roses,  con- 
sisting of  ribands  gathered  into  large 
knots.  Dyce.  A  great  deal  has  been 
said  in  this  connection  about  the  different 
kinds  of  roses,  but  such  discussion  is 
out  of  place  here.  Hunter,  "New  Il- 
lustrations," Vol.  II,  p.  254,  says :  "  The 
wearing  of  roses  in  the  shoes  was  a 
fashion  or,  rather,  folly  of  the  times, 
it  was  carried  to  such  an  extreme.  The 
roses  may  be  seen  in  many  portraits  of 
the  distinguished  men  of  that  age.  The 
fashion  is  thus  noticed  by  Peacham  in 
The  Truth  of  Our  Times,  1638,  in  the 
chapter  Of  Following  the  Fashions :  '  A 
sempstress  in  Hoi  born  told  me  that 
there  are  shoe-ties  which  go  under  the 
name  of  roses  frojn  thirty  shillings  to 
three,  four  and  five  pounds  the  pair.' 
Yea,  a  gallant  of  the  time  not  long 
since  payed  thirty  pounds  for  a  pair," 

The  Clarendon  Press  eds.  quote  Randle 
Holme,  "Academy  of  Armorie": 
*'  Pinked  or  raised  shooes  have  the  over 


leathers  grain  part  cut   into  Roses  or 
other  devices." 

Ross,  dr. p.    A  Scottish  nobleman.    Mcb. 

Ross,  Lord,  dr. p.  A  partisan  of  Boling- 
broke.     RII. 

rote.  To  read  by  rote  (Rom.  II,  3,  88), 
is  to  repeat  phrases  learned  by  heart, 
but  without  intelligence  or  understand- 
ing. The  friar  tells  Romeo  that  Rosa- 
line knew  that  his  love  for  her  was  a 
mere  mechanical  passion  as  was  clearly 
shown  by  his  sudden  change. 

rother.  An  ox  or  other  bovine.  An  old 
English  word,  now  obsolete.  It  occurs 
but  once  in  Sh,,  Tim.  IV,  3,  12.  The 
reading  in  the  Fl.  is :  It  is  the  Pastour 
lards,  the  Brother'' s  sides.  This,  as  it 
stands,  is  nonsense,  but  it  was  changed 
to  :  It  is  the  pasture  lards  the  rother'' s 
sides,  and  this  has  been  adopted  in  all 
recent  eds.  That  the  word  rother  in 
this  sense  was  familiar  to  Sh.  cannot  be 
doubted.  There  was  a  ' '  Rother  Market ' ' 
in  Stratford,  and  out  of  it  led  "  Rother 
Street."  The  word  is  also  found  in 
many  compounds,  as  Rotherham. 
Rutherford  is  probably  a  variant  of 
Rotherford  or  cattleford — fords  in  the 
olden  time  being  notable  places  and 
giving  names  to  villages,  cities  and  even 
private  mansions,  e.g.,  Abbotsford.  In 
an  old  dictionary  (Baret's  "  Alvearie") 
we  find :  "the  Dewlap  of  a  rudder-beast, 
hanging  downe  vnderthe  necke." 

Rotherham,  Thomas,  dr.p.  Archbishop 
of  York.    RIII. 

rough-cast.  A  kind  of  plaster  formed 
of  lime  and  gravel,  made  quite  thin  by 
water  and  dashed  against  the  wall  to 
which  it  adheres  and  soon  hardens. 
Mids.  Ill,  1,  71. 

round,  n.     A  crown.    Mcb.  I,  5,  29. 

round,  adj.  Unceremonious;  plain-spoken. 
HV.  IV,  1,  216 ;  Hml.  Ill,  1,  191 ;  Lr.  I, 
4,  58. 

To  be  round  with  =  to  speak  plainly 
to.     Err.  II,  1,  82  ;  Tw.  II,  3,  104. 

round,  V.  To  grow  round  ;  euphemistic- 
ally ==  to  advance  in  pregnancy.  Wint. 
II,  1,  16. 

roundel.  A  dance  in  a  circle.  Mids.  II,  2,1. 


ROTJ 


2^5 


ROY 


roundly.    Plainly ;  directly.    As.  V,  3, 12. 

roundure.  Round;  circle.  John  II,  1,  259. 

rouse,  n.  1 .  A  bumper ;  a  copious  draught 
of  liquor.  Hml.  I,  2,  127 ;  do.  I,  4,  8 ; 
0th.  II,  3,  66. 

2.  A  carouse :  a  drinking  bout.     Hml. 
II,  1,  58. 

In  a  note  on  Massinger's  Tfie  Duke  of 
Milan,  Gifford  tells  us  that  "a  rouse 
was  a  large  glass,  '  not  past  a  pint, '  as 
lago  says,  in  which  a  health  was  given, 
the  drinking  of  which  by  the  rest  of  the 
company  formed  a  carouse.  Barnaby 
Rich  is  exceeding  angry  with  the  in- 
ventor of  the  custom,  which,  however, 
with  a  laudable  zeal  for  the  honour  of 
his  country,  he  attributes  to  an  English- 
man, who,  it  seems,  'had  his  brains 
beat  out  with  a  pottle-pot '  for  his  in- 
genuity. There  could  be  no  rouse  or 
carouse  unless  the  glasses  were  emptied. 
In  process  of  time,  both  these  words 
were  used  in  a  laxer  sense.  They  are 
used  in  their  primal  and  appropriate 
signification  in  :  'I've  ta'en,  since  sup- 
per, a  rouse  or  two  too  much,'  etc. 
Knigh  t  of  Malta. ' '  And  Gifford  alleges 
that  the  word  has  a  fixed  and  deter- 
minate sense,  and  that  Johnson  and 
Steevens  are  wrong  in  defining  it  other- 
wise. But  in  this  Gifford  is  surely  mis- 
taken. There  was  nothing  definite  about 
either  a  rouse  or  a  carouse ;  the  one  was 
simply  a  drinking  bout  and  the  other  a 
large,  but  indefinite  draught,  otherwise 
there  could  not  have  been  a  "little 
one."  Oth.  II,  3,  68.  Skeat  says:  "I 
have  little  doubt  that  the  original  sense 
was  simply  'noise '  or  uproar." 

rouse,  V.  To  awaken  ;  to  start  game  in 
hunting.  3HVI.  V,  1,  65 ;  RII.  II,  3, 
128.  Rolfe  tells  us  that  in  the  passage 
in  Oth.  I,  1,  69 :  Call  up  her  father. 
Mouse  him :  make  aftei'  him,  poison, 
his  delight,  Proclaim  him  in  the 
streets,  "  the  first  him  refers  to 
Brabantio,  the  second  to  Othello." 
Upon  which  Furness  remarks :  "Which 
is  true  if  we  follow  Dr.  Johnson's  punc- 
tuation. But  I  prefer  to  follow  Fl., 
where  clearly  Othello  alone  is  referred 


to  in  both  cases.  *  *  *  The  main  idea 
is  to  rouse  and  disturb  Othello  and 
poison  his  delight. "  Rolfe's  punctuation 
differs  both  from  the  Fl.  and  Dr.  John- 
son's ed.  Edwin  Booth  favored  the 
interpretation  given  by  Rolfe.   See  rob. 

Rousillon,  Count  of,  dr,p.  Bertram. 
All's. 

Rousillon,  Countess  of,  dr. p.  Mother  to 
Bertram.     All's. 

rout.    1.  A  mob;  a  crowd.    Err.  Ill,  1, 
101 ;  Cses.  I,  2,  78. 
2.  A  brawl.     Oth.  II,  3,  212. 

royal.  A  gold  coin  of  the  value  of  ten 
shillings  (about  $2.50).  Hence Falstaff's 
saying :  Thou  earnest  not  of  the  blood 
royal,  if  thou  darest  not  stand  for  ten 
shillings.  IHIV.  I,  2,  157.  Also  in 
IHIV.  II,  4,  320 :  "  Give  him  as  much 
as  will  make  him  [the  nobleman]  a  royal 
man,"  the  pun  is  between  noble  (6s.  8d.) 
and  royal  (10s).     See  noble. 

royal  merchant.  Commenting  on  Merch. 
IV,  1,  '29,  Warburton  tells  us  that  "  we 
are  not  to  imagine  the  word  royal  to  be 
only  a  ranting  sounding  Epithet.  It  is 
used  with  great  propriety,  and  shows 
the  Poet  well  acquainted  with  the 
history  of  the  People  whom  he  here 
brings  upon  the  stage.  For  when  the 
French  and  the  Venetians,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  thirteenth  century,  had 
won  Constantinople,  the  French,  under 
the  emperor  Henry,  endeavoured  to 
extend  their  conquests  into  the  provinces 
of  the  Grecian  empire  on  the  Terra 
Firma  ;  while  the  Venetians,  who  were 
masters  of  the  sea,  gave  liberty  to  any 
subject  of  the  Rupublic  who  would  fit 
out  vessels  to  make  themselves  masters 
of  the  isles  of  the  Archipelago,  and 
other  maratime  places  ;  and  to  enjoy 
their  conquests  in  sovereignty ;  only 
doing  homage  to  the  Republic  for  their 
several  principalities.  By  virtue  of  this 
licence  the  Sanudo''s,  the  Justinianiy 
the  Grimaldi,  the  Summaripo''s  and 
others,  all  Venetian  merchants,  erected 
principalities  in  several  places  of  the 
Archipelago  (which  their  descendants 
enjoyed    for    many    generations)    and 


KOY 


266 


RUE 


thereby  became  truly  and  properly 
royal  tnerchants,  which,  indeed,  was 
the  title  generally  given  them  all  over 
Europe.  Hence  the  most  eminent  of 
our  own  merchants  (while  public  spirit 
resided  amongst  them  and  before  it  was 
aped  by  faction)  were  called  royal 
merchants.''^ 

Upon  this,  Johnson  remarks:  "This 
Epithet  was  in  our  Poet's  time  more 
striking  and  better  understood,  because 
Gresham  was  then  commonly  dignified 
with  the  title  of  the  royal  merchants.''^ 
(sic.) 
^  To  which  Hunter  in  his  "New  Illus- 

trations," Vol.  I,  p.  308,  adds:  "War- 
burton  does  not  appear  to  have  caught 
the  precise  effect  of  the  term.  '  A  royal 
merchant,  in  the  middle  ages,  was  a 
merchant  who  transacted  business  for  a 
sovereign  of  the  time. " 

roynish.  Paltry;  mangy;  scabby.  (French 
rogneux.)    As.  II,  2,  8. 

rub,  n.  A  term  used  in  the  game  of  bowls ; 
an  impediment.  John  III,  4,  128 ;  RII. 
Ill,  4,  4  ;  H  V.  II,  2,  188 ;  Cor.  Ill,  1, 60. 
In  "  British  Rural  Sports,"  by  Stone- 
henge,  in  the  article  on  the  game  of 
bowls,  rub  is  thus  defined:  ^^  Rub  or 
set. — When  a  jack  or  bowl,  in  its  transit, 
strikes  or  touches  any  object  or  thing 
on  the  green  which  alters  or  impedes  its 
motion.  *  *  *  If  a  running  bowl 
before  it  has  reached  the  parallel  of  the 
jack  do  rub  or  set  on  any  person  (not  of 
the  playing  party),  or  on  a  bowl  or  jack 
belonging  to  another  party,  it  can  be 
played  again. "  So  that  the  meaning  of 
rub,  in  this  connection,  is  "to  come 
into  contact  with  any  obstacle  animate 
or  inanimate."  Swift  has,  "without 
rub  or  interruption,"  and  Stanihurst 
makes  the  following  comparison  :  "  Like 
a  bowle  that  runneth  in  a  smooth  allie, 
without  any  rub. " 

rub,  1?.  In  the  passage,  rub  on  and  kiss 
the  mistress  (Troil.  Ill,  2,  52),  "The 
allusion  is  to  bowling.  What  we  now 
call  the  jack  seems,  in  Shakespeare's 
time,  to  have  been  termed  the  mistress. 
A  bowl  that  kisses  the  jack  or  mistress. 


i.e.,  remains  touching  the  jack,  is  in  the 
most  advantageous  position.  Rub  on 
is  a  term  at  the  same  game."    Malone. 

rubious.    Red  like  a  ryby.    Tw.  I,  4,  32. 

ruddock.  The  robin  redbreast.  Cym.  IV, 
2,  224.     See  robin  redbreast. 

rudesby.  A  rude  fellow.  Shr.  Ill,  2, 10 ; 
Tw.  IV,  1,  55. 

rue.  A  bushy,  woody  plant  known  to 
botanists  as  Ruta  graveolens.  As  rose- 
mary was  a  symbol  of  remembrance,  so 
rue  was  a  symbol  of  grace.  Hence  the 
allusion  in  Wint.  IV,  4,  74.  It  was 
called  "herb  of  grace"  in  Sh.  time; 
thus  we  find  in  Cotgrave:  "Rue:  f, 
Rue,  Hearbe  Grace.''''  And  in  RII.  Ill, 
4,  104,  we  find  : 

Here  in  this  place, 
I'll  set  a  bank  of  rue,  sour  herb  of 

grace : 
Rue,  even  for  ruth,  here  shortly  shall 

be  seen 
In  the  remembrance  of  a  weeping 
queen. 
Why  it  was  called  "herb  o'  grace," 
and  especially  why  called  "herb  o' 
grace  o'  Sundays,"  has  been  the  subject 
of  much  discussion.  Warburton  (prob- 
ably following  Jeremy  Taylor),  in  a 
note  on  Hml.  IV,  5,  181,  tells  us  that 
"  Herb  of  grace  is  the  name  the  country 
people  give  to  Rue.  And  the  reason  is 
because  that  herb  was  a  principal  in- 
gredient in  the  potion  which  the  Roynish 
priests  used  to  force  the  possessed  to 
swallow  down  when  they  exorcised 
them.  Now,  these  exorcisms  being  per- 
formed generally  on  a  Sunday,  in  the 
church  before  the  whole  congregation, 
is  the  reason  why  she  says,  we  call  it 
herb  of  grace  o'  Sundays."  On  the 
the  other  hand,  Malone  (Variorum  of 
1821,  Vol.  VII,  p.  422)  objects  to  this  on 
the  ground  that  "  Herb  of  grace  was 
not  the  Sunday  name,  but  the  every- 
day name  of  rtie."  And  he  further 
says:  "Ophelia  only  means,  I  think, 
that  the  Queen  may,  with  peculiar  pro- 
priety on  Sundays,  when  she  solicits 
pardon  for  that  crime  which  she  has  so 
much  occasion  to  rue  and  repent  of, 
call  her  rue  herb  of  grace.'' ^    But  it 


RUE 


267 


RUN 


seems  hardly  likely  that  Ophelia,  even 
though  mad,  would  have  thus  insulted 
"the  beauteous  majesty  of  Denmark." 

On  the  question  of  the  queen's  wearing 
it  "with  a  difference,"  much  has  been 
written.  The  term  is  one  in  heraldry 
(see  difference),  but  whether  so  used 
here  or  not  may  be  doubted.  Steevens 
explains  it  thus :  "  You,  madam  (says 
Ophelia  to  the  queen),  may  call  your 
rue  by  its  Sunday  name,  het-b  of  grace, 
and  so  wear  it  with  a  difference  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  mine,  which  can  never 
be  anything  but  merely  rue,  i.e., 
sorrow."  Skeat  makes  the  following 
note  :  "  There  is  no  difficulty  here  if  we 
do  not  force  the  words  into  some  heraldic 
phrase.  It  merely  means  this :  I  offer 
you  rue,  which  has  two  meanings  :  it  is 
sometimes  called  herb  of  grace  and  in 
that  sense  I  take  some  for  myself  ;  but 
with  a  slight  difference  of  spelling  it 
means  ruth,  and  in  that  respect  it  will 
do  for  you.  This  explanation  is  not 
mine — it  is  Shakespeare's  own.  See  RII. 
Ill,  4,  105  [quoted  above]."  But  in  the 
passage  from  RII.,  referred  toby  Skeat, 
there  is  no  reference  to  "difference." 
Schm.  gives  the  following  explanation  : 
"  with  a  difference,  because  you  are  old 
and  I  am  young,"  and  he  then  gives  a 
note  on  the  supposed  therapeutic  effects 
of  rue. 

It  seems  to  me,  however,  that  the 
expression  is  derived  from  heraldry. 
Ophelia  and  the  queen  were  both  to  wear 
rue,  and  as  their  social  positions  were 
vastly  different,  Ophelia  apologises  to 
the  queen  for  seeming  to  place  herself 
on  a  level  with  majesty  by  suggesting 
that  she  wear  it  with  a  difference. 

Much  has  been  said  about  the  letter 
of  Edward  Alleyn  to  his  wife  in  which 
he  speaks  of  "  rue  and  herbe  of  grace," 
and  in  the  reply  of  his  parents  they 
speak  of  using  "  wormwode  and  re  we." 
This  would  seem  to  imply  that  worm- 
wood was  known  as  "herb  of  grace," 
but  this  may  be  a  mistake  on  the  part 
of  Alleyn's  parents.  We  all  know  how 
ready  such  people  are  to  make  mistakes 


in  these  matters,  and  Ophelia  herself 
says,  "we  may  call  it  [rue]  herb  of 
grace."  That  rue  was  used  for  such 
purposes  is  shown  by  Warburton's 
quotation  from  Sandys:  "At  Grand 
Cairo  there  is  a  species  of  rue  much  in 
request  with  which  the  inhabitants  per- 
fume themselves,  not  only  as  a  pre- 
servative against  infection,  but  as  very 
powerful  against  evil  spirits." 

ruffle.     To  be  boisterous.     Lr.  II,  4,  304. 

Rugby,  Jack,  dr. p.  Servant  to  Dr.  Caius. 
Wiv. 

rug-headed.  Rough-headed.  RII.  II,  1, 
157. 

ruinate.  To  ruin.  Lucr.  944 ;  3HVI.  V, 
1,  83.^ 

rule.  Usually  defined  as  behaviour ;  con- 
duct.   Tw.  II,  3,  133. 

Nares,  referring  to  this  passage  says  : 
"  Apparently  put  for  behaviour  or  con- 
duct ;  with  some  allusion  perhaps  to  the 
frolics  called  mis-rule."  Dyce  believes 
it  is  equivalent  to  rev  el,  noisy  sport.  See 
night-rule.  The  word  night-rule  has 
been  supposed  to  be  a  contraction  of 
night-revel,  which  in  Sh.  time  would  be 
printed  night-reuel.  Halliwell  quotes 
the  old  statutes  of  London  given  by 
Stowe  :  "  No  man  shall,  after  the  houre 
of  nine  at  the  night,  keep  any  rule 
whereby  any  such  sudden  outcry  be 
made  in  the  still  of  the  night,  as  making 
any  affray,  etc." 

rump-fed.  There  has  been  great  diversity 
of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  meaning  of 
this  word.  Some  say  it  means  pampered; 
others,  fed  on  offal.    Mcb.  I,  3,  6. 

Rumour,  dr.p.     As  a  Prologue.    2HIV. 

run-away's.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in 
Rom.  Ill,  2,  6,  has  been  a  puzzle  to  the 
corns.  Furness,  in  the  "  New  Variorum," 
fills  twenty-eight  royal  8vo.  pages  of 
fine  type  with  a  condensed  account  of 
the  various  emendations  and  annota- 
tions that  have  been  made  on  it.  In 
the  Fl.  the  passage  reads  as  follows  : 

Ivl.    Gallop  apace,  you   fiery-footed 

steedes, 
Towards  Phoebiis    lodging:   such  a 

Wagoner 


RUN 


268 


RTTir 


As  Phaeton  would  whip  you  to  the  west, 

And  bring  in  Cloudie  night  immedi- 
ately. 

Spread  thy  close  Curtaine  Loue-per- 
forming  night, 

That  run-awayes  eyes  may  wincke, 
and  Romeo 

Leape  to  these  armes,  vntalkt  of  and 
vnseene. 

The  comments  on  this  word  may  be 
divided  into  two  classes :  Those  which 
seek  to  explain  the  text  as  it  stands  and 
those  which  suggest  an  emendatinn.  Of 
the  latter  there  is  a  very  large  number 
—between  thirty  arid  forty.  We  give 
some  of  them,  omitting  the  originators' 
names  as  this  would  occupy  too  much 
space.  These  are  specimens  :  curious, 
Cynthia's,  enemies',  envious,  in  no 
ways,  Luna's,  neighbouring,  nooyi- 
day's,  renomy's,  ribald's,  roavinge, 
rude  day's,  rumourous.  Rumour's, 
run-about's,  runagates',  run-astray's, 
runaway  spies,  run-i-th'-ways' ,  soon 
day's,  sun  awake's,  sun  away's,  sun- 
aweary,  sunny  day's,  sun-weary's, 
surveyor's,  Titan's,  unawares,  un- 
ivary,  Uranus,  Veronese,  wandering^ 
wary  ones',  yonder. 

Most  of  these  emendations  speak  for 
themselves;  that  is,  to  say,  the  line  of 
thought  which  led  their  authors  to  put 
them  forth  is  quite  obvious. 

The  first  ed.  who  attempted  an  ex- 
planation of  the  passage  as  it  stands 
was  Warburton,  and  as  his  interpreta- 
tion has  been  adopted  by  several  pro- 
minent eds.  and  coms.,  including  the 
latest  and  one  of  the  ablest  (Prof.  Dow- 
den),  we  quote  it  verbatim  from  War- 
burton's  ed.  of  1747.     He  says  : 

"  That  runaways  eyes  may  wink. 
What  runaways  are  these,  whose  eyes 
Jidiet  is  wishing  to  have  stopt  ?  Mac- 
beth we  may  remember,  makes  an  in- 
vocation to  Night  much  in  the  same 
strain : 

Come  seeling  Night, 
Scarf  up  tlie  tender  eye  of  pitiful  day, 
etc. 

So   Juliet   here   would    have   Night's 
darkness  obscure  the  great  eye  of  the 


day,  the  Sun,  whom  considering  in  a 
poetical  light  as  Phoebus,  drawn  in  his 
carr  with  fiery-footed  steeds,  and  post- 
ing thro'  the  heavens,  she  very  properly 
calls  him,  with  regard  to  the  swiftness 
of  his  course,  the  Runaway.  In  the 
like  manner  our  Poet  speaks  of  the 
Night  in  The  Merchant  of  Venice  : 

For  the  dose  night  doth  play  the  Run- 
away." [^erch.  II,  6,  47.] 

To  which  note  Johnson  (1765)  appends 
the  remark:  "I  am  not  satisfied  with 
this  emendation,  yet  have  nothing 
better  to  propose."  In  the  same  year 
Heath  published  his  "  Revisal  of  Shake- 
speare's Text,"  in  which  he  protested 
very  strongly  against  Warburton 's  ex- 
planation and  offered  "  Rumour's  "  as 
an  emendment. 

In  the  elaborate  resume  of  the  sub- 
ject appended  by  Dr.  Furness  to  his  ed. 
of  Romeo  and  Juliet,  the  earliest  note 
from  Steevens  is  dated  1773,  but  as 
early  as  1765  Steevens  contributed  the 
following  note  to  the  Appendix  to  the 
eighth  vol.  of  Johnson's  edition  :  "  I  am 
no  better  satisfied  with  Dr.  Warburton^ s 
emendation  than  the  present  editor,  but 
tho'  I  have  none  I  have  a  good  opinion 
of,  to  propose  in  its  room,  will  yet  offer 
at  an  explanation.  Juliet  wishes  the 
night  may  be  so  dark  that  none  of  those 
who  are  obliged  to  run  away  in  it,  on 
some  account  or  other,  may  meet  with 
Romeo,  and  know  his  person,  but  that 
he  may 

Leap  to  her  arms  untalk'd  of  and  un- 
seen. 

The  runaway  in  this  place  cannot  be 
the  sun,  who  must  have  been  effectually 
gone  before  night  could  spread  its 
curtain,  and  such  a  wish  must  have 
taken  place  before  the  eyes  of  these 
run-aways  could  be  supposed  to  wink. 

The  "Revisal"  reads,  7Vta^ Rumour's 
eyes  may  wink,  and  he  might  have  sup- 
ported his  conjecture  from  the  figure 
of  Fame,  i.e..,  Rumour,  as  described  by- 
Virgil, 

Tot  vigilea  ocvli  subter,  etc. 
And  yet  this  is  but  a  conjecture,  though 


RUN 


269 


BUS 


a  very  ingenious  one."  Neither  this 
note  nor  a  synopsis  of  it  appears  in  the 
Variorum  of  1821,  but  it  is  substantially 
the  explanation  adopted  by  Schm.  and 
Rolfe,  who  credits  it  to  Hunter.  It  is 
also  adopted  by  Marshall  in  "The  Henry 
Irving  Shakespeare." 

In  his  "  Shakespeare's  Scholar  "  (1854 
Grant  White  suggested  "Rumour"  for 
"runaway,"  and  defended  it  by  remind- 
ing us  of  "  the  vital  importance  of  the 
secrecy  of  Juliet's  nuptials,"  and  that 
"  Romeo  might  be  seen  entering  her 
chamber  window  by  no  one  who  would 
talk  of  or  rumor  it. "  But  in  his  ed.  of 
1858  he  adopts  Warburton's  explana- 
tion, and  in  his  review  of  Schm.  "  Lexi- 
con" he  says:  "Of  all  the  many  in- 
acceptable  and  needless  explanations  of 
this  word  (of  which  I  myself  once  fur- 
nished one).  Dr.  Schmidt  adopts  that 
which  is  the  most  unacceptable,  one 
presenting  an  idea  which  it  is  quite  im- 
possible that  Shakespeare  should  have 
had  in  mind :  '  people  who  ramble  about 
the  streets  at  night  to  spy  out  the  doings 
of  others.'  The  inconsistency  of  this 
meaning  with  the  context  is  mani- 
fest at  a  glance.  These  people  (to  whom 
it  would  be  absurd  to  apply  the  term 
rtin-aivay)  ramble  about  the  Streets  at 
night ;  they  need  night  for  their  occu- 
pation, and  therefore,  we  are  asked  to 
believe,  Juliet  prays  for  night  to  come  : 
and  prays  for  it  '  that  runaways  eyes 
may  wink,'  i.e.,  because  the  darkness 
which  is  the  necessary  condition  of  their 
eavesdropping,  and  which  they  desire, 
will  surely  cause  them  to  go  to  sleep. 
Moreover,  Juliet  cared  for,  thought  of, 
no  one  who  might  be  in  the  streets. 
She  knew  well  enough  that  she  was 
secure  against  all  such  spying.  The 
Capulet  mansion  was  no  street-side 
house  to  be  pryed  into  by  any  passer-by. 
Juliet's  window,  her  balcony,  her  loggia, 
were  separated  from  all  that  by  a  gar- 
den and  a  wall ;  at  Romeo's  passing  of 
which  Shakespeare  makes  her  wonder. 
This  explanation  given  in  the  '  Lexicon ' 
is  the  most  futile  of  all  which  have  been 


elicited  by  this  passage.    Juliet's  run- 
away is  merely  the  sun." 

Mr.  Halpin  wrote  an  elaborate  article 
to  prove  that  the  runaway  is  Cupid. 
Douce  thinks  that  the  runaway  is  Juliet 
herself,  who  nas  run  away  from  her 
duty.  Various  other  explanations  have 
been  offered,  but  the  great  majority  of 
coms.  seem  to  be  divided  between  those 
of  War  burton  and  Steevens — the  sun 
and  observers  in  the  streets.  In  the 
latter  case  runaways  =  runagates,  q.v. 
runagate.  A  vagabond.    RIII.  IV,  4,  465. 

So  defined  by  Schm.,  followed  by 
Rolfe.  That  the  word  is  now  used 
almost  wholly  in  this  sense  is  certain, 
but  in  Sh.  time  it  seems  to  have  been 
almost  synonymous  with  runaway,  and 
in  the  four  passages  in  which  it  occurs 
in  the  plays  it  xwsiY  bear  the  meaning  of 
"  one  who  runs  away  "  quite  as  well  as 
that  of  vagabond.  And  in  "A  New 
General  English  Dictionary,"  by  Rev. 
Thomas  Dyche  (1735),  runagate  and 
runaway  are  given  as  synonyms  and 
defined  as  "a  dissenter,  a  rover,  or 
wanderer."  And  in  Rom.  Ill,  5,  90, 
runagate  evidently  means  "one  who 
has  run  away."  Even  in  RIII.  IV, 
4,  465,  it  seems  to  me  that  "white 
liver 'd  runagate  "  means  a  coward  who 
has  run  away  rather  than  one  who  is  a 
mere  vagabond  or  wanderer. 

Runagate  is  a  corruption  of  renegate^ 
which  is  derived  from  low  Latin  rene- 
gatus,  to  deny  again ;  hence  =  an 
apostate,  a  deserter.  "  It  is  remarkable 
that  when  renegate  had  been  corrupted 
into  runagate,  we  borrowed  the  word 
over  again,  in  the  form  renegade,  from 
Spanish  renegado.  It  is  a  pity  we 
could  not  do  without  it  altogether." 
Skeat. 

The  other  passages  in  which  runagate 
occurs  are  Gym.  I,  6,  137,  and  IV,  2,  62. 
running  banquet.  In  the  original  sense, 
a  hasty  refreshment.  In  HVIII.  I,  4, 
12,  the  sense  is  obviously  lascivious. 
In  HVIII.  V,  4,  71,  it  is  a  slang  term 
for  a  whipping. 
rush.     A    well  -  known    plant.     Before 


BTT8 


270 


RUS 


the  general  introduction  of  carpets, 
the  floors  of  dwelling  houses,  even 
amongst  the  higher  classes,  were 
strewed  with  rushes.  Rom.  I,  4,  36. 
It  would  also  seem  that  for  processions 
connected  with  great  state  occasions  the 
pavements  were  strewed  with  rushes. 
2HIV.  V,  5, 1 .  Man  but  a  rush  against 
Othello's  breast.  0th.  V,  2,  270.  Staun- 
ton tells  us  that  this  is  an  allusion  to 
the  mock  tournaments,  in  which  the 
combatants  were  armed  with  rushes  in 
place  of  spears.  This  has  been  generally 
accepted.    Perhaps  it  is  correct. 

As  TiVs  rush  for  Toin''s  forefinger. 
All's.  II,  2,  24.  This  probably  refers  to 
the  practice  of  marrying  with  a  rush 
ring.  This  seems  to  have  been  common 
both  in  England  and  other  countries. 
Breval,  in  his  "  Antiquities  of  Paris," 
mentions  it  as  a  kind  of  espousal  used 
in  France  by  such  persons  as  meant  to 
live  together  in  a  state  of  concubinage, 
but  in  England  it  was  scarce  ever  prac- 
tised, except  by  designing  men,  for  the 
purpose  of  corrupting  those  young 
women  to  whom  they  pretended  love. 
Hawkins.  As  Tom  is  the  man  and  Tib 
the  woman,  Hawkins  suggested  that  it 
should  be  Tom''s  rush  for  Tib''s  fore- 
finger. But  Mason  tells  us  that  it  was 
the  practice  in  former  times  for  the 
woman  to  give  the  man  a  ring  as  well 
as  for  the  man  to  give  her  one,  and 
refers  to  the  account  given  by  the  priest 
of  Olivia's  marriage  in  the  last  scene  of 
Twelfth  Night,  in  which  he  speaks  of 
inter changenient  of  your  rings.  Be- 
sides, if  we  were  to  adopt  the  amend- 
ment of  Sir  J.  Hawkins,  it  is  probable 
that  we  would  have  to  change  fore- 
finger, as  that  is  not  the  finger  upon 
which  the  bride's  ring  is  usually  placed. 
For  a  discussion  of  the  subject  see  Third 
Variorum,  Vol.  X,  p.  370,  and  Brand's 
''Popular  Antiquities"  (Bohn's  ed.), 
Vol.  II,  p.  107. 

rush   aside,  to.    To  push  aside.    Rom. 
Ill,  3,  26. 

rush-candle.    ^'  A  candle  made  of  a  rush 
dipped  in  tallow."    Schmidt.    It  would 


be  diflicult  to  make  a  serviceable  candle 
in  that  way.  The  rush-candle  or  rush- 
light was  made  by  using  the  pith  of  the 
rush  (not  the  rush  itself)  for  a  wick. 
This  was  dipped  in  the  melted  tallow  or 
used  in  a  mould.  Rush-lights  were  in 
use  in  Great  Britain  up  to  the  time  of 
the  discovery  of  kerosene  oil.  Shr.  IV, 
5,  14. 

rushling.  Mrs.  Quickly's  form  of  rustle. 
Wiv.  II,  2,  68. 

russet-pated.  Grey-headed.  The  word 
russet  is  still  used  in  the  sense  of  gretj 
as  descriptive  of  a  variety  of  apple — 
the  russet.  The  russet-pated  chough 
(Mids.  Ill,  2,  21)  is  undoubtedly  the 
jackdaw,  whose  ear-coverts  and  neck  is 
grey.  Bennet  suggested  that  for  russet- 
pated  we  should  read  russet-patted  or 
red-legged.  (French,  d  pattes  rousses. ) 
The  emendation  was  adopted  by  Wright 
in  the  Clarendon  ed. ,  but  was  abandoned 
by  him  after  more  mature  consideration. 
See  "The  Henry  Irving  Shakespeare," 
Vol.  II,  p.  377. 

rust.  In  the  g.  a.  text  Rom.  V,  3,  169, 
part  of  the  speech  of  Juliet  reads  :  This 
is  thy  sheath  [stabs  herself] ;  there  rust 
and  let  me  die.  This  is  the  reading  of 
the  Folios.  The  First  Quarto  has  rest 
for  rust,  and  upon  this  Dyce  remarks  : 
"  In  several  earlier  passages  of  the  play, 
the  4to.,  1597,  alone  supplies  the  true 
reading ;  and  I  suspect  that  here,  too, 
it  is  right— I  mean  so  far  as  it  has 
'rest'  instead  of  'rust.'  The  former 
appears  to  me  the  more  natural  expres- 
sion :  at  such  a  moment,  the  thoughts 
of  Juliet  were  not  likely  to  wander 
away  to  the  future  rusting  of  the 
dagger;  she  only  wishes  it,  by  resting 
in  her  bosom  as  in  its  sheath,  to  give 
her  instant  death. ' '  Dyce's  ' '  Remarks, ' ' 
p.  177. 

Grant  White,  in  his  "Shakespeare's 
Scholar,"  p.  388,  commenting  on  this 
passage,  says:  "'There  rust'  is  an 
obvious  misprint  for  '  there  rest,' which 
appears  in  the  First  Quarto,  1597."  But 
in  the  notes  to  his  first  ed.  of  Sh.  he  says, 
referring  to  this  Quarto,  "where  'rest' 


RUT 


271 


SAB 


has  induced  the  supposition  (to  which, 
when  I  was  green  in  judgment,  I  hastily 
agreed)  that  rust  of  the  Quarto  of  1599 
and  subsequent  old  copies  is  a  misprint. 
Its  best  support  is  Mr.  Dyce's  remark 
that  'at  such  a  moment  the  thoughts 
of  Juliet  were  not  likely  to  wander  away 
to  the  future  rusting  of  the  dagger.' 
But  Juliet's  thoughts  do  not  wander  ; 
they  go  forward,  though  not  to  the 
literal  end.  Her  imagination  is  excited, 
and  looking  beyond  her  suicidal  act,  she 
sees  her  dead  Romeo's  dagger,  which 
would  otherwise  rust  in  its  sheath, 
rust  in  her  heart ;  and  with  fierce  and 
amorous  joy,  she  cries — '  This  is  thy 
sheath  ;  there  rust,  and  let  me  die.'  " 
Clarke  says :  "  The  expression,  '  Oh, 
happy  dagger,'  though  meaning  'Oh, 
happily  -  found  dagger  ! '  '  Opportune 
dagger  ! '  yet  conveys  an  included  sense 
that  is  in  keeping  with  the  word  '  rest, ' 
which  also  affords  antithetical  effect 
with  'let  me  die.''  Poetically  calling 
her  bosom  the  '  sheath '  to  Romeo's 
dagger,  '  rest '  seems  more  in  harmony 
than  'rust'  with  the  image  presented." 

ruth.  Pity.  RII.  Ill,  4,  106;  Cor.  I,  1, 
'203. 

rye.  A  kind  of  grain  well  known  in  this 
country  and  on  the  continent  of  Europe, 
but  not  so  well  known  in  Great  Britain. 
It  is  mentioned  twice  in  the  plays,  while 
wheat  is  mentioned  seven  times  under 
its   own   name   and   thirty-five   times 


under  that  of  com.  See  corn.  It  is 
mentioned  under  peculiar  circumstances 
in  the  song  sung  by  the  two  pages  in 
As.  V,  3 : 

Between  the  acres  of  the  rye. 
With  a  hey  and  a  ho,  and  a  hey 
nonino. 
These  pretty  country  folks  would  lie. 
In  spring  time,  the  only  pretty  ring 
time. 
Etc.,  etc. 

In  regard  to  this,  W.  Ridgeway,  in 
"The  Academy"  for  October  20,  1883, 
asks  :  "  Is  there  not  here  a  reference  to 
the  ancient  system  of  open-field  culti- 
vation ?  The  corn-field  being  in  the 
singular  [see  line  19]  implies  that  it  is 
the  special  one  of  the  common  fields 
which  is  under  corn  for  the  year.  The 
common  field  being  divided  into  acre- 
strips  by  balks  of  unploughed  turf, 
doubtless  on  one  of  these  green  balks, 
'  Between  the  acres  of  the  rye.  These 
pretty  country  folk  would  lie. '  " 

This  calls  to  mind  the  old  song  "  Com- 
ing Thro'  the  Rye,"  and  the  discussion 
as  to  whether  the  Rye  there  mentioned 
was  a  river  or  a  rye-field  ?  The  weight 
of  evidence  in  the  case  of  the  song,  as 
modified  by  Burns,  is  for  the  river, 
but  there  seems  to  have  been  a  very 
old,  and  somewhat  indelicate  form  of 
the  song  (now  lost)  in  which  the  rye- 
field  may  have  been  meant.  See  ring- 
time. 


!ABA.  The  queen  of  Sheba. 
HVIII.  V,  5,  24.  The  name 
Sheba  seems  to  have  been  un- 
known in  English  and  Latin 
literature  until  after  the  translation  of 
the  Bible — Saba  being  the  form  pre- 
viously used.  It  occurs  frequently  in 
the  works  of  Marlowe,  Peele  and  others. 
Saba  was  a  kingdom  in  Yemen,  in  south- 
western Arabia,  and  the  person  who 
Cftme  to  yisit  Solomon  was  queen  of 


Sheba  or  Saba.  Her  name  is  unknown, 
but  in  the  Koran  she  is  called  Balkis.  * 
She  was  said  to  be  a  descendant  of 
Sheba,  the  grandson  of  Cush.  See 
Genesis  x,  7.  Josephus,  however,  says 
that  Sheba  was  the  ancient  name  of  the 
city  of  Meroe,  and  that  the  queen  who 
visited  Solomon  came  thence.  It  is 
generally  believed  that  the  Abyssinians 

*  This  has  a  suspicious  resemblance  to 
BasiUissa,  the  Greek  for  Queen. 


SAB 


273 


SAC 


are  descended  from  a  colony  sent  out 
from  Sheba  or  Yemen,  and  the  Abys- 
sinians  themselves  have  a  tradition  that 
after  the  return  of  their  queen  to  her 
own  country  she  bore  a  son  to  King 
Solomon,  and  that  from  him  their 
present  race  of  kings  is  descended. 

sables.  A  rich  kind  of  fur.  Hml.  IV,  7, 
80.  The  passage  in  Hml.  Ill,  3,  137,  let 
the  devil  wear  black,  for  I'll  have  a 
suit  of  sables,  has  not  l3een  quite  satis- 
factorily explained.  It  has  been  sug- 
gested that  sables  is  another  form  of 
sabell,  which  means  flame  color  or  a 
fawn  color,  a  good  deal  brightened  with 
red.  This,  of  course,  would  be  a  striking 
contrast  to  the  black  worn  by  the  devil. 
Capell  thought  that  Hamlet  simply  ex- 
pressed an  intention  to  have  an  ex- 
pensive and  showy  suit  in  opposition  to 
the  plain  apparel  usually  worn  during 
the  period  of  mourning.  The  Clarendon 
Press  eds.  think  that  there  may  be  a 
quibble  between  sables  (black  garments) 
and  robes  trimmed  with  the  fur  of  the 
sable. 

sack.  A  kind  of  wine.  The  name  is  sup- 
posed to  be  derived  from  the  French 
sec,  dry,  and  to  have  been  applied  to 
wines  imported  from  Spain  and  the 
Canary  Islands.  It  was  a  white  wine 
and  was  frequently  taken  with  sugar. 
Henderson  says  that  "they  probably 
came  into  favor  in  consequence  of  their 
possessing  greater  sti'ength  and  dur- 
ability, and  being  more  free  from  acidity 
than  the  white  wines  of  France  and 
Germany,  and  owed  their  distinctive 
appellation  to  that  peculiar  sub-astrin- 
gent taste  which  characterises  all  wines 
prepared  with  gypsum. "  That  gypsum 
or  sulphate  of  lime  was  added  to  the 
juice  of  grapes  before  fermentation 
seems  to  be  well  established,  but  it  also 
seems  to  have  been  the  practice  of  the 
lower  classes  of  vintners  to  add  lime  to 
wines  which  were  too  acid  for  the  taste 
of  their  customers.  IHIV.  II,  4,  137. 
It  is  quite  probable  that  the  lime  was 
added  in  the  form  of  common  limestone 
(carbonate  of  lime)  ground  to  a  fine 


powder.  This  would  not  only  correct 
the  acidity  of  the  wine,  but  would  give 
it  "life  "  by  the  action  of  the  carbonic 
acid  gas  which  would  be  liberated. 

Sackerson.  The  name  of  a  famous  bear 
at  Paris  Garden  on  the  Bank  side,  prob- 
ably named  after  his  keeper.  Wiv.  I, 
1,30. 

Sacrament.  1.  The  Eucharist.  RII.  I, 
1,  139. 

2.  To  take  the  sacrament  =  to  take  an 
oath.  All's.  IV,  3,  156 ;  RII.  IV,  1,  338; 
RIII.  V,  5,  18. 

sacred.  1.  Hallowed  ;  entitled  to  rever- 
ence. Meas.  IV,  3,  150 ;  Merch.  I,  3,  49, 
and  elsewhere.  In  the  passage  (Troil. 
IV,  5,  134),  thy  mother,  my  sacred 
aunt,  Steevens  sees  a  Grecism,  since 
"the  Greeks  give  to  an  uncle  the  title 
of  Sacred."  And  he  further  adds: 
"  This  circumstance  may  tend  to  estab- 
lish an  opinion  I  have  elsewhere  ex- 
pressed, that  this  play  was  not  the  entire 
composition  of  Shakespeare,  to  whom 
the  Grecism  before  us  was  probably 
unknown."  Rolfe  quotes  this  without 
dissent,  but  I  see  no  force  in  it,  and 
it  appears  to  be  decidedly  far-fetched  ; 
sacred  here  is  probably  =  revered,  a 
very  common  expression  at  the  present 
day. 

2.  Accursed ;  damned  (in  the  vulgar 
sense),  or  as  a  well-known  French  dic- 
tionary explains  sacre,  "bloody."  This 
is  a  Latinism  which  Malone  illustrates 
by  auri  sacra  fames,  the  accursed 
hunger  for  gold.  It  literally  means 
"devoted  to  a  deity  for  destruction." 
Riddle. 

The  expression  in  Tit.  II,  1,  130,  our 
empress  with  her  sacred  wit  To  villany 
and  vengeance  consecrate,  is  thus  ex- 
plained In  the  Third  Variorum,  Vol. 
XXI,  391,  and  this  interpretation  has 
been  accepted  by  most  coms. ,  but  Schm. 
gives  it  the  usual  meaning  (as  in  1) 
and  Rolfe  advocates  this  view  on  the 
ground  that  it  is  "  more  in  keeping  with 
Aaron's  character  to  consider  this 
ironical  than  to  explain  it  as  a  Latin- 
ism."   But  I  think  the  context  scarcely 


SAC 


373 


SAG 


bears  out  this  view,  and  besides,  it  was 
not  only  a  Latinism,  but  a  Gallicism. 

sacrificial.  Reverend ;  made  as  if  to  a  god 
in  sacrificing.     Tim.  I,  1,  81. 

sacring  bell.  A  bell  rung  when  the 
elements  are  consecrated  at  Mass. 
HVIII.  Ill,  2,  296. 

sad.  Serious.  Gent.  I,  3,  1;  Err.  Ill,  1, 
19 ;  Ado.  II,  1,  358.  Telling  the  saddest 
tale  (Mids.  II,  1,  51)  =  telling  the  most 
grave  or  serious  story. 

sadly.  Seriously.  Ado.  II,  3,  299 ;  Rom. 
I,  1,  207. 

sadness.  Seriousness.  Ven.  807;  Wiv. 
Ill,  5,  135  ;  Shr.  V,  2,  63. 

saffron,  n.  The  plant  Crocus  sativus  or 
autumnal  crocus.  The  coloring  matter 
is  extracted  from  the  stigmas  of  the 
flowers,  and  it  takes  over  four  thousand 
flowers  to  yield  an  ounce  of  the  stigmas. 
The  color  is  a  deep  yellow  or  orange, 
and  it  is  still  used  to  color  confectionary, 
cakes  and  pies.  Wint.  IV,  3,  48.  In 
All's.  IV,  5,  2,  the  expression,  whose 
villanous  saffron  would  have  made  all 
the  unbaked  and  doughy  youth  of  a 
nation  in  his  color,  is  thought  by  War- 
burton  to  be  "an  allusion  both  to  the 
fashionable  and  fantastic  custom  of 
wearing  yellow,  and  to  that  of  colouring 
paste  with  saffron." 

Sagittary.  A  terrible  monster  described 
in  the  mediaeval  romances  of  the  Trojan 
war.  He  is  represented  as  a  Centaur, 
armed  with  a  bow  and  arrows,  and 
having  eyes  of  fire  which  struck  men 
dead.  In  "  The  Three  Destructions  of 
Troy,"  printed  by  Caxton,  this  "  beste  " 
is  thus  described :  ' '  Beyonde  the  royalme 
of  Araasonne  came  an  auncyente  kynge, 
wyse  and  dyscreete,  named  Epystrophus, 
and  brought  a  M  [a  thousand]  knyghtes, 
and  a  mervayllouse  beste  that  was 
called  sagittayre,  that  behynde  the 
mjaldes  was  an  horse  and  to  fore,  a  man : 
this  beste  was  heery  like  an  horse,  and 
had  his  eyen  rede  as  a  cole,  and  shotte 
well  with  a  bowe  :  this  beste  made  the 
Grekes  sore  aferde,  and  slew  many  of 
them  with  his  bowe. "  A  more  circum- 
stantial account  of  this  Sagittary  is  to 


be  found  in  Lydgate's  "Auncient  His- 
torie."  This  is  quoted  in  the  Third 
Variorum,  Vol.  VIII,  p.  451.  Also  in 
Dyce's  "Glossary,"  and  Rolfe's  ed.  of 
Troilus  and  Cressida.  Troil.  V,  5,  14. 
The  Sagittary  referred  to  in  0th.  I, 
1,  159,  has  not  been  clearly  identified. 
Knight  says  :  "This  is  generally  taken 
to  be  an  inn.  It  was  the  residence  at 
the  arsenal  of  the  commanding  oflBcers 
of  the  navy  and  army  of  the  republic. 
The  figure  of  an  archer,  with  his  drawn 
bow,  over  the  gates,  still  indicates  the 
place.  Probably  Shakspere  had  looked 
upon  that  sculpture. "  Upon  this  Rolfe 
makes  the  following  remarks  (see  his 
ed.  of  Othello,  p.  211):  "The  figure 
mentioned  by  K.  is  not  '  over  the  gates, ' 
but  is  one  of  four  statues  standing  in 
front  of  the  structure.  It  represents  a 
man  holding  a  bow  (not '  drawn')  in  his 
hand,  but  is  in  no  respect  more  con- 
spicuous than  its  three  companions.  If 
S.  was  ever  in  Venice  he  probably  saw 
the  statue  (if  it  is  as  old  as  the  gateway, 
which  was  built  in  1460),  but  we  cannot 
imagine  why  it  should  suggest  to  him 
to  call  the  place  the  Sagittary.  That 
word  means,  not  an  ordinary  archer, 
but  a  Centaur  with  a  bow,  as  in  the 
familiar  representations  of  the  Zodiacal 
sign  Sagittarius.  This  is  its  sense  in 
the  only  other  passage  in  which  S.  uses 
it  (Troil.  V,  5,  14) :  '  The  dreadful  Sagit- 
tary,' etc.  That  the  Sagittary  in  the 
present  passage  cannot  be  the  Arsenal, 
is,  however,  suflSciently  clear  from  I,  3, 
121.  The  Arsenal  was  by  far  the  largest 
and  most  prominent  public  building,  or 
collection  of  buildings,  in  all  Venice,  its 
outer  walls  being  nearly  two  miles  in 
circuit.  To  suppose  that  anybody  in 
the  employ  of  the  government  would 
need  the  help  of  lago  in  finding  the 
place  is  absurd."  Dr.  Rolfe  evidently 
speaks  from  personal  observation.  Be- 
sides, if  the  Sagittary  had  been  the 
residence  of  the  commanding  officers, 
surely  Cassio  would  not  have  asked 
lago  :  "  Ancient,  what  makes  he  here  ?" 
I,  2,  49.    Verity,  in  "  The  Henry  Irving 


SAI 


274 


SAL 


Shakespeare,"  has  the  following  note: 
"I  may  mention,  too,  an  incidental 
point  of  evidence,  viz.,  that  Coryat,  in 
his  'Crudities,'  gives  a  minute  and 
detailed  account  of  the  Arsenal,  and 
had  the  Sagittary  formed  a  portion  of 
the  latter,  it  would  hardly  have  passed 
without  mention.  Perhaps,  after  all, 
the  name  was  a  mere  invention  on  the 
part  of  Shakespeare ;  in  which  case  it 
is  a  thousand  pities  that  he  has  not  had 
the  satisfaction  of  laughing  at  the  tor- 
tures to  which  he  unwittingly  subjected 
generations  of  editors," 

The  name  is  not  found  in  any  list  of 
the  inns  of  Venice  of  that  day,  so  it 
probably  existed  only  in  the  imagination 
of  Shakespeare. 

sain.  Said.  LLL.  Ill,  1,  83.  This  archaic 
form  of  the  word  is  used  by  Armado  for 
the  sake  of  the  rhyme. 

salad,  n.  Raw  herbs,  dressed  with  salt, 
etc. ,  to  make  them  savory,  and  generally 
with  fragrant  and  piquant  herbs  to  add 
to  their  flavor.  All's.  IV,  5,  15;  Hml. 
II,  2,  462.  The  meaning  in  this  passage 
is  that  there  was  no  "high  seasoning 
of  loose  ribaldry  and  luscious  double 
meanings  "  in  the  play.  {Heath.)  See 
sallet. 

salad,  adj.   Unripe  ;  green.    Ant.  I,  5, 75. 

Salanio,    [  dr. p.  Friends  to  Antonio  and 

Salarino.  )     Bassanio.    Merch. 

Salerio,  dr. p.  A  messenger  from  Venice. 
Merch. 

sale  work.  "Those  works  that  nature 
makes  up  carelessly  and  without  exact- 
ness. The  allusion  is  to  the  practice  of 
mechanics,  whose  work  bespoke  is  more 
elaborate  than  that  which  is  made  up 
for  chancQ  customers,  or  to  sell  in 
quantities  to  retailers,  which  is  called 
sale-work.''''  Warburton.  As.  Ill,  5,  43. 

sallad.    So  spelled  by  Schm.     See  salad. 

sallet.  1.  A  close-fitting  helmet  or  head- 
piece. 2HVI.  IV,  10,  12. 
2.  Salad  or  savory  herbs  dressed  raw  for 
food.  In  Hml.  II,  2,  462,  this  word 
evidently  means  stirring  passages  or, 
perhaps,  ribaldries.  Pope  suggested  salt 
as  the  true  reading,  and  this  has  been 


adopted  by  some  on  the  ground  that 
salt  gives  a  high  flavor  and  also  that 
it  has  the  double  meaning  of  licen- 
tious, cf.  Oth.  II,  1,  244.  See  salt. 
Moreover,  Baret,  in  his  Dictionary  de- 
fines salt  as  "a  pleasaunt  and  merrie 
word  that  maketh  folks  to  laugh  and 
sometimes  pricketh."  The  g.  a.  text 
reads  sallets,  and  the  meaning  usually 
adopted  is  that  given  under  salad,  q.  v. 

Salisbury,  Earl  of,  dr.p.  William  Long- 
sword.    John. 

Salisbury,  Earl  of,  dr.p.  A  Yorkist.  HV., 
IHVI.  and  2HVI. 

Salisbury,  Earl  of,  dr.p.    RII. 

salt,  n.  1.  Flavor;  spirit.  Wiv.  II,  3,  50. 
2.  Tears.  Cor.  V,  6,  93 ;  Lr.  IV,  6,  199; 
cf.  also  John  V,  7,  45,  and  Hml.  I,  2, 154. 
In  Gent.  Ill,  1 ,  369,  the  cover  of  the 
salt  hides  the  salt,  this  word  evidently 
has  two  meanings,  the  salt  itself  and 
the  salt-cellar.  Malone  (Third  Vari- 
orum, Vol.  IV,  p.  86)  tells  us  that  "  the 
ancient  English  salt-cellar  was  very 
different  from  the  modern,  being  a 
large  piece  of  plate,  generally  much 
ornamented,  with  a  cover  to  keep  the 
salt  clean.  There  was  but  one  salt- 
cellar on  the  dinner-table,  which  was 
placed  near  the  top  of  the  table ;  and 
those  who  sat  below  the  salt  were,  for 
the  most  part,  of  an  inferior  condition 
to  those  who  sat  above  it."  Hence  the 
expression  "placed  above  the  salt." 

A  man  of  salt  (Lr.  IV,  6,  199)  =  a 
man  of  tears. 

salt,  adj.  1.  Preserved  in  salt ;  old;  as 
distinct  from  new  and  fresh.  Wiv.  I, 
1,  22.  Schm.  defines  "salt  fish  "  in  this 
passage  as  "a  fish  from  salt  water,"  a 
strange  misconception.  This  is  not  the 
meaning  of  the  word  as  commonly  used 
by  English-speaking  people,  and  it  spoils 
the  humor  of  the  saying. 

2.  Sharp ;  bitter.    Troil.  I,  3,  371. 

3.  Lecherous.  Meas.  V,  1,  406 ;  Oth.  II, 
1,244;  Ant.  11,1,21. 

The  two  words  salt  =  saline,  and 
salt  =  lecherous  are  entirely  different 
words  from  entirely  distinct  roots.  Of 
their  separate  origin  there  can  be  no 


SAL 


275 


SAK 


doubt,  and  they  furnish  another  illus- 
tration of  the  remarks  made  on  this 
point  under  pr-egnant,  q.  v. 

saltiers.    Satyrs  or  hairy  men.     Wint. 
IV,  4,  334. 

"A  dance  of  satyrs  was  no  unusual 
entertainment  in  the  middle  ages.  At 
a  great  festival  celebrated  in  France, 
the  king  and  some  of  the  nobles  person- 
ated satyrs  dressed  in  close  habits, 
tufted  or  shagged  all  over  to  imitate 
hair.  They  began  a  wild  dance,  and  in 
the  tumult  of  their  merriment  one  of 
them  went  too  near  a  candle  and  set 
fii-e  to  his  satyr's  garb ;  the  flame  ran 
instantly  over  the  loose  tufts  and  spread 
itself  to  the  dress  of  those  that  were 
next  him  ;  a  great  number  of  the  dancers 
were  cruelly  scorched,  being  neither 
able  to  throw  off  their  coats  nor  extin- 
guish them.  The  king  had  set  himself 
in  the  lap  of  the  dutchess  of  Burgundy, 
who  threw  her  robe  over  him  and  saved 
him."    Johnson. 

For  a  more  elaborate  account  of  these 
frolics,  illustrated  with  a  curious  en- 
graving, see  Third  Variorum,  Vol.  XIV, 
p.  371. 

saltness.   Flavor ;  effect.  2HI V.  1, 2, 113. 

salve.  In  LLL.  Ill,  1,  75,  et  seq.,  there 
is  a  good  deal  of  punning  over  salve,  an 
ointment,  and  salve,  a  salutation  or 
farewell.  The  learned  Dr.  Farmer  re- 
marks on  this:  "I  can  scarcely  think 
that  Shakespeare  had  so  far  forgotten 
his  little  school-learning  as  to  suppose 
the  Latin  verb  salv6  and  the  English 
substantive,  salve,  had  the  same  pro- 
nunciation ;  and  yet  without  this  the 
quibble  cannot  be  preserved."  But  the 
pun  seems  to  have  been  common  in  Sh. 
time.  Steevens  notes  that  "the  same 
quibble  occurs  in  Aristippus,  or  The 
Jovial  Philosopher  (1630) : 
Salve,  Master  Simplicius. 
Salve  me  ;  'tis  but  a  surgeon's  com- 
plement. 

Costard  seems  to  think  that  enigma, 

riddle  and  I'envoy  all   mean   various 

kinds  of  salve,  ^eeplantain  and  V envoy. 

Samkigo.    A  contraction  of  Saint  Dom- 


ingo,   the   patron    saint   of    drinkers. 
2HIV.  V,  3,  77. 

Sampson,  dr. p.  Servant  to  Capulet. 
Rom. 

sand-bag.  "  As  according  to  the  old 
laws  of  duels,  knights  were  to  fight  with 
the  lance  and  sword :  so  those  of  inferior 
rank  fought  with  an  ebon  staff  or  bat- 
toon,  to  the  further  end  of  which  was 
fixed  a  bag  crammed  hard  with  sand. 
To  this  custom  Hudibras  has  alluded  in 
these  humorous  lines : 

Engag'd  with  money-bags  as  bold 
As  men  with  sand-bags  did  of  old." 

Warburton. 

This  mode  of  fighting  is  described  in 
2HVI.  II,  3. 

sand-blind.  Half -blind ;  purblind.  Merch. 
II,  2,  37. 

This  word  is  hyphenated  in  the  g.  a. 
text  as  well  as  the  Fl.  But  in  high- 
gravel  blind,  high  and  gravel  are 
hyphenated,  but  not  gravel  and  blind. 
In  the  YlAtishigh  grauel  blinde;  some 
eds.  high-gravel-blind.  The  word  sand- 
blind  is  in  common  use  in  Scotland ; 
stone-blind  is  a  common  expression 
wherever  the  English  language  is  spoken, 
and  Launcelot  finds  a  degree  between 
these — gravel-blind.  Hales  thinks  that 
sand-blind  means  half-blind  (Anglo- 
saxon,  sdm),  but  this  is  not  probable. 
More  likely  it  signifies  a  condition  of 
the  sight  resembling  that  blinking  state 
caused  by  sand  getting  into  the  eyes. 

sanded.  Of  a  sandy  color ;  explained  by 
some  as,  marked  with  yellow  spots. 
Mids.  IV,  1,  126. 

Sands,  Lord,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

sans.  French  for  without.  Thus,  in  Tp. 
I,  2,  97,  we  have  sans  limit  =  without 
bound.  Nares  tells  us  that  "a  general 
combination  seems  to  have  subsisted 
among  aU  our  poets  to  introduce  this 
French  word,  certainly  very  convenient 
for  their  verse,  into  the  English  lan- 
guage ;  but  in  vain,  the  country  never 
received  it ;  and  it  has  always  appeared 
as  an  exotic,  even  though  the  elder 
poets  Anglicized  its  form  into  saunce 
or  gave  it  the  English  pronunciation. 


SAB 


276 


SAT 


*  *  *  It  seems  to  have  been  generally 
pronounced  as  an  English  word  and  not 
with  the  French  sound.  Shakespeare, 
,  who  used  it  four  times  in  one  line,  must 
strongly  have  felt  the  want  of  a  mono- 
syllable bearing  that  sense  :  Sans  teeth, 
sans  eyes,  sans  taste,  sans  everything. 
As.  II,  7,  166.  It  seems,  indeed,  quite 
impossible  to  substitute  any  equivalent 
expressions,  in  the  place  of  this  very 
energetic  line."  He  then  goes  on  and 
gives  seven  instances  of  its  use  by  con- 
temporary writers.  0th.  I,  3,  64.  The 
line.  Sans  sans,  I  pray  you  (LLL.  V, 
3,  416),  means  leave  out  the  sans;  your 
love  is  not  without  crack  or  flaw. 
sarcenet,  )  A  fine,  thin  silk  stuff,  plain 
sarsenet.  )  or  twilled,  especially  valued 
for  its  softness.    Troil.  V,  1,  36. 

In  the  passage.  And  givest  such  sar- 
cenet surety  for  thy  oaths  (IHIV.  Ill, 
1,  256),  sarcenet  means  delicate,  soft, 
affected.  Schm.  explains  it  as  meaning 
"  such  as  becomes  a  mercer's  wife,"  but 
this  does  not  exactly  correspond  to  the 
idea  involved. 
Satis  quod  sufficit.  Latin  for  enough 
is  sufficient,  or,  as  the  proverb  goes, 
"  enough  is  as  good  as  a  feast."  LLL. 
V,  1,  1. 
Saturn.  The  oldest  of  the  gods,  known 
in  Greek  mythology  as  Cronos  (Time). 
He  was  the  son  of  Uranus  (Heaven)  and 
Ge  (the  Earth),  and  was  the  father  of 
Jupiter  (Zeus),  Neptune  (Poseidon),  and 
Pluto  (Hades).  At  the  instigation  of 
his  mother,  Cronos  unmanned  his  father 
for  having  thrown  the  Cyclopes,  who 
were  likewise  his  children  by  Ge,  into 
Tartarus.  Out  of  the  blood  thus  shed 
sprang  up  the  Erinnyes  or  Furies.  See 
Furies.  When  the  Cyclopes  were  de- 
livered from  Tartarus,  the  government 
of  the  world  was  taken  from  Uranus 
and  given  to  Cronos,  who  in  turn  was 
dethroned  by  Zeus,  or  Jupiter. 

The  Romans  identified  their  god, 
Saturn,  with  Cronos,  and  the  legend 
runs  that  he  came  to  Italy  during  the 
reign  of  Janus  and  introduced  agricul- 
ture and  the  habits  of  civilised  life  in 


general.  His  reign  on  earth  was  known 
as  the  Golden  Age  (see  age,  golden). 
Like  many  other  mythical  kings,  he 
suddenly  disappeared,  the  fable  being 
that  he  had  been  removed  to  the  abodes 
of  the  gods.  A  statue  was  erected  to 
him,  which  was  hollow  and  filled  with 
oil,  probably  to  denote  the  fertility  of 
Latium  in  olives.  He  is  represented  as 
holding  in  his  hand  a  crooked  pruning 
knife,  his  feet  being  surrounded  with  a 
woollen  ribbon.  In  the  pediment  of  the 
temple  of  Saturn  were  seen  two  figures 
resembling  Tritons,  with  horns,  and 
whose  lower  extremities  grew  out  of 
the  ground. 

The  ancients  assigned  the  seven  known 
planets  and  seven  metals  to  certain 
gods.  The  common  names  of  the  planets 
are  the  same  as  the  names  of  the  gods, 
but  the  common  names  of  the  metals 
and  their  relations  to  the  planets  are 
not  so  generally  known.  In  the  old 
alchemical  system  gold  was  Sol,  the 
sun  ;  silver  was  Luna,  the  moon,  hence 
the  salts  of  silver  were  called  lunar 
salts,  e.g.,  lunar  caustic,  or  silver 
nitrate ;  the  metal  Mercury  and  the 
planet  have  the  same  common  name; 
copper  was  Venus,  and  salts  of  copper 
were  known  as  Venereal  salts  or  salts 
of  Cyprus  (seePaphos) ;  iron  was  if  ars, 
and  salts  of  iron  were  known  to  the  old 
pharmacists  as  martial  salts  ;  tin  was 
Jupiter,  and  salts  of  tin  were  called 
jovial  salts ;  lead  was  Saturn,  and 
even  to-day,  lead  ointment  is  known  as 
Saturnine  ointment.  Lead,  being  a 
dull,  heavy  metal,  was  supposed  to 
correspond  to  the  qualities  of  the  planet, 
which  is  not  very  bright  and  of  a  dull, 
cold  color.  Hence,  Saturn  was  the 
emblem  of  coldness  and  apathy.  Sonn. 
XCVIII,  4 ;  Cym.  II,  5,  4 ;  Tit.  II,  3, 
31.  Among  the  astrologers  Saturn  was 
regarded  as  an  evil  planet.  This  is  well 
set  forth  in  a  note  by  Dr.  Furness  on 
Ado.  I,  3,  12,  in  which  he  quotes  from 
"Batman  vppon  Bartholome"  as  fol- 
lows :  "  Saturnus  is  an  euill  willed 
Planet,  colde  and  drie,  a  night  Placet 


SAT 


377 


SCA 


and  heauie.  And  therefore  by  fables 
he  is  painted  as  an  old  man,  his  circle 
is  most  farre  from  the  earth,  and  neuer- 
thelesse  it  is  most  noifull  to  the  earth. 
And  for  that  he  is  far  from  the  earth, 
he  f ul  endeth  not  his  course  before  30. 
yeres.  And  greeueth  more  when  he 
goeth  backwarde  than  when  he  goeth 
forth  right.  *  *  *  And  therefore  a 
child  &  other  broodes,  that  be  conceiued 
&  come  forth  vnder  his  Lordship,  dye, 
or  have  full  euill  qualities.  For  *  *  * 
he  maketh  a  man  browne  and  fowle, 
misdoing  slowe,  and  heauie,  eleinge 
[ailing  ?]  and  sorie,  seldom  gladde  and 
merrye  or  laughing. "  For  the  rest  we 
must  refer  the  reader  to  Dr.  Furness's 
admirable  ed.  of  Ado.  p.  51. 

Saturninus,  dr.p.  Emperor  of  Rome. 
Tit. 

Satyr.  A  creature  generally  represented 
as  half  man,  half  goat  and  of  a  very 
sensual  expression.     Hml.  I,  2,  140. 

The  Satyrs  were  a  class  of  beings  in 
Greek  mythology  who  are  inseparably 
connected  with  the  worship  of  Dionysus 
(Bacchus),  and  represent  the  luxuriant 
vital  powers  of  nature.  In  their  ap- 
pearance they  somewhat  resembled 
goats  or  rams.  The  appearance  of  the 
Satyrs  is  described  by  later  writers  as 
robust  and  rough,  though  with  various 
modifications,  but  their  general  features 
are  as  follows :  The  hair  is  bristly,  the 
nose  round  and  somewhat  turned  up- 
wards, the  ears  pointed  at  the  top  like 
those  of  animals  ;  they  generally  have 
little  horns  or,  at  least,  two  horn-like 
protuberances,  and  at  or  near  the  end 
of  the  back  there  appears  a  little  tail 
like  that  of  a  horse  or  goat.  In  works 
of  art  they  are  represented  at  different 
stages  of  life ;  the  older  ones,  commonly 
called  Seilens  or  Silens,  usually  have 
bald  heads  and  beards,  and  the  younger 
ones  are  termed  Satyrisci.  All  kinds 
of  Satyrs  belong  to  the  retinue  of 
Dionysus  (Bacchus)  and  are  always 
described  as  fond  of  wine,  whence  they 
often  appear  either  with  a  cup  or  a 
thyrsus  (see  Bacchus)  in  their  hand. 


They  are  devoted  to  every  kind  of 
sensual  pleasure,  whence  they  are  seen 
sleeping,  playing  musical  instruments 
or  engaged  in  voluptuous  dances  with 
nymphs.  Like  all  the  gods  dwelling  in 
forests  and  fields,  they  were  greatly 
dreaded  by  mortals. 

Later  writers,  especially  the  Roman 
poets,  confound  the  Satyrs  with  the 
Pans  and  the  Italian  Fawns,  and  accord- 
ingly represent  them  with  larger  horns 
and  goat's  feet,  although  originally  they 
were  a  quite  distinct  kind  of  beings, 
and  in  works  of  art,  too,  they  are  kept 
quite  distinct.  Satyrs  usually  appear 
with  flutes,  the  thyrsus,  syrinx,  the 
shepherd's  staff,  cups  or  bags  filled  with 
wine.  They  are  dressed  with  the  skins 
of  animals  and  wear  wreaths  of  vine, 
ivy  or  fir.  Representations  of  them 
are  still  very  numerous,  but  the  most 
celebrated  in  antiquity  was  the  Satyr 
of  Praxiteles  at  Athens. 

saucy.  1.  Wanton ;  lascivious.  Meas. 
II,  4,  45  ;  All's.  IV,  4,  23. 
2.  Insolent ;  outrageous.  0th.  I,  1,  139. 
"  Used  in  a  stronger  sense  than  merely 
malapert.  Compare  Mcb.  Ill,  4,  25  : 
/  am,  *  *  *  bound  in  to  saucy  doubts 
and  fears.''''    Furness. 

saw.  A  maxim ;  a  moral  saying.  As. 
II,  7,  156 ;  Hml.  I,  5,  100  ;  Lr.  II,  2,  167. 

sawn.  Sown.  Conipl.  91.  Not  seen  as 
Malone  defines  it.  The  form  is  still 
used  in  Scotland  and  may  be  found  in 
Burns. 

say.    1.  A  kind  of  silk.    2HVLIV,7,  27 
2.  Assay;  taste  ;  relish.     Lr.  V,  3,  143. 

Say,  Lord,  dr.jh    2HVI. 

'sblood.  A  contraction  of  ' '  Good's  blood. ' ' 
In  some  eds.  the  word  is  uniformly  sup- 
pressed in  obedience  to  a  law  passed  in 
1606  prohibiting  the  use  of  the  name  of 
God  on  the  stage.  See  God.  IHIV.  I, 
2,  82  ;  Hml.  II,  2,  384  ;  0th.  I,  1,  4. 

scaffoldage.  The  floor  of  the  stage.  Troil. 

1,  3,  156. 

scald.  Bailey  gives  scaley  head  or  scurvy 
or  scabby  head.     HV.  V,  1,  5  ;  Ant.  V, 

2,  215.    See  scall. 

scale.  To  weigh ;  to  measure.    Meas.  Ill, 


SCA 


278 


8CH 


1,  266;  Cor.  II,  3,  257.  Some  make 
scaled^  as  it  occurs  in  Meas.  Ill,  1, 
266  =  stripped  of  scales ;  unmasked. 

In  Cor.  I,  1,  95,  the  word  stale,  as 
found  in  the  g.  a.  text,  is  scale  in  the 
Folios.  To  stale,  of  course,  is  to  make 
old  or  threadbare.  For  a  discussion  of 
scale  in  this  connection,  see  the  Rugby 
ed.  of  Coriolamis;  by  Whitelaw. 

Scales,  Lord,  dr. p.  Brother  to  Lady 
Gray.     2HVI. 

scall.  Usually  explained  as  Evans's  word 
for  scald,  q.v.  Wiv.  Ill,  1,  123.  Per- 
haps =  puny ;  unfledged.  A  scall  is  a 
dialect  terra  for  a  young  nestling. 

scamble.  To  struggle ;  to  scramble  for. 
Ado.  V,  1,  94;  John  IV,  3,  146  ;  HV.  V, 

2,  218. 

scamels.  This  word  has  given  rise  to 
pages  of  "conjectural  emendations," 
and  its  meaning  is  still  in  doubt.  Sea- 
mews,  limpets,  staniels,  etc.,  etc.,  have 
all  been  suggested.  Probably  some 
rock-breeding  bird  was  intended.  Sea- 
mews  are  called  sea-mells  in  some 
localities.     Tp.  II,  2,  176. 

scantling.    A  small   portion.     Troil.   I, 

3,  341. 

Schm.  explains  it  as  "a  pattern,  a 
sample."  Verity  says  it  "signifies  not 
so  much  a  '  sample '  as  '  a  measure, ' 
proportion.'"  Properly,  it  means  "a 
cut  piece  of  timber.''  Malone  quotes 
from  Florio's  translation  of  Montaigne's 
"Essays  "  :  "  When  the  lion's  skin  will 
not  sufllce,  we  must  add  a  scantling  of 
the  fox's." 

scape.  A  mutilated  form  of  escape. 
Skeat.  Still  retained  in  the  compounds 
scapegoat,  scapegrace.  From  the  Latin 
ex  cappd,  out  of  one's  cape  or  cloak. 
The  word  scape  is  frequently  used  by 
Sh.  Sometimes  printed  'scape,  but,  as 
Skeat  says,  the  apostrophe  is  unneces- 
sary. Tp.  II,  1,  146 ;  Meas.  Ill,  2,  197  ; 
Mcb.  IV,  3,  234. 

scarf,  V.  1.  To  cover  as  with  a  bandage 
or  scarf.  Mcb.  Ill,  2,  47.  cf.  Rom.  I, 
4,4. 

2.  To  decorate  with  flags  and  streamers. 
Merch.  II,  6,  15. 


3.  To  put  on  loosely  like  a  scarf.    Hml. 
V,  2,  13. 

Scarlet  and  John.  These  were  two  famous 
companions  of  Robin  Hood.  2HIV.  V,  3, 
107.  In  Wiv.  I,  1, 177,  Falstaff  addresses 
Bardolph  and  Nymas  Scarlet  and  John, 
names  which  were  quite  appropriate  as 
they  were  his  companions  in  robbery. 
Warburton  says  that  the  humour  con- 
sists in  the  allusion  to  Bardolph's  red 
face.     Perhaps. 

scarre.  This  is  one  of  the  words  which 
have  defied  satisfactory  explanation  or 
emendation.  The  passage  is  hopelessly 
corrupt.  We  give  a  few  of  the  pro- 
posed emendations  and  then  leave  it  to 
our  readers.  In  the  FL,  All's.  IV,  2, 
38  and  39,  read  : 
I  see  that  men  make  rope's  in  such  a 

scarre 
That  wee'l  forsake  ourselues.     Give 

me  that  Ring." 
Rowe  suggested:  "make  hopes  in 
such  affairs";  Malone:  "make  hopes, 
in  such  a  scene";  Mitford :  "make 
hopes  in  such  a  case ' ' ;  Halliwell : 
"  may  cope's  in  such  a  sorte  "  ;  Staun- 
ton :  "make  hopes,  in  such  a  snare"; 
Kinnear :  ' '  have  hopes,  in  such  a  cause. " 
None  of  these  is  satisfactory. 

Scarus,  dr. p.    Friend  to  Antony.     Ant. 

scathful.  Destructive;  damaging.  Tw. 
V,  1,  59. 

scene  individable.  A  play  which  observes 
unity  of  place;  "poem  unlimited" 
means  a  play  which  disi'egards  the 
unities."    Dowden. 

scholar.  In  Sh,  time  this  term  usually 
meant  one  who  spoke  Latin.  In  Hml. 
I,  1,  42,  on  the  appearance  of  the  Ghost, 
Marcellus  says:  Thou  art  a  scholar; 
speak  to  it,  Horatio,  and  the  force  of 
this  speech  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  has 
always  been  a  vulgar  notion  that  spirits 
and  supernatural  beings  can  only  be 
spoken  to  with  propriety  or  effect  by 
persons  of  learning.  Thus  Toby,  in 
The  Night  Walker,  by  Beaumont  and 
Fletcher,  says : 

"  It  grows  still  longer, 
'Tis  steeple-high   now;   and  it   sails 
away,  nurse, 


SCH 


279 


SCB 


Let's  call  the  butler  up,  for  he  speaks 

Latin, 
And  that  will  daunt  the  devil." 

In  like  manner  the  honest  Butler,  in 
Mr.  Addison's  Drumtner\  recommends 
the  Steward  to  speak  Latin  to  the  Ghost 
in  that  play.    Reed. 

In  Ado.  II,  1,  263,  Benedick  says  of 
Beatrice:  You  shall  find  her  the  in- 
fernal Ate  in  good  apparel.  I  tvoidd 
to  God  some  scholar  would  conjure 
her.  This  follows  the  same  line  of 
thought.  On  this  passage  Furness 
quotes  Tschischwitz :  "Evil  spirits  were 
not  exorcised  by  the  sign  of  the  cross 
alone,  but  cried  out  to  the  exorciser  the 
Latin  hexameter  Signa  te  signa,  teniere 
me  tangis  et  angis,  a  verse  which, 
being  a  palindrome  [reading  forwards 
and  backwards  alike],  reveals  its  dia- 
bolic origin." 

Bos  well  gives  as  a  reason  for  this 
popular  idea  in  regard  to  this  use  of 
Latin  that  it  was  ' '  because  the  church 
service  was  in  Latin. ' '  Third  Variorum, 
Vol.  VIII,  145.  But  the  general  idea 
seems  to  be  that  it  was  because  the 
exorcisms  were  in  Latin. 

school.  In  several  passages  in  the  plays 
school  is  synonymous  with  university. 
As.  I,  1,  6 ;  Hml.  I,  2,  113.  Verity,  in 
a  note  on  the  first  passage,  tell  us  that, 
even  in  the  seventeenth  century,  the 
birching  of  undergraduates  was  by  no 
means  unusual,  and  further  states  that 
at  Oxford  the  whipping  of  students  is 
a  contingency  for  which  the  statutes 
still  provide. 

sconce,  n.    1.  A  fortification.    HV.  111,6, 
76 ;  Err.  II,  2,  37. 
2.  The  head.  Err.  1, 2,  79;  Hml.  V,  1,110. 

sconce,  v.  To  ensconce  ;  to  hide.  Hml. 
Ill,  4,  4.  I'' II  sconce  me  even  here. 
This  is  the  reading  in  the  g.  a.  text.  In 
the  Quartos  and  Folios  it  is  silence  me. 
The  emendation  is  due  to  Haumer.  cf. 
Wiv.  Ill,  3,  96  and  97.  Some  eds.,  how- 
ever, retain  "silence  "  and  give  strong 
reasons  for  so  doing. 

scot.  Contribution;  tax.  IHIV.  V,  4, 
115.    This  word  has  the  same  origin  as 


shot  (the  reckoning  at  a  tavern)  g.v., 
and  has  no  reference  to  Scotland. 

scored.  The  meaning  of  this  word,  as  it 
occurs  in  0th.  IV,  1,  130,  is  not  very 
easily  made  out,  chiefly  because  we 
have  no  connected  context  to  guide  us. 
Steevens  (3rd  Var.,  IX,  420)  says :  "  To 
score  originally  meant  no  more  than  to 
cut  a  notch  upon  a  tally,  or  to  mark 
out  a  form  by  indenting  it  on  any  sub- 
stance. Spenser,  in  the  first  canto  of 
his  Fairy  Queen,  speaking  of  the  Cross, 
says: 
'Upon  his  shield  the  like  was  also 
scor'd.' 
But  it  was  soon  figuratively  used  for 
setting  a  brand  or  mark  of  disgrace  on 
any  one.  'Let  us  score  their  backs,' 
says  Scarus  in  Ant.  and  Cleo. ;  and  it 
is  employed  in  the  same  sense  on  the 
present  occasion. " 

To  this  Collier  (2nd  ed.)  adds:  "The 
sense  usually  attached  to  the  phrase  has 
been :  Have  you  marked  me  like  a 
beast,  which  you  have  made  me  by 
giving  me  horns."  Johnson  explains 
it  thus:  "Have  you  made  my  reckon- 
ing ?  have  you  settled  the  term  of  my 
life  ?"  Which  Delius  elaborates  by 
saying :  "  Othello  applies  to  Desdemona 
lago's  words,  '  you  shall  marry  her,' 
and  asks,  '  Have  you  made  out  my 
reckoning  ?  Are  you  finished  with  me  ? ' 
It  is  not  until  Othello  is  out  of  the  way 
that  a  marriage  with  her  is  possible." 
A  very  German-like  gloss  seeing  that 
Othello  did  not  hear  the  words  of  the 
speakers,  but  guessed  at  what  they  were 
saying  from  their  pantomime.  If 
Othello  had  heard  the  conversation, 
lago  could  not  have  fooled  him.  It  was 
this  trick,  as  set  forth  to  Othello  by 
lago  in  lines  82  to  88,  that  led  Othello 
astray. 

scotch,  V.    To  cut  with  shallow  incisions ; 
to  cut  slightly.     Cor.  IV,  5,  198 ;  Mcb. 

III,  2,  13. 

scotch,?!.     A  cut ;  a  slight  wound.     Ant. 

IV,  7,  10. 

scrimer.    A  fencer.  (French,  escrimeur). 
Hml.  IV,  7,  101. 


8CB 


280 


SSA 


scrip.  1.  A  written  list.  Mids.  I,  2,  3. 
2.  A  wallet ;  a  small  pouch.  As.  Ill,  2, 
171.  When  Touchstone  opposes  scrip 
and  scrippage  to  bag  and  baggage,  it 
is  evidently  on  the  ground  that  a  shep- 
herd's scrip  or  pouch  is  a  trifling  affair 
compared  to  the  equipment  of  an  army. 

Scroop,  dr.p.  Archbishop  of  York. 
IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

Scroop,  Lord,  dr.p.    A  conspirator.    HV. 

Scroop,  Sir  Stephen,  dr.p.    RII. 

scrowl.  Perhaps  a  variant  of  scrawl ; 
evidently  means  to  write.     Tit.  II,  4,  5. 

scrowles,  )     Shabby    fellows  ;    rascals  ; 

scroyles.  f  "  mangy  fellows. "  (French, 
escrouelles.)    John  II,  1,  373. 

scrubbed.    Stunted.    Merch.  V,  1,  162. 

scull.  A  shoal ;  a  school  of  fish.  Troil. 
V,  5,  22. 

scullion.  A  kitchen  wench ;  a  domestic 
servant  of  the  lowest  grade.  2HIV".  II, 
1,  65  ;  Hral.  II,  2,  616. 

scut.  The  short,  stubby  tail  of  "hares, 
rabbits  and  deer.    Wiv.  V,  5,  20. 

Scylla  and  Chary bdis.  These  were  two 
dangerous  rocks  between  Italy  and 
Sicily.  They  were  quite  close  together, 
and  ships  in  trying  to  steer  clear  of  one 
were  almost  certain  to  be  wrecked  on 
the  other.  Hence  the  proverb,  "In 
trying  to  avoid  Scylla  he  runs  against 
Chary  bdis."  This  is  the  allusion  in 
Merch.  Ill,  5,  19.  In  the  rock  nearest 
to  Italy  there  was  a  cave  in  which  dwelt 
Scylla,  a  daughter  of  Crataeis,  a  fearful 
monster,  barking  like  a  dog,  with  twelve 
feet,  and  six  long  necks  and  heads,  each 
of  which  contained  three  rows  of  sharp 
teeth.  On  the  opposite  rock,  which  was 
much  lower,  grew  an  immense  fig-tree 
under  which  dwelt  Charybdis,  who 
tbrice  every  day  swallowed  down  the 
waters  of  the  sea,  and  thrice  threw 
them  up  again.  One  tradition  relates 
that  Scylla  was  a  beautiful  maiden  who 
often  played  with  the  nymphs  of  the 
sea,  and  was  beloved  by  the  marine  god 
Glaucus.  The  latter  applied  to  Circe 
for  means  to  make  Scylla  return  his 
love,  but  Circe,  jealous  of  the  fair 
maiden,  threw  magic  herbs    into    the 


well  in  which  Scylla  was  wont  to  bathe, 
by  means  of  which  the  lower  part  of 
her  body  was  changed  into  the  tail  of 
a  fish  or  serpent  surrounded  by  dogs, 
while  the  upper  part  remained  that  of 
a  woman.  Charybdis  is  also  described  as 
a  daughter  of  Neptune  and  Terra,  and 
a  voracious  woman,  who  stole  oxen 
from  Hercules,  and  was  hurled  by  the 
thunderbolt  of  Jupiter  into  the  sea. 

*sdeath^  A  contraction  of  God's  death; 
a  common  oath  in  the  time  of  Sh.  Cor. 
1, 1,  221.    See  'sblood. 

sealing.    Sleeping.    Ant.  Ill,  2,  3. 

sealed  quarts.  Quart  measures  oflicially 
stamped  to  show  that  they  would  hold 
the  proper  quantity.  Shr.  Ind.  II,  90. 
"  In  the  reigns  of  Elizabeth  and  James 

I,  there  was  a  very  wholesome  law  that, 
for  the  protection  of  the  public  against 
'  false  measures,'  ale  should  be  sold  only 
in  sealed  vessels  of  the  standard  capacity ; 
and  the  violation  of  the  law  was  to  be 
presented  at  the  '  Court  Leet,'  or  '  View 
of  Frankpledge,'  held  in  every  hundred, 
manor,  or  lordship,  before  the  steward 
of  the  leet."    Lord  Campbell. 

sea-maid.  A  mermaid.  Meas.  Ill,  2, 115 ; 
Mids.  II,  1,  154.    See  mermaid. 

sea-mark.  An  object  serving  for  a  direc- 
tion to  mariners.    0th.  V,  2,  267. 

seam.    1,  A  line  of  union  or  separation  ; 
the  joint  made  by  sewing.  Per.  II,  1, 156. 
2.  Grease;   fat.    Troil.   II,  3,  195.    ef. 
enseamed. 

seamy.  Having  seams,  cf.  seam,  1.  In 
0th.  IV,  2, 146,  the  passage :  that  turned 
your  wit  the  seamy  side  without^  means, 
that  turned  your  wit  the  wrong  side  out 
and  exposed  the  course  side  of  the  seams, 
i.e.,  the  most  unfavorable  side  of  your 
wit. 

sear,  V.     1.  To  brand.    All's.  II,  1,  176; 
Wiut.  II,  1,  73. 
2.  To  harden;  to  wither.    Compl.  14. 

Sear'd  Is  very  properly  substituted 
tor  fear'' d  in  most  modern  eds.  in  Meas. 

II,  4,  9,  and  Cym.  II,  4,  6.  The  old 
form  of  s  greatly  resembled/,  the  only 
difference  being  the  absence  of  the  cross- 
line.  Collier  says  that  in  Lord  EUesmere's 


SEA 


281 


SEL 


copy  of  theFl.  the  reading  is  sear''d  not 
fear''cl,  which  is  the  reading  in  most 
other  copies.  The  misprint  seems  to 
have  been  corrected  while  the  sheets 
were  passing  through  the  press ;  this 
was  often  done  in  old-time  books,  the 
slow  process  of  printing  by  hand-press 
in  those  days  giving  an  opportunity  for 
such  changes.  In  the  Cambridge  Sh., 
Note  IX,  on  Meas,  it  is  claimed  that 
the  change  was  made  by  erasure,  and 
this  on  the  authority  of  Ingleby's  "Com- 
plete View,"  p.  24.  But  on  the  pre- 
ceding page  of  this  work,  a  question 
asked  by  Ingleby  shows  him  to  be  a 
partisan  whose  bitterness  overcomes  his 
discretion,  and  to  my  mind  his  word  in 
such  matters  is  to  be  taken  cum  "  bw- 
relo  "  salts.  See  sere. 
search.  To  probe ;  to  sound  so  as  to 
apply  a  remedy.    Gtent.  I,  2,  116;  Troil. 

II,  2,  16. 

season,  n.  Preserver ;  that  which  keeps 
fresh.  Mcb.  Ill,  4,  141.  Perhaps  = 
preservation  in  Ado.  IV,  1,  144. 

season,  v.  1.  To  establish;  to  ripen  ;  to 
confirm.     Cor.  Ill,  3,  64 ;  Hml.  I,  3,  81 ; 

III,  2,  219. 

2.  To  temper;  to  moderate.  Hml.  I,  2, 
192. 

seated.    Situated.     Lucr.  1144. 

Sebastian,  dr.p.  Brother  to  the  King  of 
Naples,     Tp. 

Sebastian,  dr.p.    Brother  to  Viola.    Tw. 

sect.  1.  A  cutting  ;  a  scion.  0th.  I,  3, 
336. 

2.  As  used  in  2HIV.  II,  4,  41,  this  word 
is  usually  supposed  to  mean  sex,  and 
Steevens  gives  numerous  examples  of 
its  use  in  that  sense.  But  in  this  pas- 
sage it  probably  means  trade  or  pro- 
fession. 

secure, adj.  Careless;  unguarded.  Wiv. 
II,  1,  241;  IHVI.  II,  1,  11;  Hml.  I,  5, 
61 ;  Kins.  I,  1,  154. 

secure,  v.  To  make  careless  ;  to  throw 
off  one's  guard.     Tim.  II,  2,  185 ;  Lr. 

IV,  1,  22. 

securely.  Carelessly;  confidently.  Lucr. 
89;  Wiv.  II,  2,  252;  RII.  II,  1,  266; 
Troil.  IV,  5,  74. 


security.  Carelessness.  Caes.  II,  3,  8 ; 
Mcb.  Ill,  5,  32. 

seedness.  Sowing  of  the  seed.  Meas.  I, 
4,  42. 

seek  him  with  candle.  Steevens  remarks 
on  this  passage  in  As.  Ill,  1,  6,  that  it 
is  probably  an  allusion  to  Luke  xv,  8. 
But  it  might  be  to  Diogenes  and  his 
lantern.  The  meaning  evidently  is : 
Make  a  most  minute  search. 

seel.  To  close  up  the  eyes;  to  blind. 
Properly  a  term  of  falconry,  to  seel  a 
hawk  meaning  to  close  up  her  eyelids, 
either  partially  or  entirely,  by  running 
a  fine  thread  through  them  in  order  to 
make  her  tractable  and  endure  the  hood. 
Mcb.  Ill,  2, 46  ;  0th.  I,  3,  270 ;  Ant.  Ill, 
13,  112. 

seeming.  This  word,  as  used  in  As.  V, 
4,  72,  is  equivalent  to  seemly.  Daniel 
suggests,  however,  that  the  word  should 
be  sivim^ming,  and  cites  numerous  ex- 
amples of  the  use  of  this  latter  word  to 
describe  a  movement  of  the  body  then 
much  in  fashion  (c/.  the  schoolmaster's 
advice  to  the  girls  in  Kins.  Ill,  5,  28 : 
Swim,  with  your  bodies) ;  but  swimming 
was  a  movement  and  Audrey  was 
standing  still. 

seen.  Well  seen  =  well  versed ;  pro- 
ficient.    Shr.  I,  2,  134. 

segregation.  Dispersion;  separation.  0th. 
II,  1,  10. 

seld.  Seldom.  Troil.  IV,  5,  149.  Seld- 
shown  =  rarely  exhibited.  Cor.  II,  1, 
232. 

Seleucus,  dr.p.  Attendant  on  Cleopatra. 
Ant. 

self.  The  same.  Err.  V,  1,  10 ;  Merch.  I, 
1,  148 ;  Lr.  I,  1,  71. 

self-bounty.  Inherent  goodness ;  innate 
kindness.     0th.  Ill,  3,  200. 

self-cover'd.  The  passage  in  which  this 
word  occurs  (Lr.  IV,  2,  62),  Thou 
changed  and  self -cover'' d  thing,  for 
shame,  Be-monster  not  thy  feature,  is 
so  obscure  that  it  has  never  been  satis- 
factorily explained,  and  numerous 
emendations  have  been  proposed,  none 
of  which,  however,  has  been  generally 
accepted.    The  whole  speech  of  Albany 


S£L 


SEN 


and  the  reply  of  Goneril  are  omitted  in 
the  Folios.  Theobald  suggested  self- 
converted;  Becket,  self-convict;  ^Singer, 
false-covered  ;  Moberly,  self-coloured  ; 
Crosby,  sex-covered;  Beale,  devil-cov- 
ered ;  and  this  does  not  nearly  exhaust 
the  list.  But  none  of  them,  except, 
perhaps,  that  of  Crosby,  has  attracted 
much  attention. 

Johnson  explains  it  as :  Thou  that  hast 
hid  the  woman  under  the  fiend.  Ma- 
lone  :  Thou  who  hast  put  a  covering  on 
thyself  which  nature  did  not  give  thee. 
Rolfe,  whose  whole  note  on  the  passage 
deserves  careful  attention,  says:  "The 
meaning,  then,  is:  "Thou  perverted 
creature,  who  hast  lost  thy  proper 
self  (either  thy  womanly  self,  or  thy 
self  as  it  seemed  to  me,  the  ideal  of  my 
affection)  and  hast  become  a  fiend,  do 
not  thus  make  a  monster  of  thyself." 
Furness,  after  giving  a  page  of  opinions 
from  others,  winds  up  thus:  "Is  it 
over-refinement  to  suppose  that  this 
revelation  to  Albany  of  his  wife's 
fiend-like  character  transforms,  in  his 
eyes,  even  her  person  ?  She  is  changed, 
her  true  self  has  been  covered ;  now  that 
she  stands  revealed,  her  whole  outward 
shape  is  be-monstered.  No  woman, 
least  of  all  Goneril,  could  remain  un- 
moved under  such  scathing  words  from 
her  husband.  Goneril 's  'feature'  is 
quivering  and  her  face  distorted  with 
passion.  Then  it  is  that  Albany  tells 
her  not  to  let  her  evil  self,  hitherto 
covered  and  concealed,  betray  itself  in 
all  its  hideousness  in  her  outward 
shape."  This  is  very  clear  and  forcible. 
The  only  point  on  which  we  would  ven- 
ture to  differ  from  Dr.  Furness,  for  which 
see  apology  in  our  preface,  is  in  regard  to 
the  meaning  of  the  word /ea^wre.  Dr* 
Furness,  misled,  I  think,  by  Schmidt, 
who  is  certainly  poor  authority  on  the 
interpretation  of  English  words,  makes 
it  mean  her  "shape,  exterior,  the  whole 
turn  or  cast  of  the  body . "  (See  his  note 
on  line  63).  I  think  there  is  an  error 
here.  Goneril's  face  would  exhibit  her 
fiendish  character,  but  surely  her  body. 


covered  as  it  was  by  her  dress,  could 
hardly  do  so.  For  further  note  on 
feature  see  3rd  Var.,  Vol,  X,  p.  203, 
and  the  word  feature  in  our  Addenda. 

semblable,  adj.  Similar;  like.  2HIV. 
V,  1,  73 ;  Ant.  Ill,  4,  3. 

semblable,  n.  Like;  equal.  Tim.  IV, 
3,  23  ;  Hml.  V,  2,  124. 

semblably.    Similarly.    IHIV.  V,  3,  21. 

Sempronius,  dr. p.  A  lord ;  a  fiatterer  of 
Tiraofi.     Tim. 

senior-junior.  Older  and  younger.  The 
passage  is  evidently  a  collection  of  con- 
trarieties. In  the  Fl.  it  is  "signior 
lunios  gyant  drawfe,"  and  numerous 
conjectural  emendations  have  been 
offered.  The  emendnient  generally 
adopted  (senior-junior)  was  suggested 
to  Theobald,  but  not  adopted  into  the 
text  by  him,  though  he  greatly  approved 
of  it.  Upton  suggested:  "This  signior 
Julio's  giant-dwarf,"  the  idea  being 
that  Sh.  intended  to  compliment  Julio 
Romano,  referred  to  in  Wint,  V,  1,  106. 
Upton  tells  us  that  this  sculptor  drew 
Cupid  in  the  character  of  a  giant-dwarf, 
but  no  one  has  ever  discovered  the 
sketch.  Senior- junior  is  most  probably 
the  true  reading.  LLL.  Ill,  1,  183.  In 
the  old  tragedy  of  Gis  nionde  of  Salerne 
Cupid  is  called"  the  little  greatest  god." 
And  in  this  play  (V,  2, 11)  Rosaline  says : 
**  That  was  the  way  to  make  his  god- 
head wax, 
For  he  hath  been  five  thousand  years 
a  boy." 

The  evident  misprint,  signior  for 
senior,  occurs  also  in  Err.  V,  1,  422, 
which  in  the  Fl.  reads:  WeeH  draw 
Cuts  for  the  Signior. 

seniory.  Seniority;  eldership.  RIII.  IV, 
4,36. 

Senoys.  The  Siennese ;  the  people  of 
Sienna.     All's.  I,  3,  1. 

sennet.  A  flourish  of  trumpets.  Occurs 
frequently  as  a  stage  direction. 

sense.     1.  Feeling;    perception.      All's. 

I,  3,  178;  III,  4,  39;  0th.  I,  2,  73;  V,  1, 

II.  In  the  latter  passage,  to  the  sense 
means,  to  the  quick.  The  passage  in  Hml. 
I,  2,  99,  the  most  vulgar  thing  to  sense, 


SEN 


SES 


is  explained  by  Caldecott  as :  "  addressed 
to  sense  ;  in  every  hour's  occurrence 
offering  itself  to  our  observation  and 
feelings."    See  vulgar. 

The  passage  in  the  same  play,  III,  4, 
71,  Sense  sure  you  have,  Else  could 
you  not  have  motion,  has  received 
several  explanations.  Staunton  sajs 
the  meaning  is:  "Sense  (i.e.,  the  sen- 
sibility to  appreciate  the  distinction 
between  external  objects)  you  must 
have,  or  you  would  no  longer  feel  the 
impulse  of  desire.''^  The  Clarendon  ed. 
explains  *  motion '  as  ==  emotion. 
2.  Sensuality.     Meas.  I,  4,  59 ;  II,  2,  169. 

senseless-obstinate.    Unreasonably  ob- 
stinate.   RIII.  Ill,  1,  44. 

sensible.   Feeling.   Merch.  II,  8,  48 ;  Hml. 
IV,  5,  150. 

septentrion.  The  north.  3HVI.  1, 4, 136. 
The  word  septentrion  is  derived  from 
the  Latin  septem,  seven,  and  triones, 
ploughing  oxen.  The  name  was  given 
by  the  Romans  to  the  seven  stars  known 
as  the  "Great  Bear,"  the  "Dipper," 
"  Charles  Wain,"  etc.  As  they  lie  near 
the  North  Pole  and  two  of  the  stars 
(known  as  the  pointers)  are  nearly  in  a 
line  with  the  Pole-star,  the  word  sep- 
tentriones  came  in  time  to  signify  the 
north. 

sequester.    Seclusion.    0th.  Ill,  4,  40. 

sequestration.    1.  Separation;   divorce. 
0th.  I,  3,  351. 

2.  Seclusion.     HV.  I,  1,  58;   IHVI.  II, 
5,25. 

sere.  1.  Dry  ;  withered.  Err.  IV,  2, 19, 
The  passage :  The  Clowne  shall  make 
those  laugh  ivhose  lungs  are  tickled 
a'  f/i'  sere  (Hml.  II,  2,  337),  has  been  ex- 
plained in  various  ways.  Stee v  ens  made 
sere  =  serum  ;  Capell  explained  it  as 
"delighted  with  dry  jokes";  Malone 
acknowledges  that  he  is  puzzled. 

The  interpretation  given  by  Nicholson 
in  "Notes  and  Queries"  for  July  22, 
1871,  seems  to  be  the  true  one:  "The 
sere  or,  as  it  is  now  spelt,  sear  (or  scear) 
of  a  gun-lock  is  the  bar  or  balance-lever 
interposed  between  the  trigger  on  the 
one  side,  and  the  tumbler  and  other 


mechanism  on  the  other,  and  is  so-called 
from  its  acting  the  part  of  a  serre  or 
talon  in  gripping  that  mechanism  and 
preventing  its  action.     It  is,  in  fact,  a 
pawl  or  stop  catch.     When  the  trigger 
is  made  to  act  on  one  end  of  it,  the 
other   end   releases   the   tumbler,    the 
mainspring  acts,  and  the  hammer,  flint 
or  match  falls.    Hence,  Lombard  (1596), 
as  quoted  in  Halliwell's  '  Archaic  Dic- 
j       tionary,' says,  'Even  as  a  pistole  that 
is  ready  charged  and  bent  will  flie  off 
by-and-by,  if  a  man  do  but  touch  the 
scare. '    Now,  if  the  lock  be  so  made  of 
purpose,  or  be  worn,  or  be  faulty  in 
construction,  this  sear  or  grip  may  be 
:       so  tickle  or  ticklish  in  its  adjustment 
that  a  slight  touch  or  even  a  jar  may 
;       displace  it,  and  then,  of  course,  the  gun 
j       goes  off.     Hence,  'light,'  or  'tickle  of 
the  sear'  (equivalent  to,  like  a  hair- 
trigger),  applied  metaphorically,  means 
that  which  can  be  started  into  action 
i       at  a  mere  touch,  or  on  the  slightest 
I       provocation,  or  on  what  ought  to  be  no 
j       pro V  ocation  at  all . " 
sergeant.    1.  A   sheriff's   oflScer.     Err. 
IV,  2,  56 ;  Hml.  V,  2,  347. 
2.  A    non-commissioned    officer    in    the 
^       army.     Mcb.  I,  2,  3. 
i   serpent's  tongue.    The  phrase:    If  we 
1       have  unearned  luck,  Now  to  scape  the 
serpenVs  tongue  (Mids.  V,  1, 440),  means, 
if  we  escape  being   hissed.    Johnson. 
So  in  J.  Markham's  "  English  Arcadia '' 
(1607) :    "  But    the   nymph,    after   the 
I       custom  of   distrest   tragedians,   whose 
{       first  act  is  entertained  with   a  snaky 
salutation,  etc.^^   Steevens.   Seewonn. 
serpigo.    A  kind  of  tetter  or  dry  erup- 
tion of  the  skin.    Meas.  Ill,  1,  31 ;  Troil. 

II,  3,  81. 

serviceable.  .Officious.     Lr.  IV,  6,  257. 

Serviceable    vows  =  vows    promising 

service.    Gent.  Ill,  2,  70. 
Servilius,  dr.p.    Servant  to  Timon.    Tim. 
sessa.    A  word  of  which  the  meaning  is 

not  very  clear.     Some  regard  it  as  a 

mere  exclamation.     As  it  occurs  in  Lr. 

III,  4,  104,  Johnson  thinks  it  may  be 
the  French  cessez  =  stop !  spoken  to  an 


SET 


fJ84 


SHA 


imaginary  horse  trotting  by  ;  Steeven's 
thinks  that  in  III,  6,  77,  it  is  a  corrup- 
tion of  Cecilia,  spoken  to  an  imaginary 
beggar-woman.  In  Shr.  Ind.  I,  6,  it  is 
possible  that  it  is  equivalent  to  Johnson's 
cessez^  but  it  is  very  unlikely  that  Sly 
got  it  from  the  French.  More  likely  it 
is  simply  a  low  form  of  cease^  meaning 
"shut  up." 

set.  Has  the  usual  and  easily  compre- 
hended significations  in  most  of  the 
passages  in  which  it  occurs  in  Sh.  As 
found  in  Cym.  Ill,  4,  90,  it  obviously 
means  to  instigate ;  to  prompt.  As  it 
occurs  in  Hml.  IV,  3,  64,  several  mean- 
ings have  been  given.  Malone  thinks  it 
means  to  "set  by";  Mason  suggests 
"set  at  nought";  Singer  thinks  it 
means  "to  set  or  tell  the  price."  Re- 
ference has  also  been  made  to  Sonn. 
LXXXVIII,  set  me  light  =  esteem  me 
lightly;  and  RII.  I,  3,  293,  sets  it 
light  =  makes  light  of  it,  i.e.,  sorrow. 
The  general  meaning,  as  we  have  pointed 
out  in  regard  to  many  other  passages 
in  Sh.,  is  obvious  enough,  and  it  seems 
to  me  that  the  word  here  has  its 
original  meaning,  viz.,  to  place;  fix; 
plant ;  lay  down.  The  adverb  cofdly 
qualifies  this  sense  sufficiently,  and  the 
phrase  is  equivalent  to,  coldly  lay  down. 

Setebos.  The  god  of  Sycorax,  dam  of 
Caliban.  Said  to  have  been  the  god  of 
of  the  Patagonian  giants,  a  description 
of  whom  had  been  published  in  Eden's 
"History  of  Travayle"  (1577),  and  the 
name  of  their  god  Setebos  given.  Eden 
tells  us  that  the  giants,  when  they  found 
themselves  fettered,  "roared  like  bulls 
and  cried  upon  [their  great  devil]  Sete- 
bos to  help  them. ' '    Fanner. 

setter.  A  spy;  one  who  watches  for 
travelers  so  as  to  give  information  to 
thieves.     1  HIV.  II,  2,  70. 

several,  n.     1.   An  individual;  a  single 
person.     Wint.  I,  2,  226. 
2.  (In  the  plural.)    Particulars;  details. 
HV.  I,  1,86;  Troil.  1,3,  180. 

several,  (ad/.?).  The  passage:  My  lips 
are  no  common,  though  several  they  he 
(LLL.  II,  1,  224),  is  thus  explained  by 


Halliwell :  "Fields  that  were  enclosed 
were  called  severals,  in  opposition  to 
comm,ons,  the  former  belonging  to  in- 
dividuals, the  others  to  the  inhabitants 
generally."  Rolfe  prefers  Staunton's 
explanation :  "  If  we  take  both  as  places 
devoted  to  pasture — the  one  for  general, 
the  other  for  particular  use — the  mean- 
ing is  easy  enough.  Boyet  asks  permis- 
sion to  graze  on  her  lips.  *  Not  so,'  she 
answers  ;  '  my  lips,  though  intended  for 
the  purpose,  are  not  for  general  use.' " 
But  it  seems  to  me  that  this  does 
not  bring  out  so  clearly  the  joke 
between  several  and  common,  cf. 
Sonn.  CXXXVII,  9.    See  though. 

sewer.  An  officer  whose  duty  originally 
was  to  taste  the  dishes  placed  on  the 
royal  table.  Mcb.  1, 7,  stage  direction, 
line  2. 

*sfoot.  Corrupted  from  Good's /oof.  Troil. 
11,3,6.     See'sblood. 

Sextus  Pompeius,  dr.p.  A  friend  to 
Antony.     Ant. 

Seyton,  dr. p.  Officer  attending  on  Mac- 
beth.   Mcb. 

Shadow,  dr. p.  One  of  Falstaff's  recruits. 
2HIV. 

Shafalus.  A  blunder  for  Cephalus.  Mids. 
V,  1,  200.     See  Cephalus. 

shaft.  An  arrow,  i.e.,  the  long  arrow 
used  with  the  long-bow,  as  distinguished 
from  the  short  arrow,  bolt  or  quarrel 
used  with  the  cross-bow.  Mids.  II,  1, 
161 ;  Lr.  I,  1,  145,  and  elsewhere. 

In  regard  to  the  passage  in  Merch.  I, 
1,  140,  Douce  tells  us  that  this  method 
of  finding  a  lost  arrow  is  prescribed  by 
P.  Crescentius  in  his  treatise  "  De 
Agricultura,"  lib.  X,  cap.  XXVIII. 
For  ni  make  a  shaft  or  a  bolt  onH, 
see  holt. 

When  the  rich  golden  shaft  (Tw.  I, 
1,  35),  is  thus  explained  :  Cupid  carried 
two  kinds  of  arrows  or  shafts ;  one,  with 
a  golden  head,  inspired  pure  and  deep 
love ;  the  other  kind  was  headed  with 
lead  and  produced  indifference  or  aver- 
sion. See  also  Mids.  I,  1,  170.  See 
Cupid  and  holt. 

Shales.    Husks  ;  shells.    HV.  IV,  2, 18.      ^ 


SHA 


2S5 


SHE 


Shallow,  Robert,  dr. p.  A  country  justice. 
Wiv.  and2HIV. 

It  is  generally  accepted  that  in  Justice 
Shallow  we  have  a  caricature  of  Sir 
Thomas  Lucy  of  Charlecote,  near  Strat- 
ford. The  tradition  is  that,  among  his 
youthful  escapades,  Sh.,  with  some  other 
young  fellows,  killed  some  of  Lucy's 
deer  and  for  this  Lucy  had  him  severely 
punished.  Sh.,  in  revenge,  is  said  to 
have  written  a  most  bitter  ballad  against 
Lucy ;  this  led  to  further  persecution, 
and  it  is  alleged  that  this  was  the  chief 
cause  of  Sh.  leaving  Stratford.  At- 
tempts have  been  made  to  discredit  the 
the  whole  story,  but  all  authorities  are 
agreed  that  there  is  a  considerable  basis 
of  truth  for  the  legend.  See  luce  and 
prick. 

shalPs.  A  contraction  of  shall  us.  An 
ungrammatical  colloquialism.  Cor.  IV, 
6,  148. 

shard.  1 .  A  shred ;  a  fragment  of  pottery 
or  potsherd.  HmL  V,  1,  254. 
2.  The  wing-case  or  elytron  of  a  beetle. 
Ant.  Ill,  2,  20.  Steevens  thus  explains 
the  line :  They  are  his  shards  and  he 
their  beetle  :  "They  are  the  wings  that 
raise  this  heavy  lumpish  insect  from 
the  ground."  This  involves  an  error  in 
natural  history.  The  wing-cases  are 
not  the  members  used  by  the  beetle  in 
flying ;  the  wings  perform  that  function. 
The  shards,  wing-cases  or  elytra  serve 
chiefly  to  protect  the  wings,  which  ai'e 
delicate  membranous  parts  that  would 
be  easily  injured  when  the  beetle  entered 
holes,  etc.  It  is  quite  possible,  how- 
ever, that  they  may  be  used  to  give  the 
beetle  a  first  start  from  the  ground. 
See  shard-borne. 

shard-borne.  Upheld  by  shards  or  wing- 
cases.  Mcb.  Ill,  2, 42.  This  is  probably 
an  error,  though  a  trifling  one.  See 
shard.  Patterson,  in  his  "Letters  on 
the  Natural  History  of  the  Insects 
Mentioned  in  Shakespeare's  Plays,"  has 
this  note  on  the  subject :  "  These  shards 
or  wing-cases  are  raised  and  expanded 
[?]  when  the  beetle  flies,  and  by  their 
concavity  act  like  two  parachutes  in 


supporting  him  in  the  air.  *  *  *  [The 
other  meaning]  most  applicable  is  that 
given  by  Mr.  Toilet,  as  quoted  in  the 
notes  to  Ayscough's  edition  of  Shak- 
speare,  that  'shard-born  beetle  is  the 
beetle  born  in  cow-dung ;  and  that  shard 
expresses  dung  is  well  known  in  the 
north  of  Staffordshire,  where  cow's 
shard  is  the  word  generally  used  for 
cow-dung.'  *  *  *  A  long  and  very 
interesting  note  on  the  subject  was 
published  in  the  'Zoological  Journal,' 
No.  XVIII,  p.  147." 

It  seems  to  me  that  by  shard-borne 
Sh.  undoubtedly  meant,  supported  by 
shards  or  wing-cases.  To  the  ordinary 
observer  these  wing-cases  appear  to  be 
the  wings  themselves,  and  Sh.  object 
was  to  make  an  impression  upon  minds 
to  whom  the  droning  beetle  was  a 
familiar  sight.  If  Sh.  had  given  a 
minute  and  accurate  description  of  the 
flight  of  the  beetle  his  audience  would 
not  have  understood  him  and  his  words 
would  have  fallen  dead. 

sharded.  Having  wing-cases  like  beetles. 
Cym.  Ill,  3,  20. 

shark.  To  snatch  up  without  distinction 
as  a  shark  does  his  prey.     Hml.  I,  1,  98. 

sheaied.    Shelled.     Lr.  I,  4,  219. 

she.  This  word  is  frequently  used  by  Sh. 
as  a  noun.  See  Tw.  I,  5,  259 ;  Cym.  I, 
3,  29 ;  All's.  II,  1,  82.  But  the  passage 
in  Wint.  I,  2,  44,  behind  What  Lady 
she  her  Lord,  as  it  stands  in  the  Fl., 
has  made  trouble  for  some  coms.,  un- 
necessarily it  seems  to  me.  Several  eds. 
have  even  gone  so  far  as  to  offer  emend- 
ations. Collier  and  Dyce  read  should 
instead  of  she  on  the  ground  that  "she  " 
is  a  misprint  for  shd.,  the  contracted 
form  of  should.  Staunton  hyphenates 
lady  and  she,  and  this  has  been  adopted 
in  the  Globe  ed.,  but  not  in  the  Cam- 
bridge ed.  Keightley  suggests  lady 
soever,  and  Hudson,  lady  e'er.  But  it 
seems  to  me  that  all  this  is  unnecessary. 
"Lady  "  is  here  an  adjective  and  "  she  " 
a  noun,  just  as  in  Wint.  IV,  4,  360.  No 
hyphen  necessary.  The  meaning  is 
obvious:  "I  love  thee  not  a  jar  o'  the 


SHE 


SHO 


clock  behind  what  any  noble  woman 
does  her  lord."  And,  as  Furness  well 
says:  "We  must  doggedly  adhere  to 
the  original  text  as  long  as  it  conveys 
any  good  and  intelligible  meaning." 
To  which,  however,  I  would  add  :  Pro- 
vided that  meaning  is  obviously  the  one 
which  Sh.  intended,  and  not  one  marred 
by  an  evident  typographical  error  as  in 
Wiv.  V,  5,  159. 

shearman.  One  who  shears  cloth.  2HVI. 
IV,  2,  145. 

sheaved.    Made  of  straw.     Compl.  31. 

sheen,  n.  Light.  Mids.  II,  1,  29;  Hml. 
Ill,  2,  167. 

Some,  Johnson  among  others,  make  it 
an  adjective  =  shining ;  bright ;  gay. 

sheep.  This  word  was  often  pronounced 
ship  in  the  time  of  Sh.,  and,  indeed, 
this  is  still  the  pronunciation  in  some 
parts  of  England.  Hence  the  puns  in 
Gent.  I,  1,  73 ;  Err.  IV,  1,  93;  LLL.  II, 
1,  219. 

sheep-biter.  A  cant  term  for  a  thief. 
Dyce.  W.  A.  Wright  says  it  is  a  term 
of  reproach  taken  from  a  vicious  dog. 
"It  usually  denotes  a  niggard.  A  dog 
that  has  once  bitten  or  worried  sheep  be- 
comes so  worthless  and  incorrigible  that 
it  has  to  be  incontinently  killed,  or,  as 
Taylor,  the  Water- Poet,  says  : 
And  in  some  places  I  have  heard  and 

seene 
That  currish  sheep-biters  have  hanged 
been." 

Hence,  like  many  such  phrases,  it  came 
to  be  used  as  a  general  term  of  contempt 
equivalent  to  "cowardly  cur."  Dr. 
Furness  quotes  from  Nashe's  Pierce 
Penniless  :  "  What  curre  will  not 
bawle,  and  be  ready  to  flye  on  a  mans 
face,  when  he  is  set  on  by  his  master, 
who,  if  hee  bee  not  by  to  encourage 
him,  he  casts  his  taile  betwixt  his  legges, 
and  steales  away  like  a  sheepe-byter." 
Tw.  II,  6,  6.  See  sheep-biting. 
sheep-biting.  The  expression,  show  your 
sheep-biting  face,  as  found  in  Meas.  V, 
1,  359,  is  defined  by  Schm.  as  "morose, 
surly,  malicious. "  But  surely  the  duke 
showed  himself  anything   but  morose 


and  surly,  even  to  Lucio.  The  meaning 
here  is  undoubtedly  cowardly  and  mean, 
as  the  duke  seemed  afraid  to  show  his 
face. 

sheer.  Clear ;  pure  ;  unmixed.  RII.  V, 
3,  61.  Also  in  Shr.  Ind.  II,  25,  where 
the  word  has  also  been  interpreted  as 
"shire" — shire  ale  in  this  case  being 
ale  made  in  the  shire  or  county.  In 
some  parts  of  England  shire  is  still  pro- 
nounced sheer. 

shent.  Reproved  harshly  ;  treated  with 
rough  language.  Wiv.  I,  4,  38 ;  Troil. 
11,3,86;  Hml.  111,2,416. 

Shepherd.  The  epithet,  Dead  Shepherd, 
in  As.  Ill,  5,  82,  refers  to  Marlowe,  who 
was  killed  in  a  duel  in  1593,  aged  27 
years.  The  "saw  of  might"  is  from 
his  Hero  and  Leander,  published  in 
1598,  and  the  title  "  Shepherd  "  is  taken 
from  his  famous  poem,  "  The  Passionate 
Shepherd  to  His  Love."  The  saying, 
"saw  of  might,"  recalls  Ben  Jonson's 
well-known  expression,  "Marlowe's 
mighty  line." 

sheriff's  post.  "  At  the  doors  of  sheriffs 
were  usually  set  up  ornamented  posts, 
on  which  royal  and  civic  proclamations 
were  fixed."    Dyce.    Tw.  I,  5,  157. 

shield.    1.   To  protect.    Lr.  IV,  2,  67. 
2.  To  forbid  ;  to  avert.     Meas.   Ill,   1, 
141 ;  Airs.  I,  3,  174;  Rom.  IV,  1,  41. 

shift.  To  change.  To  shift  his  being  = 
to  change  his  dwelling.     Cym.  I,  5,  54. 

ship-tire.  A  particular  kind  of  head- 
dress worn  at  that  period.  Wiv.  Ill,  3, 
60.    See  tire. 

shive.  A  slice.  Tit.  II,  1, 87.  "  'Tis  safe 
taking  a  shive  of  a  cut  loaf  "  is  a  very 
old  proverb. 

shoes.  The  expression  over  shoes,  for 
moderately  deep,  occurs  in  Mids.  Ill,  2, 
48,  and  Gent.  I,  1,  24.  In  the  latter 
passage  it  is  contrasted  with  over  boots, 
which  is  deeper  yet. 

In  John  II,  1,  144,  the  word  shows,  of 
the  g.  a.  text,  reads  shoes  in  the  Fl.  In 
the  3rd  Var.,  Vol,  XV,  p.  229,  the  old 
reading  is  retained,  and  Steevens  cites 
numerous  passages  to  support  it.  The 
emendation  is  due  to  Theobald.    The 


SHO 


287 


SHO 


very  obvious  meaning  is,  "  As  Hercules' 
lion's  skin  (the  skin  of  the  Nemean 
lion  which  he  wore)  shows  upon  the 
back  of  an  ass."  F.  A.  Marshall.  See 
slipper. 

shoeing-horn.  Awell-known  toilet  article; 
metaphorically,  a  subservient  tool  or 
instrument.  In  applying  the  terra  to 
Menelaus,  Thersites,  no  doubt,  had  in 
mind  the  time-worn  joke  about  horns 
and  cuckolds.  Troil.  V,  1,  61.  See 
transformation. 

shog.    To  move  on.     HV.  II,  1,  47. 

shoots.  In  Wint,  I,  2,  128,  shoots  evi- 
dently means  the  horns  of  the  cuckold. 
Henley  (the  old  Sh.  com.),  in  the  3z-d 
Var.  (1821),  Vol.  XIV,  p.  249,  thus 
paraphrases  the  words  of  Leontes :  "To 
make  thee  a  calf  thou  must  have  the 
tuft  on  thy  forehead  and  the  young 
horns  that  shoot  up  in  it,  as  I  have." 
It  has  been  objected  that  "  he  gives  no 
authority  for  his  explanation  of  '  pash  ' 
by  tuft.''''  But  he  does  not  explain 
"pash  "  by  tuft;  the  pash  is  the  head 
(see  pash)  and  the  rough  pash  which 
Leontes  speaks  of  is  a  pash  with  a  tuft 
of  hair  such  as  usually  grows  on  the 
head  of  a  young  bull.  See  also  Ad- 
denda, s.v.  pash. 

Shootie.  The  name  of  Master  Shooty, 
the  great  traveller,  as  it  reads  in  the 
g.  a.  text  (Meas.IV,  3, 18),  is  "Shootie" 
in  the  FL,  and  it  has  been  suggested 
that  it  is  a  sort  of  pun  on  shoe  tie. 
Warburton  reads  Shooter,  and  the  3rd 
Var.  and  some  others  Shoe-tie.  See 
Sure-card. 

shot.  1.  Range;  reach.  Tit.  II,  1,  2; 
Hml.  I,  3,  35. 

2.  In  2HIV.  Ill,  2,  295,  shot  "is  used  for 
shooter,  one  who  is  to  fight  by  shooting." 
Johnson.  At  the  present  day  it  is  in 
common  use  as  a  synonym  for  marks- 
man, but  in  Sh.  time  it  was  equivalent 
to  musketeer,  as  in  IHVI.  I,  4,  53,  and 
HVIII.  V,  4,  59.  This  was  the  meaning 
among  writers  of  the  time  as  quoted  by 
Steevens  and  Malone.  Thus  in  Stowe's 
"  Annales,"  speaking  of  a  body  of  men, 
he  says :  ' '  the  greater  part  whereof  were 


shot,  and  the  other  were  pikes  and 
halberts  in  faire  corslets." 
3.  A  tavern  reckoning  or  one's  share 
thereof.  Gent.  II,  5,  7 ;  Cym.  V,  4, 1.58. 
"  The  literal  sense  is  '  contribution,'  that 
which  is  '  shot '  into  the  general  fund." 
Skeat.  In  IHIV.  V,  3,  30,  there  is  a 
pun  upon  the  two  meanings  of  the  word 
— a  tavern  reckoning  and  also  a  missile 
discharged  from  a  gun. 
shotten  herring.  One  that  has  shed  its 
roe  and  is  consequently  lank  and  lean. 
Cowden  Clarke.  Hunter  makes  it  "a 
herring  gutted  and  dried."  Clarke's 
definition  is  probably  correct.     IHIV. 

II,  4,  145. 

shough.    A  kind  of  shaggy  dog.    Mcb. 

III,  1,  94. 

shoulder.  The  word  itself  requires  no 
explanation,  but  some  of  the  passages 
in  which  it  occurs  have  called  forth 
comment. 

In  As.  IV,  1,  48,  Cupid  hath  clapt 
him  o'  the  shoulder,  hut  Fll  warrant 
him  heart-whole,  has  been  explained  in 
two  ways :  (1)  to  clap  on  the  shoulder  in 
token  of  friendly  encouragement,  as  in 
Ado.  I,  1,  261 ;  LLL.  V,  2,  107,  and 
Troil.  Ill,  3,  138 ;  and  (2)  to  arrest,  as 
in  Cym.  V,  3,  78,  and  Err.  IV,  2,  37. 
Schm.  and  some  others  prefer  the  latter 
explanation,  but  Furness  thinks  that 
"on  the  whole,  the  former  interpreta- 
tion seems  preferable. "  It  appears  so  to 
me.  Furness  seems  to  think  that  "there 
is  colour  for  [Schmidt's]  preference  in 
the  use  of  the  word  'warrant'  im- 
mediately following."  But  "  warrant " 
here  is  not  a  writ  of  attachment,  but  a 
verbal  guarantee,  and  if  Cupid  had 
attached  the  supposed  delinquent  lover 
by  way  of  arrest,  there  would  have  been 
no  escape  for  him.  He  would  not  have 
remained  "heart-whole."  Verity  ("The 
Henry  Irving  Shakespeare")  explains 
the  expression  as  "lightly  touched." 

Othello's  description  of  'inen  whose 
heads  Do  grow  beneath  their  shoulders 
was,  no  doubt,  taken  from  Sir  John 
Mandeville's  account  of  his  travels,  in 
which  he  teUs  us  that  "in  another  Yle, 


SHO 


288 


SIB 


toward  the  South,  duellen  folk  of  foule 
Stature  and  of  cursed  kynde,  than  have 
no  Hedes ;  and  here  Eyen  ben  in  here 
Scholdres."  This  seems  to  have  im- 
pressed itself  upon  the  people  of  Sh. 

■  time,  for  it  is  alluded  to  again  in  Tp. 
Ill,  3,  47. 

shoulder,  v.  To  push  with  violence ;  to 
displace.  IHVI.  IV,  1,  189;  RIII.  Ill, 
7,  128. 

shoulder-shotten.  Sprained ;  dislocated 
in  the  shoulder.     Shr.  Ill,  2,  56. 

shove-groat  shilling.  A  smooth  shilling 
used  in  the  game  of  shove-groat.  2HIV. 
II,  4,  205. 

At  first  the  game  was  played  with  the 
silver  groats  of  the  time,  then  nearly  as 
large  as  modern  shillings.  When  the 
broad  shillings  of  Edward  VI  were 
coined  they  were  substituted  for  the 
groats  in  this  game.  See  Edward 
shovel-boards. 

shovel.  To  throw  with  a  shovel.  In 
Wint.  IV,  4,  471,  the  metre  requires 
that  this  word  should  have  the  Scottish 
or  old  English  pronunciation — shool. 
The  spelling  in  the  Fl.  is  shoriel,  but 
this  is  of  no  weight,  as  the  u  v\  as  gener- 
ally substituted  for  v  under  certain  con- 
ditions, as  in  aduenture  in  line  472.  I 
think  it  very  probable  that  if  Sh.  him- 
self were  to  appear  on  an  English  or 
American  stage  in  one  of  his  own  plays, 
none  but  educated  Scotchmen  would  be 
able  to  understand  him.     See  priest. 

Dr.  Furness  seems  to  appreciate  this, 
and  in  his  recent  volumes  gives  more 
and  more  attention  to  the  Scottish 
language  as  found  in  Sh.  And  there  is 
yet  room.     See  silly. 

shovel-board.  Steevens  seems  to  imply 
that  shove-groat  and  shovel-board  were 
the  same,  but  Douce  claims  that  they 
were  different.  The  game  consisted  in 
shoving  or  sliding  smooth  pieces  of 
metal  (groats  or  shillings)  so  as  to  land 
them  near  certain  marks  on  a  smooth 
board.  Wiv.  I,  1,  159.  See  Strutt's 
"Sports  and  Pastimes,"  and  Donee's 
"  Illustrations  of  Shakespeare." 

Showed.    Appeared.    In  Mcb.   I,  2,  15, 


the  meaning  is  that  Fortune,  while  she 

smiled  on  him,  deceived  him.    Malone. 
shrewd.    1.  Bad  ;  mischievous.    Wiv.  II, 

2,  232  ;  Meas.  II,  1,  263  ;  Shr.  I,  1,  185 ; 

John.  V,  5,  14;  RII.  Ill,  2,  59;  2HIV. 

II,  4,  228. 
2.  Cunning;   artful.     Mids.  II,    1,    83; 

Troil.  I,  2,  206. 
shrewdly.    To  a  great  and  mischievous 

extent ;  mischievously.     Ado.  II,  1,  84 ; 

All's.  Ill,  5,  91 ;  HV.  Ill,  7,  52 ;  do.  163; 

Hml.  I,  4,  1. 
shrieve.    A    sheriff.    AU's.  IV,  8,  213; 

2HIV.  IV,  4,  99. 
shriving-time.    Opportunity  or  time  for 

confession  and  repentance.  Hml.  V,  2, 47. 
shroud.    To  cover  ;  to  take  shelter.    Tp. 

II,  2,  42 ;  LLL.  IV,  3,  137. 

shrow.  A  shrew  (a  mere  variation  in 
spelling,  like  sew  and  sow).  LLL.  V, 
2,  46. 

shrowd,  n.    Shelter ;   protection.    Ant. 

III,  13,  71. 

Shylock,  dr.p.    A  Jew.    Merch. 

sib.  Related  by  blood ;  nearly  akin. 
(Scotch.)    Kins.  I,  2,  72.     See  gossip. 

Sibyl.  The  name  by  which  several  pro- 
phetic women  are  designated.  The  first 
Sibyl,  from  whom  all  the  rest  are  said 
to  have  derived  their  name,  is  called  a 
daughter  of  Dardanus  and  Neso.  They 
are  generally  described  as  of  great  age 
(0th.  Ill,  4,  70),  and  their  number  is 
variously  stated  at  from  four  to  ten. 
The  most  famous  of  the  Sibyls  was  the 
Cumaean,  who  guided  JEneas  into  Hades. 
She  is  said  to  have  come  to  Italy  from  the 
East,  and  she  is  the  one  who,  according 
to  tradition,  appeared  before  Tarquinius 
Superbus,  the  last  king  of  Rome,  with 
nine  books  containing  the  Roman  des- 
tinies, which  she  offered  him  for  three 
hundred  pieces  of  gold.  The  king  re- 
fused the  offer,  thinking  the  price  too 
high,  whereupon  the  Sibyl  burnt  three 
•of  the  books  and  demanded  the  same 
price  for  the  remaining  six.  The  king 
again  refused,  and  again  she  departed 
and  burnt  three  of  the  books,  and  on 
her  return  again  demanded  the  same 
price  for  the  remaining  three  books. 


SIC 


289 


8IL 


Tarquin  consulted  the  pontiffs,  and  by 
their  advice  paid  the  three  hundred  gold 
pieces  for  the  three  books  that  were 
left.  These  books  were  kept  with  great 
care  at  Rome ;  they  were  called  the 
Sibylline  Books,  and  two  magistrates 
were  appointed  to  consult  them  in  every 
crisis.  In  IHVI.  I,  2,  56,  the  number 
of  Sibyls  is  given  as  nine  ;  as  the  num- 
ber of  the  Sibyls  is  nowhere  given  as 
nine,  it  is  supposed  that  in  this  case  Sh. 
has  made  the  mistake  of  giving  the 
number  of  Sibylline  Books  for  the  num- 
ber of  the  Sibyls. 

sides.    Shekels.    Meas.  II,  2,  149. 

Sicinius  Velutus,  dr.p.  Tribune  of  the 
people.    Cor. 

side-sleeves.  Loose,  hanging  sleeves  (in 
some  eds.  not  hyphenated).  Ado.  Ill, 
4,21. 

siege.    1.  Seat.    Meas.  IV,  2,  101. 

2.  Rank ;  degree ;   place.    Hml.  IV,  7, 
77 ;  0th.  I,  2,  22. 

This  use  of  the  word  is  derived  from 
definition  1,  because  people  sat  at  table 
and  elsewhere  in  order  of  precedence. 

3.  Excrement;  faecal  matter.     Tp.   II, 
2,  110. 

The  use  of  the  word  in  this  sense  is 
far-fetched,  but  very  obvious.  See  3rd 
Var.,  Vol.  XV,  p.  100. 

sieve.  In  most  passages  (Ado.  V,  1,  5 ; 
Airs.  1, 3, 208 ;  Mcb.  I,  3,  8),  the  ordinary 
sifter  or  sieve  is  meant.  In  this  form 
the  holes  with  which  the  bottom  is  per- 
forated, allow  water  and  fine  powders 
to  pass  through  freely.  But  there  was 
another  vessel,  also  called  a  sieve  and 
made  in  the  form  of  a  sieve,  but  with 
a  closely  woven  bottom.  Such  sieves 
were  and  are  used  for  carrying  and 
measuring  grain,  etc. ,  and  were  used  in 
former  times  to  receive  the  refuse  of 
the  table.  This  is  undoubtedly  the 
article  alluded  to  in  Troil.  II,  2,  71. 
Such  sieves  or  fiat-bottomed  baskets 
when  used  at  table  were  called  voider s. 
The  reading  in  the  Quarto  is  stue,  a 
common  form  in  old  books  for  "  sive ''  or 
*•  sieve."   The  Fl.  reads  same  ;  the  other 

.     Folios,  jplaoe,  and  Delius,  sink^  a  Ger- 


man emendation  which  looks  very  much 
like  a  technological  anachronism. 

sighted.    Having  eyes.     Wint.  I,  2,  388. 

siglitless.    1.  Invisible.    Mcb.  I,  5,  50. 
2.  Unsightly ;  offensive.   John  III,  1, 45. 

siglits.  The  perforated  part  of  their 
helmets,  through  which  they  could  see. 
to  direct  their  aim.  Steevens.  2HIV. 
IV,  1,  121. 

sign.    1.  To  mark ;  to  denote.    John  IV, 
2,  222 ;  HVIII.  II,  4, 108 ;  Cses.  Ill,  1, 206. 
2.  To  be  an  omen.     Ant.  IV,  3,  14. 

Silence,  dr.p.  A  country  justice,  cousin 
to  Justice  Shallow.    2HIV. 

Silius,  dr.p.  An  ofllcer  of  Ventidius's 
army.    Ant. 

silken  point.  A  tagged  lace  used  for 
supporting  the  hose  and  other  parts  of 
the  dress.  2HIV.  I,  1,  ,54.  Here  evi- 
dently equivalent  to  "  a  trifling  matter.  '* 

silly.  Skeat  tells  us  that  this  "  word  has 
much  changed  its  meaning.  It  meant 
timely^  then  lucky,  happy,  blessed, 
innocent,  simple,  foolish."  The  old 
form  was  seely  or  sely,  and  that  it  also 
bore  the  meaning  of  poor,  trifling,  weak, 
both  as  to  intellectual  and  material 
things,  can  easily  be  shown.  Thus,  in 
the  "  Travels  "  of  Sir  John  Mandeville 
we  find,  ' '  to  apparay  lie  with  our  Bodyes, 
we  usen  a  sely  litylle  clout."  And  in 
Spenser's  Sonn.  LXIII,  the  word  occurs 
in  the  same  sense  : 

After  long  storms    *    *    * 
In  dread  of  death  and  dangerous  dis- 
may, 
With  which  my  silly  bark  was  tossed 

sore, 
I  do  at  length  descry  the  happy  shore. 
And  in  Burns's  lines  "  To  a  Mouse  "  he 


Thy  wee  bit  *  housie  too  in  ruin  I 
Its  silly  wa'st  the  win's  are  strewin. 
The  word  is  now  used  almost  wholly 
in  the  sense  of  foolish  or  weak-minded, 

*  These  words  were  hyphenated  in  the 
first  ed.  of  Burns's  poems,  but  not  in 
the  Edinburgh  ed.,  published  under  the 
poet's  supervision,  and  not  in  the  best 
subsequent  eds. 

t  Walls. 


SIL 


290 


BIL. 


but  by  Sh.  it  is  used  with  a  variety  of 
meanings.  Schmidt,  in  his  "Lexicon," 
notes  the  following : 

1.  "  Harmless,  innocent,  helpless. "  In 
some  of  his  instances,  as  Lucr.  167,  it 
may  bear  this  meaning,  but  in  3HVI. 
I,  1,  243,  and  Gent.  IV,  1,  72,  the  word 
weak  would  be  a  closer  synonj'^m. 

2.  "  Plain,  simple. "  That  the  word  has 
this  meaning  in  Tw.  II,  4,  47  (cf.  silly- 
sooth)  is  no  doubt  correct,  but  surely 
this  is  not  the  meaning  in  IHVI.  IV,  7, 
72  :  Here  is  a  silly  stately  style  indeed, 
for  this  would  be  a  contradiction  in 
terms.    If   we  make  silly  =  foolish  in 
this  passage,  I  think  we  get  nearer  to 
the  true  sense.    And  it  certainly  is  not 
the  meaning  in  Wint.  IV,  3,  28.    See 
silly  cheat.    Again  :  As  found  in  Cym. 
V,  3,  86  :  There  was  a  fourth  man,  in 
a  silly  habit,  That  gave  the  affront 
with  them,  Schm.  gloss — "plain,  simple" 
— robs  the  British  captain's  speech  of 
its  entire  point   and   force.    Steevens 
explained  the  word  here  as  "simple  or 
rustick,"  and  in  this  he  has  been  followed 
by  most  coms.    Malone's  note  on  this 
passage  is  as  follows :  "So  in  the  novel 
of  Boccace,  on  which  this  play  is  formed: 
*The  servant,  who  had  no  great  good 
will  to  kill  her,  very  easily  grew  pitifull, 
took  off  her  upper  garment,  and  gave 
her  a  poore  ragged   doublet,    a   silly 
chapperone,    etc'      'The   Decameron,' 
1620. "    But  Sh.  could  not  ha v  e  obtained 
the  expression  from  this  book,  which 
did  not  appear  until  many  years  after 
Cymbeline  had  been  placed  upon  the 
stage.      And    even    here    "simple   or 
rustic  "  does  not  seem  to  give  the  true 
sense.  A  ' '  poore  ragged  doublet ' '  would 
be  one  that  was  weak  to  defend  from 
the  weather,  and  this  is  evidently  just 
what  is  meant.    In  Cym.  V,  3,  86,  pre- 
cisely as  in  the  lines  quoted  from  Burns, 
the  word  means  physically  or  materially 
weak  —  incapable   of   resisting   spear- 
thrust  or  sword-cut.    It  was  a  grand 
and  emphatic  testimony  to  the  bravery 
and  skill  of  Posthumus  that,  without 
armour,  "in  a  silly  habit,"  he  should 


have  fought  with  the  steel-clad  Roman 
soldiers  and  overcome  them.  It  calls  to 
mind  the  song  of  "  The  Bloody  Vest "  in 
Scott's  "Talisman,"  where  the  hero  at 
his  lady's  behest  exchanged 

A  hauberk  of  steel  for  a  kirtle  of 
thread 

And  charged,   thus  attired,   in  the 
tournament  dread, 
acquitting  himself  with  such  credit  as 
to  deserve  the  praises  of  minstrels  and 
the  hand  of  the  princess. 

But  to  make  silly  mean  "plain," 
"simple,"  or  "rustic"  takes  the  very 
life  out  of  this  noble  tribute  to  the 
chivalrous  daring  of  Posthumus. 

3.  Schmidt's  third  class  is  defined  as 
"  poor  (a)  as  a  term  of  pity  (6)  as  a  term 
of  contempt,"  and  afterwards  he  gives 
examples  in  which  it  is  equivalent  to 
"simple,  witless,  foolish."  But  in  most 
of  the  passages  cited  in  this  class,  the 
nearest  equivalents  are  probably  foolish 
and  weak. 

Bearing  these  points  in  mind,  the 
reader  will  find  no  difficulty  in  extract- 
ing the  true  sense  from  any  passage  in 
which  the  word  occurs. 
silly  cheat.  Of  this  phrase,  as  found  in 
Wint.  IV,  3,  28  ("siUy  Cheate"  in  the 
FL),  Furness  says:  "Neither  'silly' 
nor  '  cheat '  is  difficult  of  comprehension, 
nor  is  any  difficulty  added  when  they 
are  combined."  Certainly  not  if,  in 
the  first  place,  we  manage  to  get  the 
right  meaning  of  the  separate  words. 
Dr.  Furness  does  not  attempt  to  tell  us 
what  that  meaning  is,  evidently  think- 
ing that  the  words  are  too  simple  to 
need  explanation,  and  the  ordinary  dic- 
tionaries, even  the  large  ones,  give  us 
no  special  information  on  the  point. 

Hanmer  felt  so  puzzled  over  the  ex- 
pression that  he  suggested  an  emend- 
ment :  sly  for  silly ;  for  this  Warburton 
took  him  severely  to  task,  saying  that 
"silly  means  simple,  low,  mean,"  and 
implying  that  the  combination  was 
merely  another  mode  of  saying  that  he 
(Autolycus)  was  "a  snapper -up  of 
unconsidered  trifles."    Steevens  says: 


StL 


201 


SliT 


"  The  silly  cheat  is  one  of  the  technical 
terms  belonging  to  the  art  of  coney- 
catching  or  thievery^  which  Greene  has 
mentioned,  among  the  rest,  in  his 
treatise  on  that  ancient  and  honorable 
science.  I  think  it  means  picking 
pockets.'"'  But  Furness  says:  "As  a 
*  technical  term'  I  have  not  noted  it  in 
Greene."  Schm.,  followed  by  Rolfe, 
defines  it  as  "  petty  thievery." 

Any  one  of  these  explanations  makes 
very  good  sense,  but  does  it  give  the 
meaning  that  Sh.  had  in  view  ?  Autoly- 
cus  was  supposed  to  be  an  adept  in 
slang;  now,  in  slang,  "cheat"  or 
*'chete"  means  a  thing  or  person,  e.g., 
grunting-cheat  =  a  pig ;  lullaby -cheat 
=  a  baby.  This  word,  or  affix  rather, 
is  found  in  the  earliest  rogue's  lexicon, 
that  by  Harman,  published  in  1566.  So 
that  silly-cheat  would  mean  a  foolish 
person,  and  this,  I  think,  is  the  mean- 
ing of  the  words  here. 

It  may  be  objected  to  this  that  Auto- 
lycus  says  that  his  revenue  is  the  silly 
cheat,  and  the  strict  sense  of  revenue  is 
income.  But  the  word  was  sometimes 
used  for  the  source  of  the  income  as 
well  as  for  the  income  itself,  a  sort  of 
metonymy  which  is  not  uncommon  in 
Sh.     cf.  Tp.  I,  1,  98.     See  silly. 

silly  sooth.  Plain,  simple  truth.  John- 
son.   See  sooth. 

Silvia,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  the  Duke  of 
Milan.     Gent. 

Simonides,  dr.p.  King  of  Pentapolis. 
Per. 

Simpcox,  dr.p.    An  impostor.    2HVI. 

Simple,  dr.p.    Servant  to  Slender.    Wiv. 

simple,  n.  A  medicinal  herb.  Wiv.  I, 
4,  65 ;  Rom.  V,  1,  40. 

simple,  adj.  Foolish  ;  silly.  Gent.  II,  1, 
38 ;  Rom.  II,  5,  38  ;  Hml.  I,  2,  97. 

Simular.  Counterfeit ;  false ;  hypocritical. 
Lr.  Ill,  2,  54;  Gym.  V,  5,  200. 

Single.  Simple ;  silly  ;  weak.  2HIV.  I, 
2,  207 ;  Cor.  II,  1,  40 ;  Mcb.  I,  3,  140. 
See  double. 

singleness.  SiUiness  ;  simplicity.  Rom. 
II,  4,  73,  In  Sonn.  VIII,  8,  it  means 
the  state  of  "single  blessedness." 


single>soled.  Threadbare ;  weak ;  foolish. 
Rom.  II,  4,  72.  There  is  here  an  obvious 
pun  upon  single  sole  and  single  souL 
The  meaning  of  the  word  as  it  was 
understood  in  Sh.  time  is  very  fully 
settled.  Cotgrave,  s.  v.  "  Relief  "  has  : 
"  Bas  relief.  Gentilhome  de  bas  relief. 
A  thred-bare  or  single-soled  Gentle- 
man; a  Gentleman  of  low  degree.''^ 
Furness  and  the  3rd  Var.  give  numerous 
examples  of  its  use  in  this  sense. 

singularity.    1.  Peculiarity;  distinction. 
Tw.  11,5,  164;  Cor.  I,  1,282. 
2.  A  rarity ;  a  curio.     Wint.  V,  3,  11. 

sinister.  Left.  Bight  and  sinister  = 
right  and  left.  Mids.  V,  1,  162.  Wright 
says  Snout  uses  this  word  for  two 
reasons:  "first,  because  it  is  a  long 
word,  and  then  because  it  gives  a  sort 
of  rhyme  to  whisper." 

sink-a>pace.  A  corruption  of  cinque- 
pace  iq.  V).    Tw.  I,  3,  139. 

In  Ado.  II,  1,  82,  there  is  an  evident 
pun  between  cinque-pace  and  sink-a- 
pace. Beatrice  says :  falls  into  the 
cinque-pace  faster  and  faster,  till  he 
sink  into  his  grave.  Collier's  MS.  cor- 
rector emended  to  '■''Sink  a-pace  into  his 
grave. ' '  This  Halli  well  calls  ' '  an  alter- 
ation of  singular  ingenuity,"  and  even 
Dyce,  an  avowed  enemy  of  Collier,  says : 
"There  is  no  denying  that,  in  this 
instance  at  least,  Mr.  Collier's  MS.  cor- 
rector has  drawn  on  his  invention  with 
considerable  success."  Furness  says: 
"  The  chief  est  objection  to  Collier's  text, 
apart  from  its  lack  of  authority,  is  to 
me,  its  obviousness ;  the  play  upon 
words  is  amply  evident  without  it." 
Yes,  when  the  play  is  read  at  leisure  by 
cultivated  persons;  but  Sh.  wrote  for 
the  multitude  whom  he  wished  to 
attract  to  his  theatre,  and  many  of  his 
puns  are  very  obvious. 

sinking>ripe.    See  ripe. 

Sinon.  According  to  "Virgil,  he  was  a 
grandson  of  Autolycus  and  a  kinsman 
of  Ulysses  whom  he  accompanied  to 
Troy.  Tradition  relates  that  he  allowed 
himself  to  be  taken  prisoner  by  the 
Trojans,  after  he  had  mutilated  himself 


819 


SIB 


in  such  a  nmnner  as  to  make  them 
believe  that  he  had  been  illtreated  by 
the  Greeks,  He  told  the  Trojans  that 
he  was  hated  by  Ulysses  and  had  been 
selected  by  him  to  be  sacrificed,  because 
Apollo  had  ordered  a  human  sacrifice 
to  be  offered  that  the  Greeks  might 
safely  depart  from  the  coast  of  Troy, 
and,  he  atided,  that  he  had  escaped 
death  by  flight.  When  he  was  asked 
what  was  the  purport  of  the  wooden 
horse,  he  told  them  that  it  had  been 
constructed  as  an  atonement  for  the 
Palladium  which  had  been  carried  off. 
For  the  rest  of  the  story  see  horse, 
ominous.  3H VI.  Ill,  2,  190 ;  Cym.  Ill, 
4,61. 

sins.  The  seven  deadly  sins  referred  to 
in  Meas.  Ill,  1,  111,  are  pride,  envy, 
wrath,  sloth,  covetousness,  gluttony, 
lechery.     Dyce. 

sir.  1.  Used  in  a  sense  corresponding  to 
she,  q.v.  Thus  in  Cym.  V,  5,  145,  a 
nobler'  sir  ne''er  lived. 

2.  "A  title  formerly  applied  to  priests 
and  curates  in  general ;  for  this  reason  : 
dominus,  the  academical  title  of  a 
bachelor  of  arts,  was  usually  rendered 
by  sir  in  English  at  the  universities  ; 
so  that  a  bachelor,  who  in  the  books 
stood  Dominus  Brown,  was  in  conver- 
sation called  Sir  Brown.  This  was  in 
use  in  some  colleges  even  in  my  memory. 
Therefore,  as  most  clei-ical  persons  had 
taken  that  first  degree,  it  became  usual 
to  style  them  .9tr. "    Nares. 

3.  A  gallant;  a  courtier.  To  play  the 
sir  =  to  act  the  gallant.     0th.  II,  1, 176. 

Siren.  In  Sh.  time  the  terms  siren  and 
Tnermaid  seem  to  have  been  synonym- 
ous. In  the  old  mythology  the  Sirens 
were  sea-nymphs  who,  by  their  singing, 
fascinated  those  who  sailed  past  their 
island,  and  enticed  sailors  to  throw 
themselves  into  the  sea.  The  number 
is  variously  stated  at  two,  three  or  more. 
Homer  tells  us  that  Ulysses,  forewarned 
by  Circe,  stopped  the  ears  of  his  crew 
with  wax  SQ  that  they  might  pass  the 
isles  of  the  Sirens  with  safety.  He 
himself  wisk«d  to  hear  their  song,  so  he 


caused  the  sailors  to  tie  him  to  the  mast, 
with  strict  injunctions  not  to  untie  him, 
however  strongly  he  might  plead  or 
command,  until  they  had  passed  the 
isle  of  the  enchantresses.  When  the 
Argonauts  passed  by  the  Sirens,  the 
latter  began  to  sing,  but  in  vain,  for 
Orpheus  rivalled  and  surpassed  them ; 
and  as  it  had  been  decreed  that  they 
should  live  only  until  some  one  hearing 
their  song  should  pass  by  unmoved, 
they  threw  themselves  into  the  sea  and 
were  metamorphosed  into  rocks. 

It  is  said  that  the  Sirens  were  origin- 
ally the  attendants  of  Proserpina,  and 
when  their  mistress  was  carried  off  by 
Pluto  they  were  metamorphosed  into 
birds,  some  say  at  their  own  request, 
that  they  might  fly  over  the  sea  in 
search  of  Proserpina,  while  others  say 
that  Ceres  so  transformed  them  as  a 
punishment  for  not  having  guarded 
their  mistress  more  faithfully.  They 
were  deprived  of  their  wings  because 
they  had  the  presumption  to  challenge 
the  Muses  to  a  singing  contest. 

In  works  of  art  they  are  represented 
as  having  the  head,  arms  and  generally 
the  bust  of  a  young  woman,  and  the 
wings  and  lower  part  of  the  body,  or 
sometimes  only  the  feet,  of  a  bird. 
Sonn.  CXIX,  1 ;  Err.  Ill,  2,  47 ;  Tit. 
II,  1,  23. 
sir  reverence.  A  corruption  of  save- 
reverence  (salva  reverentia)  an  old 
formula  of  apology  for  introducing  any 
too  free  or  indelicate  expression.  It 
was  considered  a  suflBcient  apology  for 
anything  indecorous.  It  corresponds  to 
the  vulgar  formula,  saving  your  pre- 
sence. In  Err.  Ill,  2,  93,  Droniio  of  S. 
evidently  wishes  to  suggest  that  he 
could  not  speak  of  the  fat  cook  without 
using  words  unfit  for  ears  polite.  In 
Rom.  I,  4,  42,  the  Fl.  reads.  Or  saue 
your  reuerence  loue;  the  g.  a.  text.  Of 
this  sir-reverence  love,  which  Knight 
explains  thus:  "Mercutio  says  he  will 
draw  Romeo  from  the  'mire  of  this 
love,'  and  uses,  parenthetically,  the 
ordinary  form  of  apology  for  speaking 


SIS 


293 


SKI 


so  profanely  of  love."  He  then  gives 
quotations  illustrating  the  use  of  the 
phrase.  Gifford,  referring  to  this  ex- 
pression, says :  "  An  allusion  to  the 
good  old  custom  of  apologizing  for  the 
introduction  of  a  free  expression,  by 
bowing  to  the  principal  person  in  com- 
pany and  saying :  '  Sir,  with  reverence,' 
or 'Sir,  reverence.'"  In  Ado.  Ill,  4, 
33,  Margaret  twits  what  she  thinks  is 
Hero's  prudishness  by  suggesting  that 
she  should  use  this  phrase  in  speaking 
of  a  husband. 

sister,  v.  To  resemble  closely.  Per.  V, 
Prol.  7. 

sistering.    Neighboring.     Compl.  2. 

sith.    Since.     Hml.  II,  2,  12. 

sithence.    Since.    Cor.  Ill,  1,  47  ;  All's. 

I,  3,  124. 

Siward,  dr.p.  Earl  of  Northumberland, 
general  of  the  English  forces.  Mcb. 
See  Macbeth. 

Siward,  Young,  dr.p.  Son  to  Siward. 
Mcb. 

sizes.  Settled  portions  or  allowances.  Lr. 

II,  4,  178. 

Prom  this  comes  the  word  sizar ,  the 
name  given  to  a  poor  college  student, 
from  the  sizes  or  allowances  given  to 
him. 
skains-mates.  An  expression  which  has 
never  been  clearly  explained.  Malone 
made  it  "  cut-throat  "  companions,  and 
Steevens  has  a  long  note  explaining  that 
skein  or  skain  is  a  knife  or  short  dagger, 
and  that  by  skains-inates  the  nurse 
meant  his  loose  companions  who  fre- 
quented the  fencing-school  with  him. 
(3rd  Var.,  Vol.  VI,  p.  109.)  That  skeen 
or  skein  means  a  knife  is  true,  but 
irrelevant,  as  it  would  be  diflBcult  to 
imagine  the  old  nurse  going  with  a  lot 
of  young  bloods  to  a  fencing  school. 
Dyce  thought  the  meaning  remained  to 
be  discovered,  but  accepted  Staunton's 
explanation,  which  is :  "  The  word  skain, 
I  am  told  by  a  Kentish  man,  was  for- 
merly a  familiar  term  in  parts  of  Kent 
to  express  what  we  now  call  a  scape- 
grace or  ne'er-do-well ;  just  the  sort  of 
person  the   worthy  old   Nurse   would 


entertain  a  horror  of  being  considered 
a  companion  [or  mate]  to."  Rom.  II, 
4, 162.  Douce  supposes  that  sempstresses 
is  meant,  from  "  skein  "  of  thread,  and 
Dowden  thinks  this  not  improbable,  for 
sempsters  (fem.)  had  an  ill-repute. 

skill.  1.  Cunning.  Wint.  II,  1,  166. 
2.  Reason;  motive.  Wint.  IV,  4,  152. 
To  this  explanation,  first  offered  by 
Warburton,  Mason  and  some  others 
objected  that  there  was  no  example  of 
its  use  in  this  sense,  but  Halliwell  and 
Dyce  bring  forward  several  instances. 
Thus,  in  "The  Voiage  and  Travaile '^ 
of  Sir  John  Maundeville,  we  find :  "  For 
in  that  desert  is  fulle  gret  defaute  of 
watre  :  and  often  time  it  fallethe,  that 
where  men  fynden  watre  at  o  tyme  in 
a  place,  it  faylethe  another  tyme.  And 
for  that  skylle,  thei  make  none  habita- 
ciouns  there. "  And  in  Warner's  ' '  Con- 
tinuance of  Albions  England"  (1606) 
are  the  lines : 
Hence  Englands  heires  apparant  haue 

of  Wales  bin  princes,  till 
Our  queene  deceast  concealed  her 
heire,  I  wot  not  for  what  skill. 

skill,  V.  To  be  of  importance  ;  to  signify ; 
to  matter.  Shr.  Ill,  2, 134 ;  T  w.  V,  1,  295 ; 
2HVI.  Ill,  1,  281. 

skilless.  Ignorant ;  unacquainted  with. 
Tp.  Ill,  1,  53;  Troil.  I,  1,  12;  Tw. 
Ill,  3,  9. 

skillet.  A  small  iron  pot,  generally  made 
with  three  feet.     0th.  I,  3,  274. 

skimble-skamble.  Wandering; disjointed; 
confused.     IHIV.  Ill,  1,  154. 

skin.  The  expression,  honest  as  the  skin 
between  his  brows  (Ado.  Ill,  5, 13),  seems 
to  have  been  a  common  saying.  It 
occurs  twice  in  Gammer  Gurton^s 
Needle  (1551).  Furness  makes  the  very 
ingenious  suggestion  that  the  phrase 
may  have  arisen  "from  the  fact  that 
it  was  on  the  forehead  that  the  brand 
of  shameful  conduct  was  set."  Conse- 
quently, an  unbranded  brow  would 
denote  honesty.  This  is  a  better  ex- 
planation than  can  be  found  for  most 
phrases  of  the  kind.  See  hawk. 
The  saying  of  the  clown  in  All's.  II, 


SKI 


294 


dL£ 


2,  29,  as  fit  *  *  *  as  the  pudding 
to  his  skin,  is  easily  understood  when 
we  remember  the  old  practice  of  filling 
the  emptied  and  cleansed  intestines  of 
pigs  and  sheep  with  pudding-stuff,  just 
as  we  now  fill  them  with  sausage-meat. 
In  Sh.  pudding  often  means  intestine, 
as  in  Wiv.  II,  1,  32.  The  original 
meaning  of  pudding  was  simply  a  bag, 
afterwards  applied  to  the  material  with 
which  the  bag  was  filled. 

skinker.  A  drawer  of  liquor  ;  a  tapster. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  26. 

skipper.  A  thoughtless  fellow.  Shr.  II, 
1,  333. 

skirr.  To  scour ;  to  move  rapidly.  HV. 
IV,  7,  64  ;  Mcb.  V,  3,  35. 

slab.    Slimy  ;  glutinous.     Mcb.  IV,  1,  33. 

slack.  To  neglect.  Lr.  II,  4,  248 ;  0th. 
IV,  3,  88. 

The  expression  in  Rom.  IV,  1,  3,  / 
ani  nothing  slow  to  slack  his  haste, 
seems,  at  first  sight,  to  convey  a  mean- 
ing directly  opposite  to  that  intended. 
Malone  explains  it  as :  "  There  is  nothing 
of  slowness  in  me  to  induce  me  to 
slacken  or  abate  his  haste."  Knight 
makes  it:  "I  am  nothing  slow  (so  as) 
to  slack  his  haste. "  This  Dowden  thinks 
is  the  right  explanation. 

slander.    1.   Disgrace;  reproach.    RIII. 
I,  3,  231. 
2.  Ill  report ;  bad  name.     Cym.  I,  1,  71. 

slanderous  cuckoo.  By  some  explained 
as  "because  supposed  to  tell  tales  of 
unfaithful  wives."  But  if  the  wives 
were  unfaithful,  the  tales  would  not  be 
slanderous.  Probably  it  means  that  the 
cuckoo  accuses  all  alike,  the  good  and 
the  bad,  and  consequently  slanders  many 
virtuous  women.  Kins.  I,  1,  19.  See 
cuckoo. 

slave.  To  turn  to  base  or  slavish  uses. 
Lr.  IV,  1,  71. 

sleave,  I    Floss  silk.    Troil.  V,  1,  3.5  ; 

sleave  silk.  )     Mcb.  II,  2, 38.  See  sleided. 

sledded.  This  word  occurs  but  once  in 
Sh.  and  the  corns,  are  divided  as  to 
whether  it  means  seated  in  a  sled  or 
sledge,  or  provided  with  a  sledge  or 
hammer.    It  is  an  unusual  word,  and 


the  only  instance  of  its  use,  given  in 
the  dictionaries,  is  this  passage.  The 
letters  s-1-e-d-g-e  represent,  not  one 
word  with  two  different  meanings,  but 
two  entirely  different  words,  having 
entirely  different  origins,  and  whose 
spelling  and  pronunciation  are  the  same 
merely  by  accident.  That  this  is  the 
case  with  several  words  in  common  use 
is  well  known  (see  pregnant  and  salt 
3),  and  it  has  given  rise  to  some  con- 
fusion when  not  taken  fully  into  con- 
sideration. Sledge,  meaning  a  vehicle, 
is  dei-ived  from  the  same  Teutonic  base 
as  slide,  and  conveys  the  idea  of  sliding; 
sledge,  a  hammer,  comes  from  the 
Anglo-Saxon  slecge,  a  hammer.  The 
inflections,  etc.,  of  both  words  are  now 
the  same. 

Whether  we  shall  adopt  the  vehicle 
or  the  hammer  gloss  for  the  word  under 
consideration  must  depend  upon  the 
meaning  given  to  "Pollax,"  which  it 
qualifies  in  Hml.  I,  1,  63.  See  Pollax, 
where  the  subject  is  treated  exten- 
sively. 

Various  emendations  of  sledded  have 
been  proposed,  but  all  futile.  Sleaded, 
Rochester;  leaded,  Moltke;  sturdie, 
Leo,  are  not  needed.  If  Polanders, 
seated  in  sledges  or  sleds,  are  meant, 
then  sledded  is  the  proper  word,  and  its 
meaning  is  obvious.  If  "Pollax"  means 
a  pole-axe,  then  sledded,  i.e.,  furnished 
with  a  sledge  or  hammer,  is  equally 
appropriate,  and  no  emendation  is  re- 
quired. 
sleeve-hand.  A  wrist-band  or  cuff.  Wint. 

IV,  4,  212. 

sleeveless.    Useless;  unprofitable.   Troil. 

V,  4,  9. 

"  I  suspect  that  sleeveless,  which  has 
puzzled  etymologists,  is  that  which  can- 
not be  sleaved,  sleided  or  unravelled ; 
and  therefore  useless  :  thus,  a  sleeveless 
errand  would  be  a  fruitless  one." 
Singer. 
sleided.  Untwisted  silk  prepared  to  be 
used  in  the  weaver's  sley  or  slay  is  said 
to  be  sleided.  Troil.  V,  1,  35 ;  Per.  IV, 
Prol.  21 ;  Compi.  48.     In  the  latter  pass- 


ULt 


205 


SLU 


age  reference  is  made  to  the  practice  of 
tying  up  letters  with  sieided  or  floss 
silk,  the  ends  of  which  were  fastened 
with  seals. 

Sleight.  An  artifice ;  a  trick.  3HVI.  IV, 
2,  20  ;  Mcb.  Ill,  5,  26. 

Slender,  di\p.  Cousin  to  Justice  Shallow. 
Wiv.  The  word  is  slang  for  "  country- 
gentleman." 

slice.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Wiv.  I, 
1,  134,  is  usually  defined  as  a  mere  in- 
terjection and  consequently  meaning- 
less. Schm.  gives  the  common  defini- 
tion (a  thin  piece  cut  off),  and  then  says : 
"A  term  applied  to  Mr.  Slender  by 
Nym, "  intending,  we  suppose,  that  Nym 
is  chafiing  or  guying  Slender  on  his 
thin,  lank  appearance.  But  is  it  not 
more  probable  that  Nj^m  uses  the  word 
in  the  sense  of  "cut  it  short"  ;  "shut 
up,"  or,  as  modem  slang  has  it,  "  cheese 
it"? 

*slid.  Said  to  be  a  mincing  contraction 
of  "God's  lid,"  the  meaning  of  which 
is  not  very  clear.  Some  say  it  means 
"God's  eyelid"  and  refer  us  to  Acts 
xvii,  30.  Schm.  says:  "A  mean  oath 
used  by  such  pei-sons  as  Mr.  Slender  and 
Sir  Andi'ew."  Probably  in  common 
use  and  no  meaner  than  ^sblood  or 
^slight,  or  any  "pretty  oaths  that  are 
not  dangerous."  (As.  IV,  1, 192.)  Wiv. 
Ill,  4,  24  ;  Tw.  Ill,  4,  427.  It  is  God's 
lid  in  Troil.  I,  2,  228.     See  'sblood. 

'slight.  A  minced  oath.  Nares  says  it 
is  "  a  contracted  form  of  '  by  this  light,' 
a  familiar  asseveration,"  In  this  he 
is  followed  by  some  coms.  who  seem 
anxious  to  soften  the  coarseness  of  the 
real  origin,  which  is  undoubtedly  "God's 
light,"  just  as  in  the  case  of  ^sblood, 
^swounds  iq.v).  Some  even  go  so  far 
as  to  make  'slid  =  by  this  light,  but  cf. 
Troil.  I,  2,  228,  where  the  uncontracted 
form  is  given  "flat-footed,"  if  we  may 
be  pardoned  a  slang,  but  expressive, 
phrase.  If  these  expressions  are  ob- 
jectionable, leave  them  out,  but  do  not 
misstate  the  facts. 

slip.  1.  A  leash  ;  a  kind  of  noose  in  which 
greyhounds  are  held   before  they  are 


allowed  to  start  for  the  game.  So  called 
because  by  slipping  one  part  the  dog  is 
set  free.  HV.  Ill,  1,  31. 
2.  A  piece  of  false  money.  Ven.  515 ; 
Rom.  II,  4,  51  (punning),  cf.  Troil.  II, 
3,  27. 

slipper,  adj.    Slippery.    Oth.  II,  1,  246. 

slippers.  The  passage  in  John  IV,  2,  197, 
tvhich  his  nimble  haste  had  falsely 
thrust  upon  contrary  feet,  called  forth 
the  following  curious  note  from  Dr. 
Johnson :  "  I  know  not  how  the  com- 
mentators understand  this  important 
passage,  which,  in  Dr.  Warburton's 
edition,  is  marked  as  eminently  beauti- 
ful and,  on  the  whole,  not  without 
justice.  But  Shakespeare  seems  to  have 
confounded  the  man's  shoes  with  his 
gloves.  He  that  is  frighted  or  hurried 
may  put  his  hand  into  the  wrong  glove, 
but  either  shoe  will  equally  admit  either 
foot.  The  author  seems  to  be  disturbed 
by  the  disorder  which  he  describes." 
Johnson's  Edition  (1765),  Vol.  Ill,  p.  475. 
The  3rd.  Var.,  Vol.  XV,  p.  325,  contains 
a  page  and  a  half  of  explanatory  notes 
on  this  passage,  prefaced  by  the  follow- 
ing from  Bos  well :  "  The  following  notes 
afford  a  curious  specimen  of  the  difii- 
culties  which  may  arise  from  the  fluc- 
tuations of  fas.hion.  What  has  called 
forth  the  antiquarian  knowledge  of  so 
many  learned  commentators  is  again 
become  the  common  practice  at  this 
day."  That  is  to  say,  in  1765  shoes 
were  not  made  rights  and  lefts  ;  in  1821 
they  were  so  made,  and  thus  the  ivhirli- 
gig  of  time  brings  in  his  revenges, 
which  are  sometimes  very  amusing. 

sliver.    To  break  or  tear  off.    Mcb.  IV, 

I,  28  ;  Lr.  IV,  2,  34. 

This  is  a  common  word  on  this  side  of 

the    Atlantic,    though    English   coms. 

seem  to  think  it  necessary  to  explain  it. 
slobbery,    adj.    Wet ;   sloppy ;    flooded. 

HV.  Ill,  5,  13. 
slops.    Large,  loose  trousers  or  breeches. 

Ado.  Ill,  2,  36;  2HIV.  I,  2,  34;  Rom. 

II,  4,  47. 

slubber.  1.  To  soil ;  to  sully.  Oth.  I,  3, 
227.     cf.  beslubber. 


SLIT 


ftHO 


2.  To  slur  over ;  to  do  carelessly.  Merch. 

II,  8,  39. 

sluttish  spoils.  Johnson  explains  sluttish 
spoils  of  opportunity  (Troil.  IV,  5,  62) 
as  "  corrupt  wenches,  of  whose  chastity 
every  opportunity  may  make  a  prey." 

Sly,  Christopher,  dr.p.  A  drunken  tinker. 
Shr.  Ind. 

smack.    A  smattering.     All's.  IV,  1,  18. 

small.  Not  loud,  but  high-toned  and 
clear.  Cor.  Ill,  2,  114 ;  Tw.  I,  4,  32. 
cf.  quill. 

smatch.    Smack  ;  taste.     Caes.  V,  5,  46. 

smatter.    To  prate ;   to  chatter.    Rom. 

III,  5,  172. 

smilet.  Diminutive  of  smile.  Lr.  IV,3,  21. 

Smith  the  Weaver,  dr.p.  A  follower  of 
Jack  Cade.     2HVI. 

smoke.  The  passage  in  Ado.  I,  3,  61,  as 
I  was  smoking  a  musty  room,  sounds 
queerly  to  modern  ears.  But  in  the 
time  of  Sh.  the  practice  of  fumigating 
rooms  for  "the  swetynynge  of  the 
house  "  (Sir  John  Puckering's  directions 
to  his  steward)  was  quite  common. 
Burton,  in  his  "  Anatomy  of  Melan- 
choly," tells  us  that  "the  smoake  of 
juniper  is  in  great  request  with  us  at 
Oxford,  to  sweeten  our  chambers."  3rd 
Var.,  Vol.  VII,  p.  32. 

After  quoting  various  notes  on  this 
passage,  Dr.  Furness,  in  his  elaborate 
ed.  of  Ado.,  makes  the  following  re- 
mark:  "It  has  been  noted  (first,  I 
think,  by  Thornbury ;  but  I  speak  under 
correction)  that  Shakespeare  nowhere 
alludes  to  tobacco.  It  is  clear  that 
those  who  make  this  claim  did  not  read 
their  Shakespeare  in  either  Rowe's 
Second  Edition  or  in  Pope,  where 
Borachio  is  made  to  say  that  he  was 
*  smoking  in  a  musty  room."  This  is 
a  capital  hit  at  super  -  serviceable 
emendators. 

smooth,  adj.  Bland;  insinuative.  As. 
V,  4,  47  ;  IHIV.  II,  4,  79. 

smooth,  V.    1.  To  make  bland  and  in- 
sinuative.   Pilgr.  306. 
2.  To  flatter.    2HVI.  I,  1,  156 ;  Tit.  IV, 
4,  96  ;  Per.  I,  2,  78. 

snaffle.    A  bridle  consisting  of  a  slender 


mouth-bit  with  a  single  rein  and  with- 
out a  curb.  Ant.  II,  2,  63.  Schm. 
defines  it  as  a  "  bridle  which  crosses  the 
nose,"  certainly  an  imperfect  descrip- 
tion. A  snaffle  is  one  of  the  easiest 
forms  of  bit  (for  the  horse),  hence 
Antony's  expression  :  which  with  a 
snaffle  you  may  pace  easy,  that  is, 
without  a  severe  bit,  such  as  a  curb. 

Snare,  dr.p.    A  sheriff's  officer.    2HIV. 

sneck  up.  Usually  defined  as  an  ex- 
clamation of  contempt,  equivalent  to 
"  Gro  and  hang  yourself !  "  So  in  Nares, 
Dyce,  Schm.,  etc.  Tw.  II,  3,  101.  I 
think  it  quite  as  probable  that  in  this 
case  it  means  "shut  up!"  A  sneck  is 
an  old  word  for  latch  (still  used  in 
Scotland) ;  sneck  the  door  =  shut  or 
latch  the  door.  Either  definition  makes 
good  sense  in  this  passage,  the  only  one 
where  the  word  occurs  in  Sh.  In  the 
3rd  Var.  the  comments  on  this  passage 
include  several  quotations  which  favor 
the  "go  hang  yourself  "  gloss. 

sneap,  n.  A  reprimand;  a  taunt;  a 
snub.    2HIV.  II,  1,  133. 

sneap,  v.  To  check ;  to  nip.  LLL.  I,  1, 
100 ;  Wint.  I,  2,  13. 

snipe.  The  smallest  of  game  birds,  hence 
a  synonym  for  a  trifling,  insigniflcaut 
creature.  0th.  I,  3,  390.  Warburton 
calls  it  "a  diminitive  woodcock,"  which 
it  certainly  is  not,  as  it  belongs  to  an 
entirely  different  species. 

snipt- taffeta.  Ribbons  or  snippings  of 
taffeta.  All's.  IV,  5,  2.  A  contemptu- 
ous expression  used  by  Lafeu  in  allusion 
to  Parolles'  would-be  fine  clothes,  orna- 
mented with  ribbons  or  snippings  of 
taffeta.     See  taffeta. 

snore,  v.  To  breathe  with  a  rough,  hoarse 
noise  in  sleep.  Tp.  II,  1,  217  and  300; 
Cym.  Ill,  6,  34. 

snore,  n.  A  breathing  with  a  harsh 
noise  in  sleep.  Tp.  II,  1, 218 ;  Mcb.  II,  2, 6. 
This  word  as  verb  and  noun  occurs 
nine  times  in  the  plays.  It  is,  no  doubt, 
an  imitative  or  onomatopoetic  word, 
akin  to  snarl.  Snore  and  snort  seem 
to  l)e  from  the  same  root,  and  it  is  prob- 
able that,  as  Wedgwood  suggests,  the 


8N0 


297 


SNU 


effect  of  the  final  t  is  to  express  abrupt- 
ness or  discontinuity.  In  Sh.  time  the 
two  words  were  clearly  differentiated, 
and  it  would  seem  that  snoring  would 
be  more  appropriate  than  snorting  in 
0th.  I,  1,  90.  When  we  consider  Fal- 
staff's  "  robustious "  characteristics, 
snorting  would,  perhaps,  be  a  permis- 
sible word  to  use  in  his  case.  IHIV.  II, 
4,  578. 

snorting.  Snoring.  0th.  1, 1, 90 ;  IHIV. 
II,  4,  578.    See  snore. 

Snout  the  Tinker,  dr.p.    Mids. 

snow.  The  line  in  Mids.  V,  1,  59,  That 
is,  hot  ice  and  strange  snoiv,  involves 
a  difficulty  which  is  not  easily  solved. 
The  speech  of  Theseus  has  for  its  object 
the  setting  in  opposition  of  various  con- 
tradictory qualities  ;  hot  ice  is  easily 
understood,  but  strange  snow  does  not 
seem  to  convey  any  clear  idea.  Pope 
omitted  the  line  altogether.  Others 
have  emended  by  reading  "shew"  for 
"snow";  "black  snow";  "strong 
snow";  "seething  snow";  "swarthy 
snow  " ;  "  staining  snow  "  ;  "  sable 
snow."  Steevens  explained  the  expres- 
sion as :  "  hot  ice  and  snow  of  as  strange 
a  quality."  The  Cowden-Clarkes,  how- 
ever, explain  strange,  as  it  occurs  here 
and  in  some  other  passages,  as  "  anom- 
alous, unnatural,  prodigious,"  and  this 
seems  to  give  a  good  sense  as  the  line 
stands. 

snow-broth.  The  cold,  foamy  product  of 
melted  snow.     Meas.  I,  4,  58. 

This  expression  has  puzzled  some,  but 
it  is  a  common  one  amongst  Scotch 
anglers,  who  know  that  "snaw-broo" 
s})oils  the  water  for  fishing. 

snuff.  The  radical  meaning  of  this  word 
is  the  black  carbonaceous  deposit  which 
gathers  on  the  wick  of  an  old-fashioned 
candle  and  which,  in  the  early  part  of 
the  last  century,  was  removed  every 
little  while  by  means  of  a  pair  of 
"snuffers,"  some  of  which  were  of  the 
most  beautiful  and  elaborate  designs 
and  costly  materials.  In  these  days  of 
electricity,  acetylene,  gas,  kerosene  and 
patent  candles  which  require  no  "  snuff- 


ing," the  force  of  some  of  Sh.  expres- 
sions in  which  "snuff"  is  used  is  not 
evident  to  modern  readers.  Thus,  in 
Cym.  I,  6,  86,  To  hide  me  from  the 
radiant  sun,  and  solace  P  the  dungeon 
by  a  snuff,  a  "snuff  "  means  an  unsnuffed 
candle,  i.e.,  one  of  which  the  wick  is 
laden  with  snuff  and  which  consequently 
gives  a  poor  light.  (Rolfe  explains  as 
a  "snuffed  candle,"  meaning,  no  doubt, 
a  candle  with  much  snuff;  but  this  is 
an  unusual  use  of  the  word  "snuffed.") 
See  also  Hml.  IV,  7,  116,  and  Lr.  IV,  6, 
89.  From  this  darkening  of  the  light 
by  the  accumulation  of  snuff,  the  word 
snuff  came  to  mean  offence  or  huff,  as 
in  LLL.  V,  2,  22,  and  Mids.  V,  1,  254, 
and  also  an  object  of  contempt,  as  in 
All's.  I,  2,  59,  all  which  uses,  allusions 
and  quibbles  are  easily  understood  when 
the  facts  relating  to  their  origin  are 
known. 
Snug  the  Joiner,  dr.p.    Mids. 

In  a  note  upon  Bottom's  direction  to 
Snug,  in  Mids.  Ill,  1,  46:  Let  him 
name  Iiis  name  ;  and  tell  them  2Jlainly, 
he  is  Snug  the  joiner,  Malone  (8rd  Var., 
Vol.  V,  p.  246)  says:  "There  are  prob- 
ably many  temporary  allusions  to  par- 
ticular incidents  and  characters  scat- 
tered through  our  author's  plays,  which 
gave  a  poignancy  to  certain  passages, 
while  the  events  were  recent,  and  the 
persons  pointed  at  yet  living.  In  the 
speech  now  before  us,  I  think  it  not 
improbable  that  he  meant  to  allude  to 
a  fact  which  happened  in  his  time,  at 
an  entertainment  exhibited  before  Queen 
Elizabeth.  It  is  recorded  in  a  manu- 
script collection  of  anecdotes,  stories, 
etc.,  entitled  Merry  Passages  and 
Jeasts,  MS.  Harl.  6395  : 

" '  There  was  a  spectacle  presented  to 
Queen  Elizabeth  upon  the  water,  and, 
among  others,  Harry  Goldingham  was 
to  represent  Arion  upon  the  Dolphin's 
backe ;  but  finding  his  voice  to  be  verye 
hoarse  and  unpleasant,  when  he  came 
to  perform  it,  he  tears  off  his  disguise 
and  swears  he  was  none  of  Arion,  not 
he,   but  even  honest  Harry  Golding- 


so 


so 


ham;  which  blunt  discoverie  pleased 
the  queene  better  than  if  it  had  gone 
through  in  the  right  way : — yet  he  could 
order  his  voice  to  an  instrument  ex- 
ceeding well. ' 

"  The  collector  of  these  Merry  Passages 
appears  to  have  been  nephew  to  Sir 
Roger  L' Estrange." 

Sir  Walter  Scott  in  his  "  Kenil  worth, " 
Vol.  II,  p.  203  (ed.  of  1831),  makes  Mike 
Lambourne  the  hero  of  this  story,  and 
refers  in  a  note  to  Laneham's  account 
of  the  queen's  entertainment,  "a  very 
diverting  tract,  written  by  as  great  a 
coxcomb  as  ever  blotted  paper." 
SO,  sol  These  words  (0th.  V, ,  2,  86), 
standing  as  they  do,  without  any  stage 
direction,  are  apt  to  puzzle  the  ordinary 
reader.  Indeed,  within  a  few  weeks  a 
most  energetic,  though,  evidently,  not  a 
very  well-informed  correspondent  has 
addressed  a  letter  to  one  of  our  journals 
in  which  he  scores  poor  Sh.  unmercifully 
for  what  he  calls  the  absurdity  of  this 
scene.  If  he  had  turned  to  the  New 
Variorum  edition  of  Dr.  Furness,  he 
would  have  found  nearly  six  solid  pages 
of  fine  type  in  which  the  subject  is  fully 
explained. 

The  difiiculty  arises  from  the  apparent 
contradiction  of  first  having  Desdemona 
smothered,  then  having  her  revive  so 
as  to  speak  intelligently  and  afterwards 
die  without  apparent  cause.  This  was 
noted  by  Steevens  (see  3rd.  Var.,  Vol. 
IX,  p.  473),  who  says :  "  I  am  of  opinion 
that  some  theatrical  direction  has  been 
omitted,  and  that  when  Othello  says— 
'  Not  dead  ?  not  yet  quite  dead  ?  *  *  * 
So,  so ! '  he  then  stabs  her,  repeating  the 
two  last  words  as  he  repeats  the  blow." 

Verplanck  says :  "  There  is  no  stage 
direction  at  this  place  in  the  original 
copies ;  but  it  is  most  probable  that  the 
Poet  intended  Othello  here  to  stab  Des- 
demona, according  to  the  practice  of 
the  modern  stage.  His  previous  resolu- 
tion, 'I'll  not  shed  her  blo6d,'  is  for- 
gotten in  the  agony  and  terror  of  the 
moment,  when  he  says — '  Not  dead !  not 
yet  quite  dead  V  " 


That  "the  practice  of  the  modern 
stage  "  is  the  tradition  of  the  past  seems 
more  than  probable.  Collier  published 
an  old  ballad,  found  amongst  the  Eger- 
ton  papers,  in  which  we  are  told  that 
Othello 

sought  his  lady  as  she  layde 
Within  her  virgin  bed, 
And  there  his  hands  of  blackest  shade 
He  dyed  to  gory  red. 

The  antiquity  of  the  ballad  has  been 
called  in  question,  and  Collier  himself 
points  out  some  errors  in  it,  but  it  is 
apparently  not  quite  as  modern  as  Dr. 
Ingleby  would  have  us  believe. 

That  Garrick  used  the  dagger  is  well 
known,  but  it  is  not  quite  settled  whether 
he  followed  an  old  practice  or  intro- 
duced an  innovation,  the  apologies  that 
were  offered  for  his  so  doing  favoring 
the  latter  i  dea.  Amongst  modern  actors, 
Booth,  Fechter,  Davenport  and  several 
others  adopt  the  stabbing  method ;  Sal- 
vini  thinks  that  "So,  so"  "means  that 
Othello  kneels  on  her  breast  to  hasten 
her  death."  I  am  told  that  on  the 
German  stage  stabbing  is  the  usual 
practice. 

Of  the  editors,  Steevens,  Rann, 
Knight,  Verplanck,  Collier,  Hudson, 
approve  of  stabbing ;  the  Clarkes  think 
that  probably  Othello  merely  heaped 
more  clothes  around  her ;  Dyce,  Staun- 
ton, White,  Rolfe  and  Purnell  are  silent 
(Furness).  Strange  to  say,  "  The  Henry 
Irving  Shakespeare "  (Marshall  and 
Verity),  which  is  supposed  to  be  the 
actor's  special  edition,  passes  the  subject 
by  without  a  word  of  comment. 

Furness,  with  his  usual  indefatig- 
able thoroughness,  has  not  only  dis- 
cussed the  subject  from  the  historical 
point  of  view,  but  he  has  insti- 
tuted a  series  of  physiological  en- 
quiries which  throw  much  light  on  the 
subject.  He  very  naively  gives  his 
reason  for  so  doing :  "  For  Shakespeare's 
credit  I  felt  no  concern,  but  I  did  feel 
mortified  for  Nature,  on  whose  behalf 
it  seemed  that  if  ever  our  best  medical 
wisdom  were  to  be  unmuzzled,  this  was 


so 


299 


SOI 


the  hour."  He  therefore  sent  a  marked 
copy  of  Act  V,  Scene  2,  to  seven  of  the 
most  prominent  medical  men  of  the 
country  and  obtained  from  each  his 
opinion  as  to  the  cause  of  death  and  the 
mode  of  its  infliction.  The  results  he 
gives  at  length  on  pages  304,  et  seq.,  of 
his  edition  of  Othello.  The  details  are 
altogether  too  voluminous  to  be  quoted 
here  and  we  must,  therefore,  refer  to 
the  work  just  cited. 

That  stabbing  removes  all  the  physio- 
logical objections  which  have  been  urged 
against  Sh.  description  of  this  murder 
seems  M'ell  established.  Against  the 
practice  there  has  been  urged  the  de- 
claration of  Othello  himself,  Yet  Fll 
not  shed  her  blood.  But  it  is  to  be 
observed  that  the  stabbing  is  used  only 
after  the  attempt  to  smother  has  failed  ; 
that  Othello  should,  in  the  intense  ex- 
citement of  the  moment,  entirely  forget 
his  first  resolution,  is  no  violation  of  the 
natural  course  of  things. 

Again ;  he  uses  the  simile :  Pale  as 
thy  smock,  and  this  was  the  point  which 
seemed  to  Dr.  Furness  to  be  an  over- 
sight on  the  part  of  Sh.,  for  if  Desde- 
mona  were  smothered,  her  face,  accord- 
ing to  the  common  ideas  of  such  matters, 
would  be  dark  and  congested,  and  if 
stabbed,  her  smock  would  be  red.  But 
aside  from  the  fact  that  mere  smother- 
ing does  not  always  cause  a  discoloration 
of  the  face,  the  stabbing  would  make 
it  pale,  and  the  blood,  if  any  flowed 
out  of  the  wound,  would  descend,  by 
the  action  of  gravity,  to  the  bed,  so 
that  that  part  of  the  smock  that  was  in 
sight  would  remain  unstained  and  white. 
I  cannot  see  any  difficulty  here. 

Another  objection  to  the  stabbing 
theory  has  been  found  in  the  words  : 
Whose  breath,  indeed,  these  hands 
have  newly  stopped.  This  has  been 
taken  to  mean  that  he  stopped  her 
breath  by  smothering,  not  by  stabbing. 
But  if  we  take  the  words  in  an  absolutely 
literal  sense,  he  must  have  held  his 
hands  over  her  mouth  or  round  her 
throat ;  he  could  not  have  used  the  bed- 


clothes or  a  pillow,  as  has  always  been 
the  custom  in  the  first  stage  of  the 
murder  and  as  is,  indeed,  implied  in  the 
stage  direction  in  the  Fl.— Smothers 
her.  Her  breath  might  have  been 
stopped  by  his  hands,  using  a  dagger  or 
a  pistol  bullet,  as  really  as  if  he  had,  by 
his  proper  hands,  fractured  "the  cricoid 
cartilage  of  the  larynx, "as  Dr.  Hunt 
claims  he  did. 

The  reader  who  wishes  to  study  the 
subject  thoroughly  must  consult  the  ed. 
of  Dr.  Furness. 

sob.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Err.  IV, 
3,  25,  has  been  pronounced  nonsense, 
though,  perhaps,  the  usual  meaning  of 
sob — "a  convulsive  sigh"  (Worcester), 
is  not  so  very  inapt.  A  man  would  be 
likely  to  give  a  convulsive  sigh  when 
suddenly  arrested.  It  is  the  reading  in 
the  FL,  the  s  being  the  old  long  form, 
which  is  very  like  an  /.  Consequently, 
Rowe  amended  to  fob,  giving  this  word 
the  meaning  of  "  a  tap  on  the  shoulder," 
a  meaning  which  has  been  adopted 
by  most  modern  dictionaries  on  the 
strength  of  this  very  passage,  certainly 
a  most  unwarranted  proceeding.  Han- 
mer  emended  to  "bob";  Dyce  to 
"sop,"  and  G.White  to  "stop."  "Bob," 
in  the  sense  of  a  light  blow  {cf.  As.  II, 
7,  55)  makes  good  sense,  but  a  reason- 
ably good  meaning  is  conveyed  by 
"fob,"  and  this  was  adopted  by  Mar- 
shall in  "The  Henry  Irving  Shake- 
speare." And  we  may  here  note  that 
in  the  old  printer's  case  the  boxes  for/ 
and  the  long  s  were  placed  side  by  side 
so  that  an  exchange  was  easy.  The 
known  meanings  otfob  are  (1)  to  cheat; 
to  trick  ;  (2)  to  beat  or  maltreat ;  (3)  to 
be  put  out  of  breath  by  running.  The 
last,  which  is  an  old  English  or  Scotch 
meaning,  gives  not  a  bad  sense.  Rolfe 
adopts  "bob  "  which,  after  all,  is  prob- 
ably the  true  reading. 

soiled.  Kept  in  a  stall  and  fed  upon 
fresh  grass  or  other  green  forage  (vetches 
are  frequently  used)  cut  and  brought  to 
it.  Such  rich  food  and  the  limiting  of 
exercise  is  apt  to  make  an  animal  high- 


SOI 


300 


SON 


spirited  and  boisterous.  The  practice 
and  the  word  are  both  in  use  at  the 
present  day.    Lr.  IV,  6,  124. 

Schm.  explains  it  as  "high-fed  with 
green  food,"  omitting  mention  of  the 
confinement,  and  Furness,  following 
Heath  (1765),  says:  "This  is  the  term 
used  for  a  horse  that  is  turned  out  in 
the  spring  to  take  the  first  flush  of 
grass."  A  pasture-fed  horse  is  not 
usually  known  as  a  soiled  horse.  For 
obvious  reasons  this  mode  of  feeding  is 
specially  applicable  to  stud  horses. 

soilure.    Defilement.    Troil.  IV,  1,  56. 

solemnity.    A  feast ;  a  festival.    Rom. 

I,  5,  59;  and  cf.  All's.  II,  3,  187;  Mcb. 
Ill,  1,  14,  and  Mids.  IV,  1,  190. 

Hunter,    "New    Illustrations,"  Vol. 

II,  p.  136,  has  this  note  upon  the  word  : 
"  The  application  of  the  word  solemyi 

is  a  relic  of  the  sentiment  of  remote 
ages,  when  there  was  something  of  the 
religious  feeling  connected  with  all  high 
festivals  and  banquettings.  The  history 
of  the  word  solemn  would  form  an 
interesting  philological  article,  pre- 
senting as  it  does  so  many  phases  in 
succession. ' '  Ariosto,  translated  by  Har- 
rington, has  : 

never  did  young  lady  brave  and  bright 
Like  dancing  better  on  a  solemn  day. 

solidare.    A  small  coin.    Tim.  Ill,  1,  46. 

Solinus,  dr. p.    Duke  of  Ephesus.    Err. 

Solon.  The  reference  to  Solon  in  Tit.  I, 
1,  177,  that  hath  aspired  to  Solon'' s 
happiness,  is  to  the  famous  reply  of 
that  sage  to  Croesus,  the  last  king  of 
Lydia,  who  asked  him :  Who  was  the 
happiest  man  he  had  ever  seen?  Solon 
answered  that  no  man  could  be  called 
happy  till  he  had  finished  his  life  in  a 
happy  way.  Alarmed  at  the  growing 
power  of  the  Persians,  Croesus  sent  to 
consult  the  oracle  of  Apollo,  at  Delphi, 
whether  he  should  march  against  the 
Persians,  and  received  for  answer  that 
if  he  did  so  he  would  overthrow  a 
great  empire.  Hereupon  he  collected 
a  great  army,  marched  against  Cyrus, 
and  after  some  indecisive  battles  he 
returned  to  Sardis  where  Cyrus  besieged 


him,  and  after  fourteen  days  captured 
the  city.  Croesus  was  taken  alive  and 
condemned  to  be  burned  to  death.  As 
he  stood  before  the  pyre,  the  warning 
of  Solon  came  to  his  mind,  and  he  thrice 
uttered  the  name  of  the  sage.  Cyrus 
enquired  who  it  was  that  he  called  on ; 
and,  upon  hearing  the  story,  repented 
of  his  purpose,  and  not  only  spared  the 
life  of  Croesus,  but  made  him  his  friend. 
Croesus  survived  Cyrus  and  accom- 
panied Cambyses  in  his  expedition 
against  Egypt. 

Solon  was  one  of  the  seven  sages.  He 
lived  to  a  ripe  old  age  (about  eighty) 
and  died  about  558  B.  c. 

solve.    Solution.    Sonn.  LXIX,  14. 

Somerset,  Duke  of,  dr. p.  A  Lancastrian. 
2HVI.  and  3HVI. 

Somerville,  Sir  John,  dr.p.    3HVI. 

sometime.  Former  or  formerly.  Tp.  V, 
1,  86;  Cor.  V,  1,  2;  Hml.  I,  2,  8,  and 
III,  1,  114. 

sometimes.  Formerly.  RII.  I,  2,  54; 
Hml.  1,1,49;  do.  I,  2,  8. 

sonance.    Sound  ;  tune.    HV.  IV,  2,  35. 

songs.  Although  this  work  makes  no 
pretensions  to  the  character  of  a  co7i- 
cordance,  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
give  here  a  list  of  the  songs  found  in 
Sh.  A  reference  to  the  act  and  scene 
is  all  that  is  required,  as  such  passages 
are  easily  found. 

A  cup  of  wine  that's  brisk  and  fine.    2HIV. 

V,3. 
And  will  he  not  come  again?    Hml.  IV,  5. 
Be  merry,  be  merry,  my  wife  has  all.  2HIV. 

V,  3. 
Black  spirits  and  white.    Mcb.  IV,  1. 
Blow,  blow,  thou  winter  wind.    As.  II,  7. 
Come  away,  come  away,  death.    Tw.  11,  4. 
Come  unto  these  yellow  sands.    Tp.  I,  2. 
Come,  thou  monarch  of  the  vine.  Ant.  II,  7. 
Do  nothing  but  eat,  and  make  good  cheer. 

2HIV.  V,  3. 
Fear  no  more  the  heat  o'  the  sun.    Cym. 

IV,  2. 
Fie  on  sinful  fantasy.    Wiv.  V,  5. 
Fools  had  ne'er  less  grace  in  a  year.  Lr.  1, 4. 
Full  fathom  five  thy  father  lies.    Tp.  I,  2. 
Get  you  hence,  for  I  must  go.    Wint.  IV,  4. 
Hark,  harkl    the  lark  at  heaven's  gate 

sings.    Cym.  H,  3. 


SON 


801 


SOU 


He  that  has  and  a  little  tiny  wit.    Lr.  Ill,  2. 
Honour,   riches,   marriage  -  blessing.     Tp. 

IV,  1. 
How  should  I  your  true  love  know?    Hml. 

IV,  5. 
I  am  gone,  sir,  and  anon,  sir.    Tw.  IV,  2. 
I  shall  no  more  to  sea,  to  sea.    Tp.  II,  2. 
It  was  a  lover  and  his  lass.    As.  V,  3. 
King  Stephen  was  a  worthy  peer.  0th.  II,  3. 
Lawn  as  white  a  driven  snow.    Wint.  IV,  4. 
Love,  love,  nothing  but  love,  still  morel 

Troil.  Ill,  1. 
Now  the  hungry  lion  roars.    Mids.  V,  1. 
Now,  until  the  break  of  day.    Mids.  V,  1. 
Oh  I  mistress  mine,  where  are  you  roaming? 

Tw.  II,  3. 
On  a  day— alack  the  day  1    LLL.  IV,  3. 
Orpheus  with  his  lute  made  trees.    HVIII. 

III,  1, 

Over  hill,  over  dale.    Mids.  II,  1. 
Pardon,  goddess  of  the  night.    Ado.  V,  3. 
Sigh  no  more,  ladies,  sigh  no  more.    Ado. 

11,3. 
Take,  O  take  those  lips  away.    Meas.  IV,  1. 
Tell  me,  where  is  fancy  bred  ?   Merch.  Ill,  2. 
The  ousel-cock,  so  black  of  hue.  Mids.  Ill,  1. 
The  poor  soul  sat  sighing  by  a  sycamore 

tree.    0th.  IV,  2. 
Then  is  there  mirth  in  heaven.    As.  V,  4. 
To-morrow  is  Saint  Valentine's  day.    Hml. 

IV,  5. 

To  shallow  rivers,  to  whose  fall.  Wiv.  Ill,  1. 
Under  the  greenwood  tree.    As.  II,  5. 
Was  this  fair  face  the  cause?  quoth  she. 

All's.  I,  3. 
Wedding  is  great  Juno's  crown.    As.  V,  4. 
What  shall  he  have  that  killed  the  deer? 

As.  IV,  2. 
When  daisies  pied,  and  violets  blue.    LLL. 

V,2. 
When  daffodils  begin  to  peer.    Wint.  IV,  3. 
When  that  I  was  and  a  little  tiny  boy.    Tw. 

V,  1. 

Where  the  bee  sucks,  there  suck  I.  Tp.  V,  1. 
While  you  here  do  snoring  lie.    Tp.  II,  1. 
Who  is  Silvia?    What  is  she?    Gent.  IV,  1. 
Willyoubuy  any  tape?    Wint.  IV,  4. 
You  spotted  snakes,  with  double  tongue. 
Mids.  II,  2. 

sonties.  Dyce  is  in  doubt  as  to  whether 
this  word  in  old  Gobbo's  oath  (Merch. 
II,  2,  47)  is  God''s  saints,  or  God^s 
sanctity,  or  God^s  sante  (health). 

sooth,  n.  Truth.  Tw.  II,  4,  47  (see  silly- 
sooth)  ;  HV.  Ill,  6,  151 ;  0th.  Ill,  4,  97. 

sooth,  adj.    True.     Mcb.  V,  5,  40. 

sop.    Something,  such  as  bread  or  cake, 


soaked  in    a    liquid.     RIII.   I,   4,   163; 
Troil.  I,  3,  113 ;  Lr.  II,  2,  35. 

The  cakes  or  wafers  placed  in  the  wine 
drank  at  festivities.  Shr.  Ill,  2,  175. 
"At  weddings,  cakes,  wafers  and  the 
like  were  blessed  and  put  into  the  sweet 
wine  which  was  always  presented  to  the 
bride  on  those  occasions. "  Nares.  See 
wine  and  moonshine. 

sore.  A  buck  in  his  fourth  year.  The 
old  spelling  was  soare.     LLL.  IV,  2,  59. 

sorel.  A  buck  in  his  third  year.  LLL. 
IV,  2,  60. 

sort.  1.  Rank;  quality.  Meas.  IV,  4, 
19 ;  Ado.  I,  1,  7  ;  Mids.  Ill,  2,  159 ;  HV. 
IV,  7,  142. 

The  word,  as  used  in  this  sense,  has 
given  rise  to  considerable  discussion. 
dr.  White  claims  that  it  simply  means 
"kind"  or  "species,"  aiid  Marshall 
seems  to  be  of  the  same  opinion.  Upon 
this  point  Furness  very  judiciously 
remarks:  "The  fact  is  that  this  word, 
like  many  others,  has  various  shades  of 
meaning,  ranging  from  class  to  rank; 
the  particular  shade  must  be  determined 
by  the  context  according  to  the  insight 
of  the  reader." 

2.  Set ;    company.      RII.     IV,    1,    246 ; 
2HVI.  II,  1,  167;  Mids.  111,2, 13  and  21. 

3.  Lot  or  chance.     Troil.  I,  3,  376. 
sort,  V.    1.  To  select ;  to  find.    3HVI.  V, 

6,85. 

2.  To  turn  out ;  to  result.     Mids.  Ill,  2, 
353 ;  2HVI.  I,  2,  107 ;  Hml.  I,  1,  109. 

3.  To  ordain ;  to  govern.     Merch.  V,  1, 
132;  RIIL  11,3,36. 

4.  To  associate  with.     Ven.  689. 
sortance.    Suitableness.    2HIV.  IV,  1, 11. 
sot.    A  fool ;  a  blockhead.     Wiv.  Ill,  1, 

119;  Tw.  1,5,129;  Lr.  IV,  2,  8. 

soud.  A  word  imitative  of  a  noise  made 
by  a  person  heated  and  fatigued.  Shr. 
IV,  1,  145. 

souls.  The  expression  in  Tw.  II,  3,  60, 
that  will  draio  three  souls  out  of  one 
weaver,  has  given  rise  to  some  queer 
comments.  Warburton,  after  referring 
to  Ado.  II,  3,  61,  says:  "Why  he  says 
'  three  souls  '  is  because  he  is  speaking 
of  a  catch  in  three  parts ;  and  the  peri- 


sov 


302 


SOW 


patetic  philosophy,  then  in  vogue,  very 
liberally  gave  every  man  three  souls: 
The  vegetative  or  plastic^  the  animal 
and  the  rational.  To  this,  too,  Jonson 
alludes  in  his  '  Poetaster  ' :  '  What, 
will  I  turn  shark  upon  my  friends? 
or  my  friend's  friends?  I  scorn  it 
with  my  three  sottZs.'"  Upon  which 
Coleridge  remarks:  "O,  genuine  and 
inimitable  (at  least,  I  hope  so)  Warbur- 
ton  1  This  note  of  thine,  if  but  one  in 
five  millions,  would  be  half  a  one  too 
much."  But  Warburton  having  given 
the  hark-away,  the  idea  of  three  souls 
in  one  man  was  worked  "  for  all  it  was 
worth."  Jackson  suggested  that  the 
souls  here  mentioned  are  French  sous 
or  halfpence,  and  as  weavers  were  an 
impecunious  set,  it  must  have  been 
wonderful  music  that  could  draw  three 
halfpence  out  of  one  of  them!  Few  of 
the  coms.  give  any  satisfactory  explan- 
ation of  the  passage  and,  perhaps,  none 
is  needed.  Wright's  interpretation  is 
probably  the  correct  one:  "To  draw 
three  souls  out  of  one  starved  weaver 
can  be  nothing  more  than  a  humorously 
exaggerated  consequence  of  the  power 
exerted  by  music,  and  to  bring  this 
about  by  a  drinking  song  was  a  greater 
triumph  still,  for  weavers  were  given 
to  psalms."    ^e  weaver. 

soul-fearing.  Terrifying  the  soul.  John 
II,  1,  383.     cf.  fear. 

sound,  n.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Tw. 
I,  1, 5,  has  given  rise  to  much  discussion. 
Rowe  changed  to  windy  and  Pope  to 
southy  and  the  latter  emendation  has 
been  very  generally  adopted.  But  the 
objections  to  south  are  strong ;  except 
in  a  single  instance  (Wint.  V,  1,  161), 
Sh.  always  speaks  of  the  south  as  an 
evil.  See  As.  Ill,  5,  50  ;  Tp.  I,  2,  3;33 ; 
Cym.  II,  3,  136.  White  asks :  "  But  did 
Pope,  or  the  editors  who  have  followed 
him,  ever  lie  musing  o\\  the  sward  at 
the  edge  of  a  wood  and  hear  the  low, 
sweet  hum  of  the  summer  air  as  it 
kissed  the  coyly  shrinking  wild  flowers 
upon  the  banks,  and  passed  on  loaded 
with  fragrance  from  the  sweet  salute? 


If  they  ever  did,  how  could  they  make 
this  change  of  sound  to  south  ?  and  if 
they  never  did,  they  are  unable  to  en- 
tirely appreciate  the  passage,  much  less 
to  improve  it."  Schm.  explains  the 
passage  thus:  "Like  the  sweet  talk  of 
lovers  upon  a  bank  of  violets,  perfuming 
the  air  and  perfumed  by  it." 

Rolfe,  in  his  ed.  of  Twelfth  Nighty 
has  given  elaborate  consideration  to  the 
passage,  and  his  notes  are  well  worth 
consulting. 
sound,  V.  1,  To  fathom  ;  to  measure  the 
depth  of,  in  a  literal  sense.  Tp.  Ill,  3, 
101 ;  2HIV.  IV,  2,  51 ;  Tit.  IV,  3,  7. 

2.  To  examine  or  try  to  find  out.  No.  1 
used  figuratively.  Wi v.  II,  1,  246 ;  Hml. 
Ill,  2,  383  (with  a  pun). 

3.  To  proclaim  ;  to  give  utterance  to. 
John  IV,  2,  48;  Per.  Ill,  Prol.  36. 

The  word,  as  it  occurs  in  HVIII.  V, 
2,  13,  is  generally  explained  as  "  to  pro- 
claim," "  to  give  utterance  to  "  (Rolfe, 
"The  Henry  Irving  Shakespeare,"  and 
others).  But  it  seems  to  me  that  to 
fathom  gives  even  a  better  sense.  Cran- 
mer  would  probably  hope  that  Dr. 
Butts  would  not  see  the  full  measure  of 
his  disgrace  rather  than  wish  that  he 
might  not  prattle  about  it.  In  Rom.  Ill, 
2,  126,  the  word  may  mean  either  to 
give  utterance  to  or  to  sound  as  with  a 
plummet.  The  whole  passage  is  obscure. 
Furness  and  Rolfe  offer  no  comment  on 
it,  and  there  is  none  to  be  found  in  the 
3rd  Var.  of  1821. 

souse.  To  pounce  upon ;  to  swoop  down 
on  as  does  a  bird  of  prey.  John  V,  3, 
150. 

soused.    Pickled.    IHIV.  IV,  2,  13. 

A  word  in  common  use  in  the  U.S.  as 
well  as  in  many  parts  of  England, 
though  the  coms.  seem  to  think  it 
necessary  to  give  an  explanation. 

Southwell,  dr. p.    A  priest.    2HVI. 

sow.  A  sow  of  lead  =  a  large  bar  of 
lead.  Kins.  V,  3,  120.  In  casting  lead 
and  iron  into  masses  for  future  melting 
(not  into  special  forms)  the  metal  is 
poured  into  a  central  gutter,  from  which 
branches  lead  ofT  on  each  side.    The 


sow 


303 


SPA 


central  bar  thus  formed  is  called  a  sow, 
and  the  bars  at  the  sides,  pigs.  Hence 
the  terms  pig-iron  and  pig-lead. 

sowl.    To  pull ;  to  drag.     Cor.  IV,  5,  213. 

Sowter.    Usually  explained  as  the  name 
of  a  hound.     Tw.  II,  5,  135. 

Much  learning  has  been  expended  on 
this  word  and  many  passages  cited, 
very  unnecessarily  it  seems  to  me,  to 
prove  that  sowter  means  a  cobbler  or 
shoemaker.  The  word  was  common  in 
old  English  and  is  still  in  general  use  in 
Scotland.  The  Souter  Johnnie  of  ' '  Tam 
o'  Shanter  "  should  be  reference  enough, 
but  if  another  should  be  needed,  let  us 
take  the  old  song  : 

It's  up  wi'  the  souters  o'  Selkirk 
And  doon  wi'  the  Yerl  o'  Hume 

And  up  wi'  a'  the  braw  lads 
That  sew  the  single-soled  shoon. 

All  this  is  plain  enough  ;  a  sowter  is  a 
cobbler,  but  that  there  is  any  relation 
between  the  characteristics  of  a  cobbler 
and  a  hound  is  not  so  apparent. 

Beckford  (1781),  in  his  "  Thoughts  on 
Hunting,"  gives  a  long  list  of  names 
suitable  for  hounds,  but  Sowter  is  not 
among  them,  Saunter  being  the  nearest. 
Furness,  in  his  ed.  of  Twelfth  Night, 
which  has  reached  me  just  as  these 
pages  are  going  through  the  press,  makes 
an  ingeniou  s  suggestion.  He  says :  ' '  Bu  t 
are  we  certain  that '  Souter  '  (so  spelled 
in  the  foregoing  quotation  from  Greene) 
[if  Appelles  *  *  *  suffer  the  greasie 
Souter  to  take  a  view  of  his  curious 
worke]  was  not  pronounced  Shouter? — 
just  as  suitor  was  pronounced  shooter. 
Would  there  then  be  absolutely  no 
meaning,  as  a  hound's  name,  in 
'  Shouter  '  ?  Would  it  not  be  as  appro- 
priate as  Echo? " 

But  is  it  necessary  that  the  name  of  a 
hound  should  have  a  meaning?  And  if 
so,  what  is  the  meaning  of  "  Clowder  " 
in  Shr.  Ind.  I,  18  ? 

And  are  we  sure  that  the  word  was 
intended  for  the  name  of  a  hound  ? 
Souter,  like  cozier  and  botcher,  was  a 
contemptuous  epithet,  and  may  here 
mean  no  more  than  lout,  lubber  or 


botcher.  The  addition  of  a  hunting 
phrase,  making  a  sort  of  mixed  meta- 
phor, would  not  be  out  of  place  in  the 
mouth  of  Sir  Toby.  The  expression 
would  then  mean  :  Although  as  unskil- 
ful as  a  botcher,  cozier  or  souter,  he 
will  again  pick  up  the  scent,  since  it  is 
as  rank  as  a  fox.  For  though  ==  since, 
see  though. 

space.  Upon  this  word,  as  it  occurs  in 
Lr.  I,  1,  56,  Craig  makes  the  following 
note:  "Schmidt  explains  space,  'space 
in  general  (the  world) '  and  liberty  '  the 
freedom  to  enjoy  it' ;  but  I  rather  take 
the  meaning  to  be  absolute,  complete 
freedom,  'ample  room  and  verge 
enough.'  "    See  undistinguished. 

Spain.  For  the  fig  of  Spain  (HV.  Ill,  6, 
62)  see  fig.  The  only  other  passage  in 
which  Spain  is  mentioned  and  which 
requires  notice  is  that  in  Oth.  V,  2,  253 : 
It  was  a  sword  of  Spain.  That  Spain 
in  the  time  of  Sh.  was  famous  for  its 
swords  is  well  known.  See  Rom.  I,  4, 
84.  Jonson  speaks  of  them  frequently. 
Referring  to  ice-brook^s  temper,  John- 
son tells  us  that  "steel  is  hardened  by 
being  put  red-hot  into  very  cold  water." 
This  is  true,  but  most  modern  eds.  tell 
us  that  "steel  is  tempered  by  being 
plunged  in  cold  water,"  which  is  not 
true.    See  temper. 

span-counter.  A  boyish  game,  played 
with  counters  instead  of  marbles.  Strutt 
says :  "  I  have  frequently  seen  the  boys, 
for  want  of  both,  perform  it  with  stones. 
This  sport  is  called  in  French  tapper, 
a  word  signifying  to  strike  or  hit, 
because  if  one  counter  is  struck  by 
the  other,  the  game  is  won."  2HVI. 
IV,  2,  170. 

spaniel.  To  follow  subserviently.  Ant. 
IV,  10,  34. 

Spartan  dog.  Hanmer  explains  this 
epithet  by  saying  that  "  the  dogs  of 
Sparta  were  reckoned  among  those  of 
the  most  fierce  and  savage  kind." 
Singer,  probably  more  correctly,  says  : 
"  The  reference  seems  to  be  to  the 
determined  silence  of  lago  and  to  the 
proverbial  silence  of  the  Spartans  imder 


8FA 


304 


SPH 


suffering,  as  well  as  to  the  savageness 

of  the  dogs. "    Oth.  V,  3,  361. 
spay,   )    To  remove  the  ovaries.    Meas. 
splay,  f     II,  1,  242. 
specialty.    The  specialty  of  rule  (Troil. 

I,  8,  78)  =  "the   particular   rights  of 

supreme  authority. ' '    Johnson. 
speciously.    Dame  Quickly's  blunder  for 

especially.    Wiv.  Ill,  4,  113,  and  IV, 

5,  1 14. 
speculation.   1.  Vision  ;  sight.  Troil.  Ill, 

3,  109 ;  Mcb.  Ill,  4,  95.    Also  in  Lr.  Ill, 

I,  24,  where  the  abstract  is  put  for  the 
concrete. 

2.  The  act  of  beholding.    HV.  IV,  2,  31. 
sped.    Dispatched  ;  done  for.     Merch.  II, 

9,  72;  Shr.  Ill,  2,  53;  Rom.  Ill,  1,  94. 
Speed,  dr. p.    A  clownish  servant.    Gent. 
speed.    Fortune ;  protecting  power.   Shr. 

II,  1,  139 ;  Cjm.  Ill,  5,  167 ;  As.  I,  2, 
222;  Oth.  11,1,67. 

speken.  Obsolete  form  of  speak.  Per. 
II,  Prol.  12. 

spell.  To  spell  backward  is  to  reverse 
the  usual  order  of  the  letters  ;  hence,  to 
understand  or  explain  in  an  exactly 
contrary  sense ;  to  turn  inside  out ;  to 
reverse  the  character  or  intention  of. 
Ado.  Ill,  1,  61.  Steevens  says:  "Al- 
luding to  the  practice  of  witches  in 
uttering  prayers. "  (?)  See  scholar.  A 
similar  train  of  thought  is  found  in 
Lyly's  "Anatomy  of  Wit"  (1581),  as 
quoted  by  Steevens :  "if  he  be  cleanly, 
they  [women]  term  him  proude ;  if 
meene  in  apparel,  a  sloven ;  if  tall,  a 
,  lungis ;  if  short,  a  dwarf ;  if  bold,  blunt ; 
if  shamefast,  a  cowarde,"  etc. 

spend.    See  to  spend. 

spendthrift  sigh.  The  allusion  in  Hml. 
IV,  7, 123,  is  to  the  current  notion  that 
sighs  shorten  life  by  drawing  blood 
from  the  heart.  The  same  idea  is  found 
in  Mids.  Ill,  2,  97. 

sperr.  To  shut;  to  make  fast.  Troil., 
Prol.  19.  The  word  is  "  stirre  "  in  the 
PL,  changed  to  sperr  by  Theobald.  It 
is  an  old  word  signifying  to  defend  by 
bars.  Spenser  has : 
The  other  that  was  entred,  labour'd  fast 
To  sperre  the  gate. 


And  in  Warner's  "Albion's  England  ": 
"  When  chased  home  into  his  holdes, 
there  sparred  up  in  gates. "  The  use  of 
spar  as  an  equivalent  of  bar  is  now 
obsolete  except  in  ship-building  and 
some  of  the  mechanic  arts. 

sphere.  In  the  passage :  Swifter  than 
the  moon^s  sphere  (Mids.  II,  1,  7),  the 
reference  is  not  to  the  orbit  in  which 
the  moon  moves  as  Schm.  and  some 
others  have  it,  for  certainly  the  orbit 
of  the  moon  does  not  move.  "  At  the 
date  of  this  play  the  Ptolemaic  system 
was  believed  in,  and  the  moon  and  all 
the  planets  and  stars  were  supposed  to 
be  fixed  in  hollow  crystalline  spheres  or 
globes.  These  spheres  were  supposed 
to  be  swung  bodily  round  the  earth  in 
twenty-four 'hours  by  the  top  sphere, 
the  primum  mobile,  thus  making  an 
entire  revolution  in  one  day  and  night." 
Furnivall  in  "New  Shakespearean 
Society  Transactions."  It  did  not  re- 
quire any  great  knowledge  of  geometry 
to  see  that  even  if  the  moon  were  at  a 
distance  from  the  earth  much  less  than 
that  which  we  know  it  to  be,  the  velocity 
of  the  sphere  which  carried  the  moon 
must  have  been  greater  than  anything 
else  of  which  the  men  of  Sh.  time  had 
any  knowledge. 

spherical.  Planetary  in  the  astrological 
sense.  In  Sh.  time  the  sun  and  moon 
were  included  among  the  planets.  By 
spherical  predominance  (Lr.  I,  2,  134) 
means,  through  some  special  star  being 
predominant  or  ruling  at  the  hour  of 
our  birth.  See  All's.  I,  1,  211.  See 
predominance. 

sphery.  Starlike.  Mids.  II,  2,  99. 
"  Sphere  "  is  used  by  Sh.  to  denote  the 
star  itself  as  well  as  the  crystalline 
sphere  which  was  supposed  to  carry  it 
round  the  earth.    See  sphere. 

Sphinx.  The  Sphinx  was  a  female  monster, 
daughter  of  Orthus  and  Chimaera. 
Various  accounts  are  given  of  the  cause 
of  her  being  sent  to  Thebes,  but  when 
there  she  settled  on  a  rock  and  put  a 
riddle  to  every  Theban  that  passed  by, 
and  whoever  was  unable  to  solve  it  was 


SFI 


305 


SPI 


devoured.  Two  forms  of  the  riddle  are 
given  :  1.  A  being  with  four  feet,  has 
two  feet  and  three  feet,  and  only  one 
voice ;  but  its  feet  vary,  and  when  it 
has  most  it  is  weakest?  2.  What  animal 
is  that  which  walks  on  four  legs  in  the 
morning,  on  two  during  the  day  and  on 
three  in  the  evening?  The  latter  form 
is  the  one  most  generally  known.  After 
many  Thebans  had  been  devoured, 
CEdipus  solved  the  riddle  as  follows: 
The  animal  is  man  who  creeps  on  hands 
and  knees  in  infancy,  walks  upright  on 
two  legs  during  the  noonday  of  life  and 
in  the  evening  or  old  age  leans  on  a 
staff.  This,  of  course,  is  the  solution  of 
both  forms.  On  the  riddle  being  solved, 
the  Sphinx  threw  herself  from  the  rock 
and  was  killed.  Other  accounts  say  that 
she  threw  herself  into  the  sea. 

The  Greek  Sphinx  had  the  form  of  a 
winged  lion,  the  breast  and  upper  part 
being  the  figure  of  a  woman.  Some- 
times it  appears  with  the  face  of  a 
maiden,  the  breast,  feet  and  claws  of  a 
lion,  the  tail  of  a  serpent  and  the  wings 
of  a  bird.  The  Sphinxes  were  represented 
in  various  attitudes  and  were  frequently 
introduced  by  Greek  artists  as  orna- 
ments of  architectural  works. 

The  Egyptian  Sphinx  is  the  figure  of 
a  lion  without  wings  in  a  lying  attitude, 
the  upper  part  of  the  body  being  that 
of  a  human  being.  The  Sphinxes  ap- 
pear in  Egypt  to  have  been  set  up  in 
avenues  forming  the  approaches  to 
temples. 

spial.  A  spy.  IHVI.  I,  4,  8.  In  many 
eds.  espials. 

spied.  Perceived.  0th.  I,  1,  77.  That 
this  word  makes  utter  nonsense  in  this 
passage  must  be  evident  to  every 
thoughtful  reader.  Warburton,  in  his 
ed.  (1747),  Vol.  VIII,  p.  278,  suggests 
that  spied  is  a  misprint  for  spread^ 
which  in  the  Fl.  is  generally  spelt  spred 
(see  Hml.  Ill,  4, 151 ;  do.  IV,  7, 176 ;  Cor. 
Ill,  1,  311,  all  spelled  spred  in  the  Fl.) 
and  consequently  might  give  rise  to  a 
very  probable  misprint.  The  substitu- 
tion of  spread  or  spred  forspied  makes 


perfect  sense,  and  it  is  surprising  that 
it  has  not  been  adopted.  Various  at- 
tempts have  been  made  to  bring  good 
sense  out  of  the  passage  as  it  stands, 
but,  to  my  mind,  none  are  reasonably 
successful.  See  "  Shakespearean  Notes 
and  New  Readings,"  p.  12. 

spill.  To  destroy  ;  to  spoil.  Hml.  IV,  5, 
20 ;  Lr.  Ill,  2,  8. 

spiJth.    Spilling  ;  waste.    Tim.  II,  2,  169. 

spinner.  A  spider.  Mids.  II,  2, 21 ;  Rom. 
I,  4,  59.  I  have  retained  the  generally 
accepted  definition  of  spinner  given  by 
the  best  Sh.  coms.  and  by  Palsgrave 
and  the  "  Promptorium  Parvulorum," 
but  I  doubt  if  any  species  of  spider  was 
the  insect  meant  in  these  two  passages. 
I  incline  to  some  species  of  the  Tipulidce 
or  daddy-long-legs,  which  in  my  boy- 
hood were  called  spinners  and  jenny- 
spinners,  from  their  motion  when  de- 
positing their  eggs  at  the  roots  of  plants. 
Long-legged  spiders  do  not  spin  webs 
and  they  are  quite  sluggish  in  their 
movements.  Paterson,  in  his  "  Insects 
Mentioned  in  Shakespeare,"  p.  215, 
seems  to  think  that  spiders  are  meant ; 
Dyer  and  Furness  are  silent,  and  Do  wden 
quotes  Fox's  "Acts  and  Monuments" : 
"  Where  the  bee  gathereth  honey,  even 
there  the  spinner  gathereth  venome." 
But  in  Mids.  II,  2,  spiders  and  spinners 
•are  mentioned  separately  as  if  they 
were  regarded  as  distinct  species : 
Weaving  spiders  come  not  here  ; 
Hence, you  long-legg'd  spinners,  hence! 

spit.  This  word  of  itself  requires  no 
gloss,  but  thete  are  two  passages  in 
which  it  occurs  and  which  require  a 
note. 

In  Shr.  Ill,  1,  39,  Bianca  says,  O.fie! 
the  treble  jars.  On  which  Lucentio 
remarks :  Spit  in  the  hole,  man,  and 
tune  again.  Schm.  gives  a  special  de- 
finition (5)  for  "hole"  here,  making  it 
mean  "the  hollow  of  the  palm"  and 
explaining  the  whole  passage  as  "  spit 
in  your  hand,  take  courage  and  make  a 
new  effort. "  And  this  is  substantially 
repeated  under  "spit."  R.  G.  White 
makes  the  following  remarks  upon  this 


SPI 


806 


SPO 


very  absurd  gloss :  "It  seems  almost 
trifling  to  say  that  what  he  was  told  to 
do  was  to  spit  in  the  peg-hole  in  the 
neck  of  the  instrument,  so  that  the  peg 
would  hold  when  he  screwed  up  the 
string.  Moreover,  even  in  Shakespeare's 
time,  gentlemen  did  not  spit  into  their 
hands  in  the  presence  of  ladies,  if  at 
all."  "  Studies  in  Shakespeare,"  p.  339. 
The  other  passage  occurs  in  2HIV.  I, 
2,  237,  where  Falstaff  says:  And  I 
brandish  anything  but  a  bottle,  I  would 
I  might  never  spit  white  again.  Rolfe 
calls  this  a  perplexing  expression,  and 
Nares  and  Dyce  explain  spitting  white 
as  the  result  of  intemperance,  so  that 
Falstaff's  remark  would  mean,  may  I 
never  get  drunk  again.  Furni vail  quotes 
"Batman  upon  Bartholome"  to  the 
effect  that  spitting  white  is  a  sign  of 
health,  and  Rolfe  accepts  this  as  the 
key  to  the  puzzle.  R.  G.  White  thinks 
that  it  means,  may  I  never  be  thirsty 
again  so  that  I  can  relish  a  good  drink, 
spitting  white  or  "spitting  cotton" 
being  a  well-known  sign  of  intense 
thirst.  There  is  an  old  Joke  about  a 
sea-captain  who  always  preferred  very 
salt  food  because  after  a  little  while  it 
produced  a  thirst  for  which  he  would 
not  take  ten  dollars.  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  this  is  what  Falstaff  means. 
spital,  )    An  hospital.     HV.  II,  1, 

spital  house.  )     78 ;  Tim.  IV,  3, 39.  Schni. 
says  that  this  term  is  used   "in  con- 
tempt. ' '   Hardly ;  merely  low  colloquial. 
Spite.  1.  Despite;  scornful  defiance.  Rom. 

1,  1,  85. 

2.  Vexation ;  mortification.    Mids.  Ill, 

2,  194;  Tw.  V,  1, 131 ;  IHVI.  II,  4,  106. 

3.  Ill-luck ;  bad  fortune  ;  trouble.    Hml. 

I,  5,  189. 

The  rather  singular  expression  spite 
of  spite  is  found  three  times  in  Sh.  : 
Err.  II,  2,  191 ;  John  V,  4,  5,  and  3HVI. 

II,  2,  5.  Schin.  explains  it  as  "come 
th«  worst  that  may,  notwithstanding 
anything  that  may  happen."  That  it 
has  this  meaning  in  the  third  quotation 
is  no  doubt  true,  but  in  the  other  pass- 
ages this  does  not  seem  to  give  a  good 


sense — certainly  not  in  the  first.  There, 
it  seems  to  me,  that  O  spite  of  spites 
simply  means  extraordinary  bad  luck, 
just  as  we  might  say  ill  of  ills,  or 
horror  of  horrors. 

In  John  V,  4,  5,  the  first  spite  is  evi- 
dently equivalent  to  despite,  and  the 
second  to  ill-luck  or  bad  fortune. 

The  passage  in  Tim.  IV,  3,  272,  in  spite 
put  some  stuff,  is  explained  by  Schm.  as 
"against  her  will.  This  seems  a  very 
erroneous  interpretation.  Spite,  here, 
does  not  mean  in  spite  of  or  forcibly  ; 
it  indicates  a  desire  to  indulge  spite  or 
malice  against  humanity. 

splenitive.  Easily  excited  to  anger.  Hml. 
V,  1,  284.  In  Sh.  time  the  spleen  was 
supposed  to  be  the  seat  of  anger. 

split.  To  make  all  split  (Mids.  I,  2,  25) 
means  to  cause  a  great  uproar ;  to  make 
every  one  laugh  and  act  boisterously. 
The  phrase  is  a  nautical  one,  but  to 
split  one's  sides  with  laughter  is  a  com- 
mon colloquialism. 

spoons.  The  passages  referring  to  spoons 
in  HVIII.  V,  3,  168,  and  V,  4,  40,  are 
not  easily  understood  unless  we  know 
the  customs  of  the  times.  "Spoons  of 
silver  gilt — called  apostle-spoons  be- 
cause the  figui-e  of  an  apostle  was 
carved  at  the  extremity  of  the  handle 
of  each — were,  in  the  time  of  Sh.  (and 
much  earlier),  the  usual  present  of 
sponsors  at  christenings  to  the  child. 
Such  as  were  at  once  opulent  and 
generous,  gave  the  whole  twelve  ;  those 
who  were  either  more  moderately  rich 
or  liberal  escaped  at  the  expense  of  the 
four  evangelists;  or,  even,  sometimes 
contented  themselves  with  presenting 
one  spoon  only,  which  exhibited  the 
figure  of  any  saint  in  honour  of  whom 
the  child  received  its  name. "  Steevens. 
Then  follows  numerous  references  to  the 
literature  of  the  day,  to  which  Malone 
adds  the  following  story,  given  on  the 
authority  of  Donne:  "  Shakespeare  was 
god- father  to  one  of  Ben  Jonson's 
children,  and  after  the  christening, 
being  in  deep  study,  Jonson  came  to 
cheer  him  up,  and  asked  him  why  he 


sro 


S07 


satr 


was  so  melancholy.  No  'faith,  Ben, 
says  he,  not  I ;  but  I  have  been  con- 
sidering a  great  while  what  should  be 
the  fittest  gift  for  me  to  bestow  upon 
my  godchild,  and  I  have  resolv'd  at 
last.  I  pry  thee,  what  ?  says  he.  I' 
faith,  Ben,  I'll  give  him  a  douzen  good 
latten  [Latin]  spoons,  and  thou  shalt 
translate  them. ' '    See  latten. 

Sport.  When  Celia  (As.  I,  2,  108)  asks  Le 
Beau,  Sport!  of  what  colour  ?  she 
glances  apparently  at  Le  Beau's  affected 
or  dandified  pronunciation  of  sport,  he 
having  got  it  nearer  to  spot  than  sport. 
Hudson.  Schm.  explains  colour  as 
meaning  kind,  but  the  context  does  not 
seem  to  favor  this  as  much  as  Collier's 
gloss,  as  adopted  by  Hudson. 

Spot.    1.  A  piece  of  embroidery.     Cor. 

1,  3,  56. 

2.  A  stain;  a  disgrace.  M.Mason.  John 
V,  2,  30,  and  V,  7,  107. 

Spotted.  Embroidered.  Oth.  Ill,  3,  4.3.5. 
Spotted  with  strawberries  =  having 
figures  of  strawberries  worked  on  it ;  it 
does  not  mean  stained  with  strawberries. 
cf.  Cor.  I,  3,  56. 

Sprag.  Alert ;  quick  ;  spry.  (A  mispro- 
nunciation of  sprack.)    Wiv.  IV,  1,  84. 

Spring.  1.  The  rise;  the  beginning.  Mids. 
II,  1,  82 ;  2HIV.  IV,  4,  35.   cf.  Luke  i,  78. 

2.  The  season  after  winter.  Farewell, 
thou  latter  spring!  (IHIV.  I,  2,  177) 
evidently  means  an  old  man  renewing 
youthful  geniality  and  jollity.  See  all- 
hallown. 

3.  A  young  shoot.     Ven.  656. 
Springe.    A    snare   for   catching    birds. 

Wint.  IV,  3,  36;  Hml.  I,  3,  115;  do.  V, 

2,  317.     Pronounced  sprinj. 
spring-halt.    A  nervous  disease  in  horses 

which  causes  them  to  twitch  up  the  legs 
suddenly  when  they  take  a  step.  Some- 
times called  s^rmgr-Tia^^.  HVIII.  I,  3, 13. 

sprited.  Haunted.  Cym.  II,  3,  144.  In 
some  eds.  sprighted. 

sprightly,  )    Having   the   likeness    of    a 

spritely.     j     spirit.    Cym.  V,  5,  428. 

spur.    The  root  of  a  tree.    Tp.  V,  1,  47 ; 
Cym.  IV,  2,  58. 
Malone  says  :  "Spurs  are  the  longest 


and  largest  leading  roots  of  trees."  3rd 
Var.,  Vol.  XIII,  p.  149.  But  I  think 
the  word  applies  to  roots  in  general  and 
especially  to  the  branches  of  the  roots. 
Pope,  in  his  note  on  Cym.  IV,  2,  58, 
says :  "  Spurs,  an  old  word  for  the  fibres 
of  a  tree." 
spy.  Of  this  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Mcb.  Ill, 

I,  130,  Acquaint  you  with  the  perfect 
spy  o'  the  time,  Johnson  says  :  "  What 
is  meant  by  this  passage  will  be  found 
difficult  to  explain,"  and  he  suggests  an 
emendation — a  perfect  spy  o'  the  time 
for  the  perfect  spy  o'  the  time.  This 
correction  was  also  suggested  by  Collier's 
MS.  corrector  and  has  been  adopted  by 
White.  Monk  Mason  says:  "'With' 
has  here  the  force  of  by  ;  and  the  mean- 
ing of  the  passage  is :  I  will  let  you 
know  by  the  person  best  informed  of 
the  exact  moment  in  which  the  business 
is  to  be  done." 

As  noted  by  the  Clarendon  eds.,  there 
are  two  interpretations  which  may  be 
given  to  the  passage:  1.  It  may  mean 
that  Macbeth  would  acquaint  the  mur- 
derers with  the  most  accurate  observa- 
tion of  the  time ;  or,  2.  The  "spy  o'  the 
time  "  may  mean  the  third  murderer 
who  joins  them  and  delivers  their  offices. 
The  latter  meaning  was  that  adopted 
by  Dr.  Johnson. 

squander.    To  scatter.    Merch,  I,  3,  22. 
In  Howell's  "Letters "  (1650)  bespeaks 
of    "  islands   squandered    in   the    vast 
ocean. ' '  Here  it  does  not  mean  ' '  wasted ' ' 
as  is  the  modern  signification. 

squandering.    Rambling;  going  at  ran- 
dom.   As.  II,  7,  57. 

square.    1.  Regularity;  propriety.    Ant. 

II,  3,  6.     (Masonic?) 

2.  A  squadron  or  troop.  HV.  IV,  2,  28. 
As  the  word  occurs  in  Ant.  Ill,  11,  40, 
it  is  generally  defined  as  squadrons. 
But  may  it  not  possibly  mean  fights  or 
battles  ?  This  seems  to  give  better  sense, 
and  see  next  articles. 

3.  The  front  of  the  female  dress,  near 
the  bosom,  generally  worked  or  em- 
broidered.    Wint.  IV,  4,  212. 

The  passage  in  Lr.  I,  1,  76,  which  the 


SQU 


308 


STA 


most  precious  square  of  sense  pos- 
sesses, has  given  rise  to  much  discussion. 
The  Folios  read  pro/esses  ,*  the  Quartos, 
possesses,  and  the  latter  has  been 
adopted  in  the  g.a.  text.  Many  eds. 
think  that  the  entire  passage  is  corrupt. 
Warburton  thinks  that  square  refers 
to  the  four  nobler  senses :  sight,  hearing, 
taste  and  smell;  Moberly  explains  it 
as:  "the  choicest  estimate  of  sense"; 
Wright  as :  "  the  most  delicately  sensi- 
tive part  of  my  nature."  Verity  says  : 
"  The  critics  see  the  general  sense,  which 
is  obvious  enough,  and  try  to  express  it 
in  a  way  that  will  best  square  with 
square;  but  no  one  succeeds,  I  think, 
in  making  the  connection  really  natural. 
Furness,  in  his  note  on  professes  (the 
reading  which  he  adopts),  says :  "  What- 
ever meaning  or  no-meaning  we  may 
attach  to  'square  of  sense,'  it  seems 
clear  to  me  that  Regan  refers  to  the 
joys  which  that '  square '  '  professes '  to 
bestow  ;  I  therefore  follow  the  Folios." 
To  my  mind  the  objection  to  professes 
lies  in  the  fact  that  it  requires  the 
elaborate  filling  up  of  an  ellipsis.  Verity 
suggests  that  the  compositor  was  led 
astray  by  his  eye  having  caught  pro/ess 
two  lines  above. 

square,  v.    1.  To  quarrel.    Mids.   II,  1, 
30 ;  Tit.  II,  1,  100. 
2.  To  judge.     Troil.  V,  2,  132. 

squarer.    A  quarreller.     Ado.  I,  1,  82. 

squash.  An  unripe  peascod.  Mids,  III, 
1,  191. 

Not  yet  old  enough  for  a  man,  nor 
young  enough  for  a  boy ;  as  a  squash 
is  before  'tis  a  peascod.    Tw.  I,  5,  106. 

squier,  )    A    square,    rule    or    measure. 

squire,  f  LLL.  V,  2,  474 ;  Wint.  IV,  4, 
348;  IHIV.  11,2,  13. 

squiny.    To  look  asquint.    Lr.  IV,  6, 140. 

Stafford,  Lord,  dr. p.    A  Yorkist.   3HVI. 

Stafford,  Sir  Humphrey,  dr.p.    2HVI. 

stages.  Actors.  Hml.  II,  2,  358.  Theo- 
bald suggested  that  the  word  stages 
here  is  a  misprint  for  stagers.  To  define 
it  as  "the  floor  on  which  theatrical  per- 
formances are  exhibited"  (Schm.)  hardly 
meets  the  sense  in  this  passage. 


staggers.  A  disease  in  horses  which 
sometimes  causes  dulness,  blindness, 
etc.,  and  at  others  great  excitement. 
Johnson  suggests  that  it  is  to  the  latter 
("  wild  and  delirious  perturbation  ")  that 
allusion  is  made  in  Cym.  V,  5,  233.  But 
allusion  to  either  form  would  make 
sense.     All's.  II,  3,  170 ;  Shr.  Ill,  2,  55. 

stain.     1.   To  eclipse.     Sonn.  XXXV,  3; 
RII.  111,3,66;  Ant.  111,4,27. 
2.  To  pervert;  to  corrupt.     Sonn.  CIX, 
11;  All's.  II,  1,  123. 

stair.  The  passage  in  Ado.  V,  2,  6,  shall 
I  always  keep  below  stairs  f  has  re- 
ceived several  interpretations,  that 
generally  accepted  being :  Shall  I  always 
be  a  servant  and  never  a  mistress? 
which,  perhaps,  also  conveys  a  sub- 
audition of,  shall  I  never  get  married? 
Theobald  emended  and  read  above  stairs, 
but  as  Steevens  says  :  "  There  is  danger 
in  any  attempt  to  reform  a  joke  two 
hundred  years  old." 

stale,  n.  1.  A  decoy;  bait.  Tp.  IV,  1, 
187;  Shr.  Ill,  1,  90.  Cotgrave  gives: 
"Estalon  *  *  *  a  stale  (as  a  Larke, 
etc.)  wherewith  Fowlers  traine  sillie 
birds  unto  their  destruction." 

2.  A  stalking-horse,  q.v.;  a  mask.  Err. 
II,  1,  101.  So  Malone,  Dyce  and  some 
others  gloss  the  word  in  this  passage. 
Thus  Malone:  "  Adriana  unquestion- 
ably means  to  compare  herself  to  a 
stalking  horse  [from]  behind  whom 
Antipholus  shoots  at  such  game  as  he 
selects. "    Others  render  it  as  in  3. 

3.  Laughing-stock ;  dupe,  which  it  un- 
doubtedly means  in  3HVI.  Ill,  3,  260, 
and  Tit.  I,  1,  304. 

4.  A  wanton  of  the  lowest  type  (Furness) ; 
a  prostitute.  Ado.  II,  2, 26,  and  IV,  1, 66. 

5.  The  urine  of  horses.  Ant.  I,  4,  62. 
In  Wiv.  II,  3, 30,  the  term  "  bully  stale  " 
is  used  by  the  host  in  derision  of  the 
Doctor's  method  of  practice. 

See  scale. 

In  Shr.  I,  1,  58,  this  word  has  been 
defined  by  some  as  harlot,  but  I  can- 
not think  that  it  will  bear  that  signifi- 
cation there.  Rather,  a  laughing-stock, 
or  perhaps  an  old  maid  whose  attractions 


STA 


STA 


have  become  stale.  That  it  has  an 
opprobrious  meaning  in  some  passages 
is  beyond  question. 

stalk,  V.  To  steal  quietly  upon  game  so 
as  to  get  within  shooting  distance. 
Lucr.  365 ;  Ado.  II,  3,  95. 

stalking-horse,  n.  A  horse  trained  to 
approach  game  quietly,  feeding  all  the 
time,  while  the  gunner  or  archer  con- 
ceals himself  behind  the  animal  and  is 
thus  enabled  to  get  within  shooting 
distance.  Sometimes  an  artificial  or 
stuffed  horse  mounted  on  wheels  was 
used.     As.  V,  4,  111. 

stall.   1.  To  dwell;  to  lodge.  Ant.V,l,89. 
2.  To  keep  close  as  in  a  stall ;  to  keep 
secret.    All's.  I,  3,  131. 

stammer.  To  use  language  imperfectly. 
Stammers  'em  =  speaks  stammeringly 
concerning  them ;  does  them  but  small 
justice.    Skeat.     Kins.  II,  1,  26. 

stamp,  n.  \,  At  our  stamp  (Mids.  Ill, 
2,  2.5),  i.e.,  at  hearing  the  footsteps  of 
the  fairies,  which  were  powerful  enough 
to  rock  the  ground.  See  IV,  1,  85. 
Wright.  Johnson  could  not  see  how 
the  stamps  of  fairies  could  be  heard, 
and  read  stump,  the  idea  being  that  the 
"patches"  were  tripped  up  by  some 
stump  well  known  to  the  fairies.  Fur- 
ness  gives  a  note  from  Allen  (MS.)  to 
the  effect  that:  "It  cannot  be  our; 
there  was  no  we  in  the  case;  [have 
fairies  no  editors  to  disseminate  their 
news?]  no  fairy  but  Puck  alone  ;  and  it 
was  nobody's  stamp  that  made  the  boors 
scatter ;  it  was  merely  the  sight  of 
Bottom's  new  head.  Perhaps:  '  at  one 
stamp ' — as  we  might  say  at  one  bound, 
at  one  rush ;  *  *  *  anticipative  of 
stam.pede.'''' 

2.  A  coin.  Wiv.  Ill,  4, 16 ;  Cym.  V,  4, 24. 

In  the  passage  in  Mcb.   IV,  3,  153, 

Hanging  a  golden  stanij)  about  their 

necks,  the  stamp  was  the  coin  called  an 

angel.    See  angel  (6).     Also  evil  (2). 

Holinshed  thus  describes  the  gift  of 
curing  the  evil  which  was  alleged  to 
exist  in  the  person  of  Edward  the  Con- 
fessor :  "  As  it  has  been  thought,  he  was 
inspired  with  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and 


also  to  have  the  gift  of  healing  infirmi- 
ties and  diseases.  He  used  to  help  those 
that  were  vexed  with  the  disease  com- 
monly called  the  king's  evil,  and  left 
that  virtue  as  it  were  a  portion  of  in- 
heritance unto  his  successors  the  kings 
of  this  realm. ' '  According  to  the  Claren- 
don ed.,  "  there  is  no  warrant  in  Holin- 
shed for  the  statement  that  the  Con- 
fessor hung  a  golden  coin  or  stamp 
about  the  necks  of  the  patients.  This 
was,  however,  a  custom  which  prevailed 
in  later  days.  Previously  to  Charles 
II 's  time  some  current  coin,  as  an  angel, 
was  used  for  the  purpose,  but  in  Charles's 
reign  a  special  medal  was  struck  and 
called  a  '  touch  piece. '  The  identical 
touch  piece  which  Queen  Anne  hung 
round  the  neck  of  Dr.  Johnson  is  pre- 
served in  the  British  Museum." 

stamp,  V.  To  give  currency  to.  Cor.  V, 
2,22. 

stand.  The  station  or  hiding-place  of  a 
huntsman  waiting  for  game.  Wiv.  V, 
5,  248;  Cym.  Ill,  4,  111 ;  LLL.  IV,  1, 
10 ;  3H  VI.  Ill,  1,  3.  Some  of  the  editors 
appear  to  suppose  that  stands  were 
only  for  the  use  of  lady  hunters,  but  it 
is  evident  from  some  of  these  passages 
that  this  is  a  mistake.     Rolfe. 

standing  bowl.  A  footed  goblet.  Per. 
II,  3,  64. 

standing-tuck.  A  rapier  standing  on 
end.  IHIV.  II,  4,  274.  Not  hyphenated 
in  the  old  editions, 

staniel.  Another  name  for  the  kestrel  or 
windhover,  an  inferior  but  beautiful 
species  of  falcon.  Tw.  II,  5,  124.  The 
word  in  the  Fl.  is  stallion;  "the  men- 
tion of  '  wings  '  and  '  checking '  makes 
Hanmer's  stanyel  an  emendatio  cer- 
tissima.'"    Furness. 

Stanley,  Sir  John,  dr.p.    2HVI. 

Stanley,  Lord,  dr.p.  Called  also  Earl  of 
Derby.     RIII. 

Stanley,  Sir  William,  dr.p.    3HVI. 

star.  "A  celestial  body  shining  in  the 
night."    Schmidt. 

In  IHIV.  I,  2,  16;  2HIV.  II,  4,  201, 
and  Lr.  I,  5,  38,  we  find  references  to 
the  seven  stars.    This  term  is  usually 


8TA 


310 


8TA 


understood  to  refer  to  the  Pleiades,  a 
well-known  group  of  stars  whose  rising, 
in  ancient  times,  was  supposed  to  indi- 
cate the  time  of  safe  navigation.  The 
actual  number  of  stars  in  the  group, 
when  seen  through  a  telescope  of  very 
moderate  power,  is  quite  large,  but  to 
the  ordinary  eye  only  six  are  visible, 
and  hence  the  tradition  of  a  lost  Pleiad. 
It  is  said,  however,  that  some  eyes  can 
clearly  distinguish  a  seventh.  They 
are  referred  to  in  Job  xxxviii,  31,  in  a 
way  which  shows  the  regard  in  which 
they  were  held  in  ancient  times,  and 
Tennyson's  lines  in  "  Locksley  Hall" 
must  be  familiar  to  all  readers : 

Many  a  night  I  saw  the  Pleiads,  rising 
thro'  the  mellow  shade, 

Gutter  like  a  swarm  of  fire-flies  tangled 
in  a  silver  braid. 

Furness,  in  a  note  on  Lr.  I,  5,  38, 
expresses  the  opinion  that  the  Great 
Bear,  known  also  as  The  Dipper  and  as 
Charles's  Wain,  was  meant,  his  chief 
reason  being  that  these  "seven  stars 
are  the  most  conspicuous  group  in  the 
circle  of  perpetual  apparition  in  the 
Northern  Hemisphere,  so  conspicuous, 
indeed,  that  the  Latin  word  for  '  North ' 
was  derived  from  them.  See  Septen- 
trion.  But  while  the  stars  of  the  Great 
Bear  are  much  more  brilliant  than  those 
of  the  Pleiades,  the  close  grouping  of 
the  latter  make  them,  if  anything,  more 
notable  as  a  constellation. 

The  reference  in  Hml.  I,  1,  36,  yond 
same  star  thaVs  westward  from  the 
pole,  is  to  a  star  the  identity  of  which 
could  be  determined  only  if  we  knew 
the  hour  and  season  when  the  observa- 
tion was  made.  It  certainly  cannot  be 
"  polaris  or  the  pole  star  "  as  stated  in 
a  recent  Shakespearean  text-book. 

The  watery  star  (Wint.  I,  3,  1)  and 
the  moist  star  (Hml.  I,  1,  118)  both 
mean  the  moon.  Compare  Mids.  II,  1, 
104 — the  moon  the  governess  of  floods, 
Pale  in  her  anger,  washes  all  the  air. 
Upon  this  passage  Marshall  comments  : 
*'  Every  one  must  have  seen  the  moon 
when  she  is  pale  coloured  and  blurred 


with  a  faintly  luminous  mist,  in  which 
state  she  is  generally  called  by  country 
people  '  a  wet  moon. '  This  appearance 
of  the  moon  is  one  of  the  most  unfailing 
precursors  of  rainy  weather." 

In  Hml.  I,  1,  the  passage  including 
lines  117  and  118  is  held  by  most  coms. 
to  be  hopelessly  corrupt.  Furness  fills 
nearly  two  pages  with  the  various 
attempts  that  have  been  made  to  make 
it  read  well,  but  none  is  satisfactory. 
In  the  3rd  Var.  the  line  immediately 
preceding  117  is  left  blank  (a  mere  suc- 
cession of  dashes),  and  the  Cambridge 
Shakespeare  follows  this  example,  in 
both  cases  indicating  that  a  line  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  dropped  out.  It 
may  be  well  to  note  that  lines  108  to 
125  are  not  found  in  the  Fl.  A  very 
superficial  reading  of  the  lines  116,  117 
and  118  as  they  stand  in  the  Globe  ed. 
shows  that  something  is  wanting  : 

Did  squeak  and  gibber  in  the  Roman 

streets  : 
As  stars  with  trains  of  fire  and  dews 

of  blood 
Disasters  in  the  sun ;  and  the  moist 

star,  etc. 

As  in  many  other  passages,  although 
the  continuity  of  the  speech  is  evidently 
broken,  the  general  sense  is  clear  enough. 
The  expression.  Earth  treading  stains 
that  make  dark  heaven  light  (Rom.  I, 
2,  25),  has  called  forth  emendations 
from  Warburton  (dark  even) ;  Mason 
(heaven''s  light) ;  Daniel  (that  mock 
dark  heaven^ s  light).  But  surely  no 
emendation  is  required.  We  speak 
of  a  fire  actually  "illuminating  the 
heavens,"  and  the  gorgeous  beauties 
which  Capulet  had  in  mind  might  be 
supposed  to  do  so  metaphorically. 
2.  Sphere ;  fortune.  Hml.  II,  2,  141. 
cf.  Tw.  II,  5,  156. 

stark.  Stiff.  Rom.  IV,  1, 103  ;  Cym.  IV, 
2,  209.  "Stark  and  stiff"  is  an  ac- 
knowledged pleonasm,  but  a  very  old 
expression. 

starkly.    Stiffly.    Meas.  IV,  2,  70. 

starred.    Fated.    Wint.  Ill,  2, 100. 

starve.    In  Sh.  time  this  word  signified 


STA 


311 


STI 


not  only  to  inflict  or  to  suffer  from 
hunger,  but  from  cold,  and  the  word  is 
still  used  in  this  sense  in  many  parts  of 
Ireland — one  of  the  numerous  survivals 
of  the  Elizabethan  language  in  that 
country.  Gent.  IV,  4,  159 ;  2HVI.  Ill, 
1,  343 ;  Tit.  Ill,  1,  252 ;  Cym.  I,  4,  180. 

The  word  starveth,  as  found  in  Rom. 
V,  1,  70,  was  changed  to  stareth  by 
Rowe  who  followed  Otway's  modified 
plagiarism  of  the  line  in  his  Caius 
Marius.  Many  eds.,  including  Dyce, 
Singer,  Grant  White  (Riverside  ed.) 
have  adopted  the  emendation,  which 
has  been  strongly  defended  by  Ritson. 

Starveling  the  Tailor,  d7\p.    Mids. 

state.    1.  The  chair  in  which  persons  of 
very  high  office  are  seated.   Tw.  II,  5,  50. 
2.  A  person  of  high  rank.     John  II,  1, 
395;  Troil.  II,  3,  118;  Cym.  Ill,  4,  39. 

station.  Act  or  mode  of  standing.  Mcb. 
V,  8,  42 ;  Hml.  Ill,  4, 58 ;  Ant.  Ill,  3, 22. 

Statist.  A  statesman.  Hml.  V,  2,  33; 
Cym.  II,  4,  16. 

statua.  A  statue.  RIII.  Ill,  7,  25.  So 
written  in  this  and  other  passages  where 
the  metre  requires  a  trisyllabic  word. 

statue.    Image.     Gent.  IV,  4,  206. 

statute.  A  bond ;  obligation  ;  security. 
Sonn.  CXXXIV,  9  ;  Hml.  V,  1,  113. 

statute  caps.  Woollen  caps  ordered  by 
Act  of  Parliament  (passed  in  1571)  to  be 
worn  on  Sabbath  days  and  holidays  by 
all  persons  above  the  age  of  six  years, 
with  the  exception  of  the  nobility  and 
a  few  others.  The  act  was  passed  for 
the  benefit  of  the  cappers  or  cap-makers, 
and  the  penalty  for  violating  it  was  ten 
groats.  The  obvious  meaning  of  the 
passage  (LLL.  V,  2,  281)  is  that  Better 
wits  may  be  found  amongst  the  com- 
m,on  peojile. 

staves.  The  wood  of  the  lances  and 
sometimes  used  for  the  lances  them- 
selves.   Mcb.  V,  7,  18 ;  RIII,  V,  3,  65. 

Some  light  will  be  thrown  on  the 
second  passage  if  we  remember  that  it 
was  usual  to  carry  more  than  one  into 
the  field,  and  hence  the  lightness  of 
them  was  an  object  of  consequence. 
Steevens, 


stead.    1.  To  profit;  to  be  of  advantage; 
to  help.     Tp.  I,  2,  165;  Gent.  II,  1,  119 ; 
Meas.  I,  4,  17 ;  Merch.  I,  3,  7. 
2.  With  wp;  to  supply  ;  to  replace.  Meas. 
Ill,  1,  260. 

stealers.    See  pickers. 

steep  down.    Precipitous.    0th.  V,  2, 280. 

stelled.  1.  Starry;  stellar.  Lr.  111,7,61. 
2.  Fixed.  Lucr.  1,444;  Sonn.  XXIV,  1. 
It  has  been  suggested  that  in  the  latter 
passages  the  word  is  a  variant  of  stalled 
or  placed  in  a  stall.  Others  regard  the 
word  as  a  doubtful  reading. 

Stepliano,  dr. p.    A  drunken  butler.   Tp. 

Stephano,  dr. p.  Servant  to  Portia. 
Merch. 

sternage.    Steerage.    HV.  Ill,  Prol.  18. 

sticking  place.  This  expression,  as  found 
in  Mcb.  I,  7,  60,  is  "a  metaphor,  per- 
haps, taken  from  the  screiving-up  the 
chords  of  string-instruments  to  their 
proper  degree  of  tension,  when  the  peg 
remains  fast  in  its  sticking-place,  i.e., 
in  the  place  from  which  it  is  not  to 
move."    Steevens. 

stickler.  "  A  stickler  was  one  who  stood 
by  to  part  the  combatants  when  victory 
could  be  determined  without  bloodshed. 
They  are  often  mentioned  by  Sidney. 
'Anthony,'  says  Sir  Thomas  North  in 
his  translation  of  '  Plutarch,'  '  was  him- 
self in  person  a  stickler  to  part  the 
young  men  when  they  had  fought 
enough.'  "    Steevens. 

stickler-like.  Like  a  stickler.  Troil.  V, 
8,  18. 

stigmatic.  One  on  whom  nature  has  set 
a  mark  of  deformity — a  stigm^a.  2HVI. 
V,  1,  215  ;  3HVI.  II,  2,  136. 

stigmatical.    Deformed.    Ezt.  IV,  2,  22. 

stile.    A  device  for  passing  over  a  fence, 

.  usually  consisting  of  a  double  set  of 
stairs.     Wint.  IV,  3,  133. 

In  Ado.  V,  2,  6,  Li  so  high  a  style, 
Margaret,  that  no  man  living  shall 
come  over  it,  Delius  sees  a  pun  on  style 
and  stile,  and  again  a  play  on  the  words 
"come  over  it,"  which  may  mean  either 
to  surpass  or  to  cross  over  it.  In  the 
Fi.  the  word  is  spelt  stile.  See  also  LLL. 
I,  1,  201 ,  and  IV,  1,  98.    See  stair. 


8TI 


812 


8T0 


still,  adv.    Constantly.     Tp.  I,  2,  229 ; 

RIII.  IV,  4,  344. 
still,  adj.    Constant ;  continual.    Tit.  Ill, 

2,  45.   (Silent ;  calm ;  patient.   Schmidt. ) 
stUI-stand.    An  absolute  stop.    2HIV.  II, 

3,  64.     We  now  invert  the  order  of  the 
two  words  and  use  "stand-still." 

stilly.    Softly.    HV.  IV,  Prol.  5. 

stinking.  It  was  suggested  by  Mason 
that  stinking,  as  it  occurs  in  Lr.  II,  4, 
72,  should  read  sinking  as  being  ifaore 
expressive  of  fallen  fortunes,  and  re- 
ferred to  Ant.  Ill,  10,  26,  for  confirma- 
tion of  this  view;  upon  which, Malone 
made  the  following  remark :  "Mankind, 
says  the  fool,  may  be  divided  into  those 
who  can  see  and  those  who  are  blind. 
All  men,  but  blind  men,  though  they 
follow  their  noses,  are  led  by  their  eyes ; 
and  this  class  of  mankind,  seeing  the 
king  ruined,  have  all  deserted  him : 
with  respect  to  the  other  class,  the  blind, 
who  have  nothing  but  their  noses  to 
guide  them,  they  also  fly  equally  from 
a  king  w^hose  fortunes  are  declining ; 
for  of  the  noses  of  twenty  blind  men 
there  is  not  one  but  can  smell  him,  who 
'being  rauddy'd  in  fortune's  mood, 
smells  somewhat  strongly  of  her  dis- 
pleasure.' [All's.  V,  2,  4.]  You  need 
not  therefore  be  surprised  at  Lear's 
coming  with  so  small  a  train," 

Stint.    To  cease.    Rom.  I,  3,  48 ;  Per.  IV, 

4,  42. 

stitliy,  n.  A  smith's  forge  ;  literally,  the 
place  where  the  stith  or  anvil  (Scotch, 
studdy  or stuthy)  stands.  Hml.  Ill,  2, 89. 

stitliy ,  V.  To  forge ;  to  form  on  an  anvil. 
Troil.  IV,  5,  255. 

stoccado,  )    A  thrust  in  fencing.    Wiv. 

stoccata.   \     II,  1,  234 ;  Rom.  Ill,  1,  77. 

stoclc,  n.  1.  A  stocking.  Grent.  Ill,  1, 
312 ;  Shr.  Ill,  2,  67. 

2.  A  thrust  in  fencing ;  astoccado.  Wiv. 
II,  3,  26. 

stock,  V.  To  put  in  the  stocks.  Lr.  II, 
2,  139 ;  do.  II,  4,  191. 

stock-fish.  Dried  cod.  Meas.  Ill,  2,  116 ; 
IHIV.  II,  4,  271.  Make  a  stock-fish  of 
thee  =  lt)eat  thee  as  stock-flsh  is  beaten 
before  it  is  boiled.    Tp.  Ill,  2,  79. 


stockings,  tall.  "Stockings  drawn  high 
above  the  knee."  Fairholt.  HVIII.  I, 
3,  80. 

stomach, n.  1.  Anger;  resentment.  Glent. 
I,  2,  68 ;  IHVI.  I,  3,  90 ;  Lr.  V,  3,  74. 

2.  Courage ;  stubbornness.  Tp.  I,  2, 
157;  2HIV.  I,  1,  129.  See  quotation 
from  Rastell  under  Richard  Goeur-de- 
Lion. 

3.  Pride;  arrogance.  Shr.  V,  2,  176; 
HVIII.  IV,  2,  34. 

stomach,  v.    To  be  angry  at ;  to  resent. 

Ant.  Ill,  4,  12  ;  do.  II,  2,  9. 
stone-bow.  A  cross-bow  from  which 
stones  or  bullets  were  shot.  Tw.  II,  5, 51. 
stones,  a  philosopher's  two.  Warbur- 
ton  explains  Falstaff's  expression,  I  will 
make  him  a  philosopher'' s  two  stones 
to  me  (2HIV.  Ill,  2,  a55),  thus:  "One 
of  which  was  an  universal  medicine, 
and  the  other  a  transmuter  of  base 
metals  into  gold."  Johnson  took  ex- 
ception to  the  assertion  that  the  uni- 
versal medicine  was  a  stone  and  sug- 
gested that  Falstaff  meant  a  stone  of 
twice  the  value  of  the  usually  recognised 
philosopher '  s  stone.  That  the  el  ixir  was 
supposed  to  be  a  stone  is  shown  by  a 
passage  in  Churchyard's  "  Commenda- 
tion," etc.  (1593) : 
Wrate  sundry  workes,  as  well  doth 

yet  appeare 
Of  stone  for  gold,  and  shewed  plaine 

and  cleare, 
A  stone  for  health. 

Falstaff  evidently  meant  that  he  would 
get  health  and  wealth  from  Shallow. 
He  got  the  wealth  to  the  extent  of  a 
thousand  pounds.  (See  2HIV.  V,  5, 12.) 
The  3rd  Var.,  Vol.  XVII,  p.  141,  et  seq., 
contains  lengthy  notes  on  the  point. 

stool  ball.  A  game  still  played  in  some 
parts  of  England.  It  is  played  only  by 
women  and  girls  and  is  almost  like 
cricket.    Kins.  V,  2,  69. 

stool  for  a  witch.  Upon  this  expression, 
which  occurs  in  Troil.  II,  1,  46,  Johnson 
has  the  following  note:  "In  one  way 
of  trying  a  witch  they  used  to  place 
her  upon  a  chair  or  stool,  with  her  legs 
tied  across,  that  all  the  weight  of  her 


STO 


313 


STR 


body  might  rest  upon  her  seat ;  and  by 
that  means,  after  some  time,  the  cir- 
culation of  the  blood  in  some  hours 
would  be  much  stopt,  and  her  sitting 
would  be  as  painful  as  the  wooden 
horse." 

stoop.  To  swoop  or  pounce  down  upon 
prey.     HV.  IV,  1,  113 ;  Cym.  V,  3,  42. 

stop.  In  Mids.  V,  1,  120,  this  word  is, 
according  to  Wright,  a  technical  term 
in  horsemanship,     c/.  Compl.  109. 

stored.    Filled.    Per.  II,  3,  49. 

stout.  Proud ;  overbearing.  Tw.  II,  5, 
185;  2HVI.  1,1,187. 

stover.  Fodder  for  cattle.  Tp.  IV,  1, 
63.  From  estovers,  a  law  term,  which 
is  so  explained  in  the  law  dictionaries. 
Both  are  derived  from  the  old  French 
word  estouvier,  which  signifies  pro- 
vision. 

Strachy.  A  title  of  which  no  explanation 
has  yet  been  given.     Tw.  II,  5,  45. 

Furness  in  his  ed.  of  this  play  fills 
nearly  five  pages  with  suggested  emend- 
ations and  explanations,  but  as  he  him- 
self says,  they  do  not  bring  us  any 
nearer  to  a  true  understanding  of  the 
subject.  There  needs  no  ghost  come 
from  the  grave  to  tell  us  that  in  all 
ages  there  have  been  women  who 
married  beneath  them,  and  unless  we 
can  find  the  particular  story  to  which 
Malvolio  alluded,  all  conjectures  as  to 
what  Strachy  might  mean  are  futile. 
That  there  was  such  a  story  current  at 
the  time  this  play  was  brought  out 
and  that  it  appealed  to  the  theatre- 
going  public  is  more  than  probable, 
but  thus  far  we  have  found  no  trace 
of  it. 

straight-pight.  Straight-built ;  straight- 
fixed  ;  standing  erect.     Cym.  V,  5,  164. 

strain,  n.    1.   DiflSculty;  doubt.    Troil. 

I,  3,  326. 

2.  Disposition;  motion  of  the  mind.  Wiv. 

II,  1,  91 ;  Ado.  II,  1,  394 ;  LLL.  V,  2, 
770;  Troil.  11,2,  113. 

3.  Stock ;  race.  HV.  II,  4,  51 ;  Tim.  I, 
1,  259. 

strain,  V.  1.  To  filter ;  to  purify.  Troil. 
IV,  4,  26  ;  do.  IV,  5,  169. 


2.  To  wrench  ;  to  constrain.     Rom.  IV, 

1,  47 ;  Merch.  IV,  1,  184. 

Strain  courtesy  =  overdo  courtesy ; 
to  decline  to  go  first.  Rora.  II,  4,  53. 
On  this  passage  Mr.  Staunton  observes : 
"When  anyone  hesitated  to  take  the 
post  of  honour  in  a  perilous  undertaking 
he  was  sarcastically  said  to  strain 
courtesy.  Turberville  applies  the  ex- 
pression to  dogs  as  Sh.  does :  '  for  many 
hounds  will  strain  courtesie  at  this 
chace.'" 

straited.  At  a  loss;  straitened.  Wint. 
IV,  4,  365. 

strange.  This  word  literally  means  ' *  that 
which  is  without ' '  (Skeat) ;  hence  foreign 
and  outlandish.  Metaphorically,  it  might 
mean  abnormal ;  beyond  all  rule  ;  extra- 
ordinary. Schm.  also  gives  the  mean- 
ing "enormous,"  no  doubt  equivalent 
to  very  great,  and  in  this  sense  explains 
it  as  it  occurs  in  Lr.  II,  1,  79,  in  the 
Folios.     See  strong. 

strangely.    1.  As  a  thing  belonging  to 
another  country  or  to  another  people. 
Wint.  II,  3,  182. 
2.  Distantly  ;    reservedly ;  as    if    unac- 
quainted.    Sonn.  XLIX,  5 ;  2HIV.  V, 

2,  63  ;  Troil.  Ill,  3,  39. 
strangeness.    Reserve;  coyness;  distant 

behavior.     Ven.    310;    Tw.   IV,   1,  16; 
Troil.  Ill,  3,  45. 

stranger,  n.  A  foreigner.  HVIII.  II, 
2,  102. 

stranger,  adj.    Foreign.    John  V,  2,  27. 

strappado.  "  A  military  punishment. 
*  *  *  the  term  is  evidently  taken 
from  the  Italian  strappare,  to  pull  or 
draw  with  violence."  Douce.  IHIV. 
II,  4,  262. 

Holmes,  in  his  "  Academy  of  Armory 
and  Blazon,"  thus  describes  it:  "The 
Half  Strapp)ado  is  to  have  the  Mans 
hands  tyed  behind  his  Back,  and  so  by 
them  to  be  drawn  up  to  a  considerable 
height,  and  so  let  down  again  ;  this,  in 
the  least  of  it,  cannot  but  pull  either 
the  Shoulders  or  Elbows  or  both  out  of 
Joynt.— The  Whole  Strappado  is  when 
the  i^erson  is  drawn  up  to  his  height, 
and  then  suddenly  to  let  him  fall  half 


8T& 


314 


STY 


way  with  a  jerk,  which  not  only  break- 
eth  his  Arms  to  pieces,  but  also  shaketh 
all  his  Joynts  out  of  Joint ;  which 
Punishment  is  better  to  be  Hanged  than 
for  a  Man  to  Undergo." 

Strato,  dr.  p.    Servant  to  Brutus.    Caes. 

straw.  "  A  wisp,  or  small  twist  of  straw 
or  hay,  was  often  applied  as  a  mark  of 
opprobrium  to  an  immodest  woman,  a 
scold,  or  similar  offender;  even  the 
showing  it  to  a  woman  was,  there- 
fore, considered  as  a  grievous  affront." 
Nares.    3HVI.  II,  2,  144. 

strewments.  Strewing ;  things  strewed. 
Hml.  V,  1,  256.  From  the  context 
{virgin  crantz,  maiden  strewments) 
and  what  is  afterwards  said,  this  term 
seems  to  refer  to  more  than  the  mere 
affectionate  strewing  of  flowers  upon 
the  grave,  such  as  the  queen  offered. 
Was  it  the  strewing  of  earth  on  the 
coflin— "Dust  to  dust"?  Evidently 
some  special  ceremony,     ^ee  priest. 

stricture.    Strictness.    Meas.  I,  3,  12. 

strike.  1.  A  naval  term  signifying  to 
submit ;  to  give  way.  2HIV.  V,  2,  18 ; 
RII.  II,  1,  266. 

2.  To  tap ;  to  broach.  Ant.  II,  7,  103. 
The  word  strike  in  this  passage  puzzled 
Johnson,  Steevens,  Ritson,  Holt  White 
and  many  others.  Some  claim  that  it 
means  to  strike  the  drinking  cups  to- 
gether as  is  now  the  custom  with  some 
drinkers,  and  as  is  supposed  to  be  meant 
by  lago  in  his  song,  "  Let  me  the  cana- 
kin  clink,  clink."    See  clink. 

It  occurs  in  the  sense  of  broach  in 
Prior's  "Alma"  : 

L'Avare,  not  using  half  his  store, 
Still  grumbles  that  he  has  no  more  ; 
Strikes  not  the  present  tun,  for  fear 
The  vintage  should  be  bad  next  year. 
Etc.,  etc. 

3.  To  blast ;  to  destroy  (used  in  regard 
to  planetary  influences).  Wint.  I,  2, 
201 ;  Hml.  I,  1,  162. 

striker.  A  thief;  a  robber;  a  dissolute 
fellow.  IHIV.  II,  1,  82.  "  Long-staff 
sixpenny  strikers  =  "fellows  that  in- 
fest the  road  with  long  staffs  and  knock 
men  dowu  for   sixpence."    Johnson, 


Malone  says  that  "  a  striker  had  some 
cant  signification  with  which  at  present 
we  are  not  exactly  acquainted."  In 
Greene's  "  Art  of  Coneycatching  "  (1592) 
under  the  table  of  "  Cant  Expressions 
used  by  Thieves,"  the  cutting  a  pocket 
or  picking  a  purse  is  called  "striking," 
and  in  "A  Collection  of  the  Canting 
Words  and  Terms,  both  Ancient  and 
Modern,  used  by  Beggars,  etc.,"  ap- 
pended to  Vol.  II  of  Bailey's  Dictionary 
(1760),  the  definition  given  of  the  word 
strike  is  "  to  beg ;  to  rob ;  also  to  borrow 
money,"  and  a  long  list  of  expressions 
containing  the  word  is  given.  The  word 
has  to-day  the  same  meaning  in  modern 
slang,  and  "to  strike  any  one"  is  a 
well-known  expression. 

strong.  Reckless  ;  determined.  Tim.  IV, 
3,  45 ;  Lr.  II,  1,  79.  In  the  latter  pass- 
age the  word  is  strong  in  the  Qnartos, 
strange  in  the  Folios.  Both  the  Cam- 
bridge and  the  Globe  eds.  read  strong , 
and  this  is  the  reading  in  the  g.a.  text. 
See  strange. 

strossers.  Trousers;  tight  drawers  or 
breeches.     HV.  Ill,  7,  57. 

stuck.  Stoccado,  a  thrust  in  fencing; 
more  properly  stock,  a  contraction  of 
stoccado.  Tw.  Ill,  4,  303  ;  Hml.  IV,  7, 
162.     In  some  eds.  stuckin  or  stuck-in. 

studied.  Practised.  Merch.  II,  2,  211; 
Mob.  I,  4,  9. 

stuff.  The  most  important  element ;  the 
essential  part.     Oth.  I,  2,  2. 

stumbling  niglit.  A  night  which  causes 
one  to  stumble.    John  V,  5,  18. 

Styga.  Per  Styga,  per  Manes  vehor 
(Latin)  =  I  am  borne  through  the  Styx, 
through  the  kingdom  of  the  dead.  Tit. 
II,  1,  135. 

style,  n.  Title.  Large  style  ==  long  list 
of  titles.    2HVI.  I,  1,  111.     See  stile. 

style,  V.  To  fix  or  determine  the  style  or 
rank.    Kins.  I,  1,  83. 

Styx.  The  principal  river  in  the  nether 
world,  around  which  it  flows  seven 
times.  The  name  is  derived  from  the 
Greek  verb  to  hate  or  to  abhor.  Styx 
is  described  as  a  daughter  of  Oceanus 
and  Tethys.    As  a  nymph  she  dwelt  at 


SUB 


315 


SUG 


the  entrance  of  Hades,  in  a  lofty  grotto 
which  was  supported  by  silver  columns. 
As  a  river,  Styx  is  described  as  a 
branch  of  Oceanus,  flowing  from  its 
tenth  source;  and  the  River  Cocytus, 
again,  is  a  branch  of  the  Styx.  By 
Pallas,*  Styx  became  the  mother  of 
Zelus  (zeal),  Nice  (victory),  Bia  (strength) 
and  Cratos  (power).  She  was  the  first 
of  all  the  immortals  who  took  her 
children  to  Jupiter  to  assist  him  against 
the  Titans  ;  and  in  return  for  this,  her 
children  were  allowed  forever  to  live 
with  Jupiter,  and  Styx  herself  became 
the  divinity  by  whom  the  most  solemn 
oaths  were  sworn.  When  one  of  the 
gods  had  to  take  an  oath  by  Styx,  Iris 
fetched  a  cup  full  of  water  from  the 
Styx,  and  the  god,  while  taking  the 
oath,  poured  out  the  water.  See  Charon. 

subscribe.  To  yield ;  to  give  up.  2HVI. 
Ill,  1,  38 ;  Troil.  IV,  5,  105 ;  Tit.  IV,  2, 
130 ;  Lr.  I,  2,  24. 

The  passage  in  Lr.  Ill,  7,  65,  All 
crweZseisesti6scrt6ed,  is  rather  obscure. 
The  Folios  read  subscribe;  the  Quartos 
subscribed.  That  the  word  here  means 
yielded  or  submitted  seems  the  general 
opinion ;  cruels  is  held  by  some  to  mean 
cruel  creatures  like  the  wolves  men- 
tioned two  lines  above  ;  others  think  it 
means  cruel  habits,  acts  or  practices. 
Craig,  in  his  ed.  of  Lear,  just  out,  ex- 
plains it  thus :  *'  gave  up  for  a  time  their 
ci'uel  habits  and  fierceness  " — "  their  " 
evidently  referring  to  the  wolves.  Fur- 
ness,  after  quoting  many  comments, 
says :  "  This  is  to  me  the  most  puzzling 
phrase  in  this  play,  more  puzzling  even 
than  *  runaways'  eyes '  or  '  the  dram  of 
eale. '  *  *  *  None  of  the  interpreta- 
tions are  to  my  mind  satisfactory. ' '  His 
explanation  in  condensed  form  is : 
"Acknowledge  the  claims  of  all  crea- 
tures, however  cruel  they  may  be  at 
other  times." 

subscription.  Submission  ;  obedience  ; 
allegiance.     Lr.  Ill,  2,  18. 

substractors.  Probably  Sir  Toby's  blun- 
der for  detractors.  Tw.  I,  3,  37.  It  is 
.0.  curious  fact  that  subtraction  is  fre- 


quently  pronounced    substraction   in 
some  parts  of  Great  Britain. 

subtilties.  Referring  to  this  word,  as  it 
occurs  in  Tp.  V,  1,  124,  Steevens  says  : 
"  This  is  a  phrase  adopted  from  ancient 
cookery  and  confectionary.  When  a 
dish  was  so  contrived  as  to  appear  un- 
like what  it  really  was,  they  called  it  a 
subtilty.  Dragons,  castles,  trees,  etc., 
made  out  of  sugar  had  the  like  denomin- 
ation. *  *  *  Froissart  complains  much 
of  this  practice,  whjch  often  led  him 
into  mistakes  at  dinner. 

success.  1.  Succession.  2HIV.  IV,  2,  47. 
In  whose  success  (Wint.  I,  2,  394)  =  in 
succession  from  whom.  Johnson. 
2.  Issue  ;  consequence.  Oth.  Ill,  3,  222. 
In  this  passage  the  word  has  its  radical 
or  etymological  sense  of  succeeding  or 
following  after  and  does  not  in  any 
degree  carry  its  present  meaning  of  good 
fortune. 

successantly.  In  succession.  Tit.  IV, 
4,  112. 

successor.  Having  a  right  of  succession  or 
inheritance.  Sonn.  CXXVII,  3 ;  2HVI. 
Ill,  1,  49 ;  Tit.  I,  1,  4. 

sucking  dove.  Wright  calls  attention  to 
Bottom's  "blunder  of  'sucking  dove' 
for  'sucking  lamb.'  "  Mids.  I,  2,  85.  Is 
it  a  blunder  ?  Has  Wright  given  care- 
ful attention  to  the  manner  in  which 
young  doves  are  fed  ?  Did  he  ever  hear 
of  "dove's  milk"?  Sh.  knew  some 
things  which  even  the  coms.  do  not 
seem  to  know. 

suffer'd.  Let  alone;  allowed  to  go  on. 
2HVI.  111,2,262. 

Suffolk,  Duke  of,  dr.p,  A  Lancastrian. 
2HVI. 

Suffolk,  Duke  of,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

Suffolk,  Earl  of,  dr.p.  Afterwards  duke. 
IHVI.  and  2HVI. 

suggest.  To  tempt ;  to  seduce.  Gent. 
Ill,  1,  34  ;  All's.  IV,  5,  47 ;  HVIII.  I, 
1,  164;  Oth.  II,  3,  358.  "The  verb 
to  suggest,  in  Sh.,  has  generally  the 
sense  of  to  tempt,  to  incite  to  evil." 
Craig. 

suggestion.  Temptation;  seduction.  An 
expression  takeu  f  I'om  HoUnshed,  mean- 


SUF 


316 


STJN 


ing,  perhaps,  any  underhand  practice. 
2HIV.  IV,  4,  45  ;  HVIII.  IV,  2,  35. 
sufferance.    1.  Connivance.    As.  II,  2,  3. 

2.  Death  by  execution.     HV.  II,  2,  159. 

3.  Damage ;  loss.     0th.  II,  1,  23. 

4.  Suffering.     Troil.  I,  1,  28. 
suffigance.    Dogberry's  blunder  for  suf- 
ficient.    Ado.  Ill,  5,  56. 

suit.    To  clothe  ;  to  dress.     As.  I,  3,  118  ; 

Cym.  V,  1,  23. 
sullen.    Sad ;  melancholy.    John  1, 1,  28 ; 

2HIV.  I,  1,  102. 
suUens.    Moroseness ;   dumps.    RII.   II, 

1,  139. 
summer.    When  Sh.  makes  Perdita  say 
(Wint.  IV,  4,  107)  : 

These  are  flowers 
Of  middle  summer,  and,  I  think,  they 

are  given 
To  men  of  middle  age, 

he,  no  doubt,  had  in  mind  that  in 
heraldry  certain  flowers  were,  as  the 
heralds  say,  "given"  to  certain  ages. 
Hunter  ("New  Illustrations,"  Vol.  I, 
p.  420)  quotes  from  Sir  John  Feme's 
"  Blazon  of  Gentry  "  (1586)  as  follows  : 

Infancy.— The  Lilly  and  White  Rose. 
Puerility.— The  Blue  Lilly. 
Adolescence.— The  Mary  Gold. 
Lusty  Green  Youth.— All  manner  of 

verdures  or  green  things. 
Virility.— Gillofer  and  Red  Rose. 
Grey  Hairs.- The  Violet. 
Decrepitude. — The  Aubifaine. 

The  word  aubifaine  is  not  to  be  found 
in  our  dictionaries,  but  Cotgrave  gives 
"  Aubifoin :  the  weed  Blew-bottle,  Blew- 
blow,  Corne-flower,  Hurtsickle." 

La  Pucelle's  promise  in  IHVI.  I,  2, 
131,  Expect  St.  Martinis  Summer, 
halcyon  days,  means:  "Expect  pros- 
perity after  misfortune,  like  fair  weather 
at  Martlemas,  after  winter  has  begun." 
Johnson.  Saint  Martin's  Day  is  the 
11th  of  November,  and  about  this  time 
there  is  frequently  a  period  of  mild 
weather,  which  in  Great  Britain  is 
called  St.  Martin's  summer.  It  seems 
to  correspond  to  our  Indian  summer. 
So  that  La  Pucelle  means  to  say,  in 
other  words,  after  the  winter  of  mis- 


fortune will  come  the  summer  of  suc- 
cess.   See  halcyon. 

For  all-hallown  sum.m,er  see  all- 
hallown,  and  for  m,iddle  sum,m,er''s 
spring  see  spring. 

summered.  Provided,  as  cattle  are  with 
pasture.     HV.  V,  2,  334. 

sumpter.  A  sumpter-horse  is  a  pack- 
horse  ;  a  horse  that  carries  provisions, 
etc.  In  Lr.  II,  4,  219,  the  word  is  usu- 
ally explained  as  "  a  pack- horse  driver," 
but  more  probably  it  has  the  meaning 
given  by  Cotgrave,  s.v.  "Sommier: 
A  sumpter-horse ;  (and  generally  any 
toyling,  and  load-carrying,  drudge,  or 
groome.) 

sun.  The  proverb  which  Kent  in  his 
soliloquy  addresses  to  King  Lear  :  Thou 
out  of  heaven^s  benediction  com.estto 
the  warm  sun  (Lr.  II,  2,  169)  is  fre- 
quently found  in  the  literature  of  that 
time.  The  meaning  is  obviously  to  go 
from  better  to  worse,  but  how  it  came 
to  take  this  form  is  not  so  clear.  Han- 
mer  observes  that  it  is  a  proverbial 
saying,  applied  to  those  who  are  turned 
out  of  house  and  home  to  the  open 
weather;  to  which  Johnson  adds:  "It 
was  perhaps  used  of  men  dismissed  from 
an  hospital,  or  house  of  charity,  such 
as  was  erected  formerly  in  many  places 
for  travellers.  Those  houses  had  names 
properly  enough  alluded  to  by  heaven^s 
benediction.''^  Furness,  following  Ma- 
lone,  objects  that  Lear  "  is  not  yet 
homeless. "  How  Furness  could  be  thus 
misled  is  a  puzzle  to  me.  Lear  had  just 
been  turned  away  from  Goneril'shome; 
on  going  to  Regan's  he  had  found  the 
place  closed  and  the  owners  departed  for 
the  castle  of  Gloucester,  whither  he  fol- 
lows them  only  to  be  turned  out  except 
upon  conditions  to  which  his  kingly  pride 
would  not  submit.  It  is  true  that  Lear 
had  not  yet  found  this  out,  but  shrewd 
old  Kent,  in  whose  mouth  the  speech  is 
put,  saw  it  all  clearly,  and  events  turned 
out  precisely  as  Hanmer's  interpretation 
describes — the  old  king  was  at  that  very 
time  practically  turned  out  of  house 
and  home.    The  most  recent  attempt  at 


SUN 


817 


SUE 


explanation  is  that  of  Craig  in  his  ed.  of 
Lear,  p.  93 :  "  Can  it  refer  to  the  folly 
of  leaving  some  grateful  and  beneficent 
shade,  as  of  a  spreading  tree,  to  journey 
or  toil  in  the  extreme  heat  of  the  mid- 
day sun?"  Did  Craig  have  in  mind  that 
passage  in  Isaiah  xxxii,  2:  "As  the 
shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary 
land  "  ?    See  sun-buimt. 

Referring  to  Hamlet's  speech,  /  am 
too  much  V  the  sun  (Hml.  I,  2,  67), 
Dowden  remarks :  "  Hamlet's  delight 
in  ambiguous  and  double  meanings 
makes  it  probable  that  a  plSy  is  intended 
on  '  sun '  and  '  son. '  He  is  too  much  in 
the  sunshine  of  the  court,  and  too  much 
in  the  relation  of  son — son  to  a  dead 
father,  son  to  an  incestuous  mother,  son 
to  an  uncle- father.  It  was  suggested  by 
Johnson  that  there  is  an  allusion  to  the 
proverbial  expression  (see  Lear  II,  2, 
168) :  '  Out  of  heaven's  blessing  into  the 
warm  sun,'  which  means  to  be  out  of 
house  and  home ;  Hamlet  is  deprived  of 
the  throne.  Schmidt  takes  it  to  mean 
merely,  'I  am  more  idle  and  careless 
than  I  ought  to  be. ' " 

Our  half -faced  sun.  This  expression, 
found  in  2HVI.  IV,  1,  98,  is  thus  ex- 
plained :  "  Edward  the  third  bare  for 
his  device  the  rays  of  the  sun  dispersing 
themselves  out  of  a  cloud."  Camden 
quoted  by  Dyce.  The  motto,  Invitis 
nuhibus,  means  :  In  spite  of  the  clouds. 
sun-burnt.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in 
Ado.  II,  1,  331,  Thus  goes  every  one  to 
the  world,  but  /,  and  I  am  sun-burnt, 
has  received  various  explanations. 
Steevens  says  sun-burnt  means:  "I 
have  lost  my  beauty  and  am  conse- 
quently no  longer  such  an  object  as  can 
tempt  a  man  to  marry."  And  Collier 
says  the  meaning  is  :  "  her  beauty  is 
damaged."  Hunter,  in  his  "New  Illus- 
trations," devotes  four  pages  and  a  half 
to  showing  that  the  expression  "sun- 
burnt" meant  destitute  of  family  rela- 
tions, and  paraphrases  the  passage  as 
follows:  "Thus  every  one  finds  her 
mate  and  I  am  left  alone  in  the  world, 
a  solitary  woman." 


Halliwell,  Staunton,  Wright  and  Rolfe 
seem  to  agree  with  Steevens,  but  Fur- 
ness  accepts  Hunter's  explanation  on 
the  ground  that  "  any  interpretation  is 
better  than  that  of  supposing  that 
Beatrice  was  angling  for  a  compliment, 
which  the  disparaging  remark  of  a 
woman  on  her  own  good  looks  always 
is. "  In  this  it  seems  to  me  that  Furness 
is  unquestionably  right. 

That  sun-burnt  had  generally  the 
plain,  obvious  meaning  of  tanned  by 
the  sun,  as  in  Tp.  IV,  1,  134,  and  con- 
sequently connoted  the  destruction  of 
beauty,  as  in  HV.  V,  2,  154,  and  Troil. 
I,  3, 282,  is  unquestionable.  But  it  may 
also  have  had  an  idiomatic  meaning, 
and  this  it  probably  has  in  Ado.  See 
world. 

Sundays.  Benedict's  expression :  Sigh 
away  Sundays  (Ado.  I,  1,  204),  is  said 
by  Warburton  to  be  a  proverbial  one  to 
signify  that  "  a  man  has  no  rest  at  all," 
but  there  is  no  instance  of  such  a  pro- 
verb. Wright  explains  it  as,  "  when 
you  will  have  most  leisure  to  reflect  on 
your  captive  condition  ";  to  which  Fur- 
ness adds:  "And  when,  owing  to  the 
domesticity  of  the  day,  you  cannot 
escape  from  your  yoke-fellow." 

superflux.    Superfluity.     Lr.  Ill,  4,  35. 

supervise,  )    Inspection ;  mere  sight  of. 

supervize.  f     Hml.  V,  2,  23. 

suppliance.  Supply ;  gratification ;  diver- 
sion.    Hml.  I,  3,  9. 

suppliant.  Auxiliary;  furnishing  sup- 
plies. Cym.  Ill,  7, 14.  Spelt  supplyant 
in  some  eds. 

supply.    1.  To  gratify;  to  content.   Meas. 
V,  1,  212 ;  Oth.  IV,  1,  28. 
2.  To  fill  a  place.     Shr.  Ill,  2,  249;  Tw. 
I,  1,  38. 

supposal.    Opinion.    Hml.  I,  2,  18. 

supposes,  n.  Tricks ;  deceptions ;  assumed 
characters.     Shr.  V,  1,  120. 

sur-addition.  Extra  title;  surname.  Cym. 
I,  1,  33. 

surcease,  n.  Cessation  ;  stop  ;  death. 
Mcb.  I,  7,  4. 

surcease,  v.  To  cease.  Cor.  Ill,  2,  121 ; 
Rom.  IV,  1,  67. 


STTB 


318 


SWE 


Sure-card.  A  name  which  occurs  in 
2HIV.  Ill,  2,  95. 

This  was  a  term  used  for  a  boon  com- 
panion, so  lately  as  the  latter  end  of 
the  last  century,  by  one  of  the  trans- 
lators of  Suetonius.  It  is  observable 
that  many  of  Sh.  names  are  invented 
and  characteristical.  Master  Forth- 
light,  the  tilter;  Master  Shoe-tie,  the 
traveller ;  Master  Smooth,  the  silkman, 
etc.,  etc.  Malone.  To  which  we  may 
add  Borachio,  which  in  Spanish  signifies 
a  vessel  made  of  the  skin  of  a  beast 
in  which  wine  is  kept ;  figuratively,  a 
drunkard. 

sur-reined.  Over-ridden ;  used  up.  HV. 
Ill,  5,  19. 

Surrey,  Duke  of,  dr. p.    RII. 

Surrey,  Earl  of,  dr.p.  Son  to  the  Duke 
of  Norfolk.     RIII.  and  HVIII. 

suspire.  To  breathe.  2HI V.  IV,  5,  33 ; 
John  III,  4,  80. 

swabber.  The  one  who  sweeps  the  deck  ; 
a  very  inferior  personage  in  the  ship's 
crew.  Tp.  II,  2,  48;  Tw.  I,  5,  217.  In 
the  latter  passage  Viola  takes  up  the 
nautical  metaphor  of  hoist  sail  and 
turns  it  contemptuously  against  Maria. 
Rolfe. 

swart.  Black.  Err.  Ill,  2,  104;  John 
III,  1,  46 ;  Tit.  II,  3,  72 ;  Gent.  II,  6,  26. 
In  some  eds.  swarthy  or  swarty. 

swarth,  n.  A  corruption  of  swath  (1),  a 
heaped  row  of  mown  grass.  Tw.  II, 
3,  162. 

swasher.  A  braggart;  a  bully.  HV. 
Ill,  2,  30. 

swashing.  1.  Swaggering;  hectoring.  As. 
I,  3,  122. 

2.  Sweeping ;  crushing.  Rom.  I,  1,  70. 
This  word  is  washing  in  the  Folios  and 
in  the  2nd  and  3rd  Quartos;  swashing 
in  4th  and  5th  Quartos. 

It  is  possible  that  washing  may  be 
right,  as  it  seems  that  it  was  a  technical 
term  in  quarter-staff  play. 

swath.    1.   A  line  of  grass  as  it  is  cut 
and  thrown  in  a  lengthened  heap  by  the 
scythe.    Troil.  V,  5,  25. 
2.  The  bandages  wrapped  round  new- 
born chUdren.    Tim.  IV,  3,  352. 


swathling.  Same  as  swaddling  ;  bandages 
for  new-born  children.  IHIV.  Ill,  2, 112. 

sway.    To  move.    2HIV.  IV,  1,  24. 

swear.  Thou  swear'' st  thy  gods  in  vain. 
Lr.  1, 1, 163.  The  preposition  by  is  here 
omitted ;  Sh.  frequently  omits  such 
prepositions.    See  ' '  Sh.  Gram. , "  §  200. 

The  passage  in  Wint.  I,  2,  424,  Swear 
his  thought  over  by  each  particular 
star  in  heaven,  is  said  by  Dr.  Purness 
not  to  be  obscure.  Nevertheless  it  has 
been  the  subject  of  some  comment  and 
emendation.  The  meaning  is  obvious : 
Even  if  ybu  should  outs  wear  his  asser- 
tions you  cannot  overcome  his  jealousy. 
Hotspur's  injunction  to  his  wife  (IHIV. 
II,  1,  258),  Swear  ine  Kate,  like  a  lady, 
receives  the  following  note  from  Clarke: 
"  Very  characteristic  of  Harry  Percy 
in  his  wishing  his  wife  to  abjure  minc- 
ing oaths,  and  to  come  out  with  good 
round  sonorous  ones.  Her  Majesty 
Queen  Elizabeth's  wonted  imprecations 
were  of  this  kind  ;  and  some  of  them, 
recorded  as  being  familiar  in  her  mouth, 
were  of  a  character  sufficiently  potential 
to  become  the  lips  of  the  daughter  of 
Henry  VIII.,  and  warrant  the  drama- 
tist in  making  Hotspur  say  '  Like  a  lady 
as  thou  art '  to  his  wife. " 

swearer.  One  who  uses  profane  language, 
hence,  a  dissolute  person.    Per.  IV,  6, 13. 

sweet.  Perfumed.  Tit.  II,  4,  6;  Rom. 
V,  3,  14.     See  rosemary. 

sweet  and  twenty.    See  twenty. 

sweeting.    1.   A  kind  of  apple  used  for 
sauce.     Rom.  II,  4,  83. 
2.  A  term  of  endearment.     Shr.  IV,  3, 
36;  0th.  11,3,252. 

sweetmeats.  As  mentioned  in  Rom.  I, 
4,  76,  are  explained  by  Malone  as  "kiss- 
ing-comfits.  Tliese  artificial  aids  to  per- 
fume the  breath  are  mentioned  by 
Falstaff  in  the  last  act  of  the  M,  W. 
of  W.,"  and  this  gloss  has  been  accepted 
by  most  corns. ,  Rolfe,  Schmidt,  Dowden 
and  even  the  sagacious  Dr.  Furness.  I 
regard  it  as  very  doubtful.  The  breath 
was  probably  tainted  by  the  indigestion 
caused  by  eating  articles  of  various 
kinds   preserved   in   sugar   or   honey, 


SWI 


319 


SYM 


which  was  extensively  used  for  sugar 
in  the  old  times.  That  Sh.  recognised 
the  effects  of  sweets  on  digestion  is  seen 
in  RII.  I,  3,  236,  Things  siveet  to  taste 
prove  in  digestion  sour.  So  in  Mids.  I, 
I,  34,  sweetmeats  probably  meant  no 
more  than  sweet  articles.  Kissing- 
comfits  were,  no  doubt,  extensively  used, 
but  were  called  by  their  proper  name. 

swift.  Prompt ;  ready.  Ado.  Ill,  1,  89 ; 
LLL.  Ill,  1,  63;  As.  V,  4,  65.  "Swift 
had  a  special  meaning,  'ready  at  re- 
plies,' or,  as  we  should  say,  'good  at 
repartee.'"    Marshall. 

switch  and  spurs.  In  the  Fl.  swits  and 
spurs.  By  this  Romeo  means,  "  whip 
up  your  flagging  wits."  Rom.  II,  4,  70. 
See  wild-goose. 

swill.    To  swallow  ;  to  gulp  down.    HV. 

III,  1,  14. 

swinge.  To  beat ;  to  strike.  Gent.  II, 
1,  91 ;  Wiv.  V,  5,  197 ;  2HIV.  V,  4,  23. 

swinge-buckler.  A  roisterer  ;  a  swash- 
buckler.   2HIV.  Ill,  2,  24. 

Swithold.  Probably  a  corruption  of  Saint 
Vitalis,  a  saint  that  was  specially  in- 
voked against  the  night-mare.  Lr.  Ill, 
4,125.  The  3rd  Var.,  Vol.  X,  p.  160, 
has  a  couple  of  pages  of  notes  on  this 
subject.  See  also  the  ed,  of  Lear  by 
Furness,  p.  195.     See  wold. 

Switzers.  Hired  guards,  so  called  because 
at  first  they  came  from  Switzerland. 
Malone  quotes  Nash,  "Christ's  Teares 
over  Jerusalem"  (1594) :  "Law,  logicke 
and  the  Switzers  may  be  hired  to  fight  for 
anybody."  But  Reed  says  :  "  In  many 
of  our  old  plays  the  guards  attendant 
on  kings  are  called  '  Switzers,'  and  that 
without  any  regard  to  the  country 
where  the  scene  lies."    Hml.  IV,  5,  97. 

swoop-stake.  Wholesale ;  entirely.   Hml. 

IV,  5, 141.  Swoopstakes  or  sweepstakes 
is  a  game  of  cards  in  which  a  player 
may  win  all  the  stakes  or  take  all  the 
tricks. 

sword-and-buckler.  "  When  the  rapier 
and  dagger  were  introduced  they  be- 
came the  distinctive  weapons  of  gentle- 
men, while  the  sword  and  buckler  were 
used  by  serving   men   and   brawling, 


riotous  fellows ;  therefore,  Percy  coins 
this  epithet  for  Prince  Hal,  to  intimate 
that  he  was  but  one  of  those  low  and 
vulgar   fellows    with    whom    he    was 
associated."     Clarke.    IHIV.  I,  3,  230. 
Stowe  speaks  of  a  time  "when  every 
serving-man,  from  the  base  to  the  best, 
carried  a  buckler  at  his  back,  which 
hung  by  the  hilt  or  pomel  of  his  sword," 
and  Steevens,  in   confirmation,  says : 
"  I  have  now  before  me  a  poem  entitled 
'  Sword  and  Buckler,  or  The  Serving- 
Man's  Defence,'  by  William  Bas,  1602." 
sworder.    A  gladiator.    2HVI.  IV,  1, 135. 
sworn-brother.    This  word  is  not  hyphen- 
ated in  the  Fl. ,  and  many  eds.  follow 
that   text.     Furness   thinks,  however, 
that  Capell  was  "  unquestionably  right 
in    joining   these   two    words    with   a 
hyphen."    On  the  meaning  of  the  word 
as  it  occurs  in  Ado.  I,  1,  73,  Hunter 
("New  Illustrations,"  Vol.   I,  p.   244), 
has  the  following  note  :  "This  is  one  of 
the    popular   phrases   of    England    to 
denote  strict  alliances  and  amities,  and 
has   survived   the  recollection  of    the 
circumstances  in  which  the  term  arose. 
The  fratres    conjurati    were   persons 
linked  together   in   small  fellowships, 
perhaps  not  more  than  two,  who  under- 
took to  defend  and  assist  each  other  in 
a  military  expedition  under  the  sanction 
of  some  stricter  tie  than  that  which 
binds  the  individuals  composing  a  whole 
army  to  each  other.    They  are  found 
in  genuine  history  as  well    as  in   the 
romances  of  chivalry."    cf.  IHIV.  II, 
4,7. 
swound.    To  swoon.    Rom.  II,  2,  56. 
'swounds.    See  zounds. 
Sycorax.    The  name  of  Caliban's  mother. 
Tp,  I,  2,  258,  etc.     Of  this  name  Ruskin, 
in  his  ' '  Munera  Pul veris, ' '  says :  ' '  Pros- 
pero  [which  signifies  for  hope],  a  true 
governor,   is  opposed  to  Sycorax,  the 
mother  of  slavery,  her  name,   'Swine- 
raven,'  indicating  at  once  brutality  and 
deathf  ulness. " 
Sylvius,  dr. p.     A  shepherd.     As. 
sympathy.    Equality;    just   proportion. 
0th.  II,  1,  232. 


TAB 


820 


TAI 


ABLE.  1.  Referring  to  Rom. 
Y-^A  Ii  5»  29,  turn  the  tables  up, 
umB  Steevens  says:  "Before  this 
■^-J  phrase  is  generally  intelligible, 
it  should  be  observed  that  ancient  tables 
were  flat  leaves,  joined  by  hinges,  and 
placed  on  trestles.  When  they  were  to 
be  removed,  they  were  therefore  turned 
up."  Toone,  s.v.  board,  says  "they 
were  loose  boards."  It  is  doubtful  if 
they  were  merely  hinged  and  laid  on 
trestles;  this  would  make  a  very  un- 
reliable support ;  it  is  more  likely  that 
they  were  battened  and  that  the  turning 
up  was  simply  standing  them  on  edge. 
In  this  way  they  would  occupy  but  little 
room,  less,  indeed,  than  if  they  were 
hinged.     See  board. 

2.  The  canvas  or  panel  on  which  a  pic- 
ture is  painted.     John  II,  1,  503. 

3.  The  palm  of  the  hand  or,  rather,  "  the 
space  between  certain  lines  on  the  skin 
within  the  hand."  Halliwell.  Nares 
says :  "  The  whole  collection  of  lines  on 
the  skin  within  the  hand."  A  term  in 
palmistry.     Merch.  II,  2,  174. 

tabled.    Set  down.    Cym.  I,  4,  7. 
tables.    1.  Tablets;   a   pocket-book  for 
containing  memoranda,  usually  made 
of  prepared  ass's  skin.    Hml.  I,  5,  107. 
See  relative. 

2.  The  game  of  backgammon.    LLL.  V, 
2,  327.     Nares  gives  a  quotation  from 
the  "  Witts  Recreation"  : 
Man's  life's  a  game  at  tables,  and  he 

may 
Mend  his  bad  fortune  by  his  wiser  play. 

tackled  stair.  A  rope-ladder.  Rom.  II, 
4,  203. 

tabor.  A  small  drum,  beaten  with  a 
single  stick,  and  generally  accompanied 
by  a  pipe  which  the  taborer  played 
himself.  Douce  tells  us  that  "this  in- 
strument is  found  in  the  hands  of  fools 
long  before  the  time  of  Sh.»'  Tw.  Ill, 
1,  2  and  10 ;  Tp.  IV,  1,  175;  Wint.  IV, 
4,183. 


taborer.  A  player  on  the  tabor.  Tp. 
Ill,  2,  160. 

tabourine.  A  drum.  Troil.  IV,  5,275; 
Ant.  IV,  8, 37.  "  The  tambourine,  both 
of  ancient  and  modern  times,  seems  to 
be  a  different  thing,  having  parchment 
on  one  side  only,  and  played  with  the 
fingers."    Nares. 

taffeta.  A  thin,  soft  silk.  LLL.  V,  2, 
159  ;  Tw.  II,  4,  76.     See  snipt. 

tag.  The  mob ;  the  common  people.  Cor. 
Ill,  1,247. 

tag-rag  people.  The  common  people; 
the  "great  unwashed."    Caes.  I,  2,  259. 

tailor.    See  prick. 

tailor  cries.  This  expression  (Mids.  II,  1, 
54)  has  never  been  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained. Johnson  says:  "The  custom 
of  crying  tailor  at  a  sudden  fall  back- 
ward I  think  I  remember  to  have  ob- 
served. He  that  slips  beside  his  chair 
falls  as  a  tailor  squats  upon  his  board." 
Furness  says:  "It  needs  scarcely  an 
ounce  of  civet  to  sweeten  the  imagina- 
tion if  it  be  suggested  that  the  slight 
substitution  of  an  e  for  an  o  in  the  word 
*  tailor '  will  show  that,  as  boys  •  in 
swimming  take  a  '  header '  the  wisest 
Aunt  was  subjected  to  the  opposite." 
These  explanations  might  be  accepted 
if  the  expression  had  been  uttered  by 
the  spectators,  but  as  Sh.  puts  it  in  the 
mouth  of  the  subject  of  the  accident 
they  seem  to  me  untenable.  In  the  ed. 
of  Nares,  by  Halliwell  and  Wright, 
taylor  or  tailor  is  given  as  equivalent 
to  thief,  which  has  always  been  a  com- 
mon term  of  reproach,  and  they  quote 
"  Pasquil's  Night-Cap  " : 
Thieving  is  now  an  occupation  made, 
Though  men  the  name  of  tailor  do  it 
give. 
This  seems  the  most  probable  explana- 
tion. A  suggested  reading  is  rails  or 
cries  for  tailor  cries;  another  suggested 
emendation  is  traitor  for  tailor,  but 
here,  as  elsewhere,  emendations  are  out 


TAI 


321 


TAN 


of  place  when  a  good,  sound  sense  may 
be  obtained  from  the  text  as  it  stands. 

taint,  p.p.  Used  instead  of  tainted.  IHVI. 
V,  3,  183. 

tainture.    Defilement.     2HVI.  II,  1,  188. 

take.    1.   To  infect;  to  bewitch.    Wiv. 

IV,  4,  32  ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  119  ;  Hml.  I,  1, 
163  ;  Lr.  II,  4,  166. 

2.  To  take  out  ==  to  copy.  0th.  Ill,  4, 
179. 

3.  Take  up  =  make  up.  As.  V,  4,  104 ; 
Tw.  Ill,  4,  323. 

4.  Take  up  =  reprove.     Gent.  I,  2,  132. 

5.  Take  tne  with  you  =  make  me  under- 
stand you.     Rom.  Ill,  5,  142. 

6.  Took  it  at  his  death  =  at  his  death 
protested  or  took  it  on  his  oath.  John 
I,  1,  110.    See  also  IHIV.  II,  4,  9,  and 

V,  4,  154. 

Take  this  from  this,  if  this  be  other- 
wise. Hml,  II,  2,  157.  "  Theobald  here 
added  a  stage  direction,  '  Pointing  to 
his  head  and  shoulders ' ;  he  has  been 
followed  by  many  editors.  Stage  tra- 
dition may  have  guided  Theobald.  But 
see  lines  166,  167.  May  not  '  this  from 
this '  mean  the  chamberlain's  staff  or 
wand  and  the  hand  which  bears  it  ?" 
Dowden.  This  stage  direction  is  adopted 
in  the  Cambridge,  the  Globe,  Furness's 
Var.  and  almost  all  eds.  since  Theobald. 
But  I  think  that,  "  in  contempt  of  ques- 
tion," Dowden  is  right. 
Talbot,  John,  dr.p.     Son  to  Lord  Talbot. 

IHVI. 
Talbot,  Lord,  dr.p.     Afterwards  Earl  of 

Shrewsbury.     IHVI. 
tale.    Reckoning ;  counting.    Mcb.  I,  3, 
97.     The  sentence  in  the  Fl.  is  : 
As  thick  as  tale 
Can  post  with  post : 
and  the  meaning  usually  given  is  :  As 
fast  as  the  posts  could  be  counted. 
In  modern  eds.  the  reading  is : 
As  thick  as  hail 
Came  post  with  post : 
In  the  Globe  ed.  the  Glossary  defines 
*'tale"  in  this  passage  as  above,  but 
the  text  gives  the  second  reading  I 
alents.    1.  In  most  modern  eds.  means  a 
sum  of  money.    Cym.  I,  6,  80. 


2.  A  locket  containing    hair    or    other 
souvenir.     Compl.  204. 

In  LLL.  IV,  2,  65,  Dull  puns  on  talent 
and  talon.  Talon  is  spelt  talent  in  the 
old  eds. 
tall.  Able  ;  bold  ;  strong.  Merch.  Ill,  1, 
6  ;  Qth.  II,  1, 79  ;  Wiv.  II,  1,  237 ;  Rom. 
II,  4,  31. 
taller.    Stronger ;  more  robust.    Shr.  IV, 

I,  11. 

tallow-catch.  It  is  uncertain  whether 
tallow-ketch  (=  a  tub  of  tallow)  or  tal- 
low-keech  (=  the  tallow  of  an  animal 
rolled  into  a  lump  or  "keech"  to  be 
sent  to  the  chandler)  is  meant  in  IHIV. 

II,  4,  252.    Either  reading  makes  good 
sense. 

tame.  Spiritless ;  cowardly.  Wiv.  Ill, 
5,  153 ;  Mids.  Ill,  2,  259. 

The  passage  in  Lr.  IV,  6,  225,  made 
tame  to  fortune^  s  blows  reads  lame  by 
in  the  Quartos.  Malone  retained  this 
reading  on  account  of  its  similarity  to 
Sonn.  XXXVII,  3,  So  I,  made  lame  by 
fortune^s  dearest  spight. 

Tamora,  dr.p.    Queen  of  the  Goths.    Tit. 

tang,  n.    A  sharp  sound.    Tp.  II,  2,  52. 

tang,  V.  To  utter  with  a  sharp  voice. 
Tw.  II,  5,  163. 

tanling.  One  who  is  scorched  or  tanned 
by  the  sun.     Cym.  IV,  4,  29. 

Tantalus.  The  particulars  of  his  history 
vary,  but  all  authorities  agree  that  he 
was  a  very  wealthy  king,  some  say  of 
Lydia,  others  of  Argos  or  Corinth.  The 
legend  goes  that  he  was  the  son  of 
Jupiter  and  Pluto  who  was  the  daughter 
of  Oceanus  and  Tethys.  He  is  celebrated 
in  ancient  story  for  the  very  severe 
punishment  inflicted  upon  him  in  the 
lower  world  after  his  death.  Various 
reasons  are  given  for  this  punishment, 
but  the  one  most  generally  accepted  is 
that  Jupiter  invited  him  to  his  table 
and  communicated  to  him  his  divine 
counsels.  Tantalus  divulged  the  secrets 
intrusted  to  him,  and  the  gods  punished 
him  by  placing  him  in  the  nether  world 
in  the  midst  of  a  lake,  but  rendering  it 
impossible  for  him  to  drink  when  he 
was  thirsty,  the  water  always  receding 


TAB 


323 


TAS 


when  he  stooped  towards  it.  Moreover, 
branches  laden  with  fruit  hung  over 
his  head,  but  when  he  stretched  forth 
his  hand  to  reach  them  they  withdrew. 
And  over  his  head  was  suspended  a 
huge  rock  ever  threatening  to  crush 
him.  This  story  gave  rise  to  a  proverb 
amongst  the  ancients  and  from  it  the 
English  have  derived  the  verb  to  "  tan- 
talize," i.e.,  to  hold  out  hopes  or  pros- 
pects which  cannot  be  realized. 

Another  tradition  relates  that  he, 
wanting  to  try  the  gods,  cut  his  son, 
Pelops  in  pieces,  boiled  them  and  set 
them  before  the  immortals.  See  Pelops. 
Tantalus  is  referred  to  in  Ven.  599, 
and  Lucr.  858. 

tarre.  To  set  on  (as  if  a  dog) ;  to  urge 
on.  John  IV,  1,  117;  Troil.  I,  3,  393; 
Hml.  II,  2,  370. 

tarriance.  The  act  of  tarrying;  delay. 
Gent.  11,7,90;  Pilgr.  74. 

Tartar.  1.  A  native  of  Tartary.  Wiv. 
IV,  5,  21 ;  Merch.  IV,  1,  32. 

On  the  passage  in  Rom.  I,  4,  5,  a  Tar- 
tar''s  painted  bow  of  lath,  Douce  re- 
marks that  Tartarian  bows  resembled 
in  their  form  the  old  Roman  or  Cupid's 
bow,  such  as  we  see  on  medals  and  bas- 
reliefs.  Sh.  uses  the  epithet  to  distin- 
guish it  from  the  English  bow,  whose 
shape  is  the  segment  of  a  circle. 

2.  Hell.  Tw.  II,  5,  225  ;  HV.  II,  2,  123. 
In  Err.  IV,  2,  32,  a  comparison  is  made 
between  a  prison  (for  which  hell  was 
the  cant  term)  and  the  real  hell.  See 
hell. 

task.    1.  To  tax  (as  ask  was  sometimes 
spelt  ax  in  old  writings).    IHIV.  IV, 
3  92 
2.'  To  challenge.    IHIV.  V,  2,  51. 

3.  To  keep  busy  ;  to  occupy.  Wiv.  IV, 
6,  30 ;  HV.  I,  2,  6. 

tassel-gentle.  Properly  tercel-gentle  or 
tiercel-gentle,  the  male  of  the  goshawk. 
Rom.  II,  2,  160. 

"Tiercel  or  tassel  is  the  general  name 
of  the  male  of  all  large  hawks. ' '  Holme 's 
"Academy  of  Armory  and  Blazon." 
"This  bird  is  said  to  have  been  called 
gentle  ou  account  of  its  tractable  dis- 


position and  the  ease  with  which  it  was 
tamed."  Dyce,  Madden  notes  that  in 
using  the  term  there  was  a  subtle 
tribute  paid  by  Juliet  to  her  lover's 
nobility  of  nature.  See  tercel. 
taste.  The  original  meaning  of  taste  was 
to  touch,  to  feel  carefully,  and  it  was  de- 
rived, through  several  mutations,  from 
the  Latin  tangere.  See  Skeat,  s.v.  taste. 
Hence  it  came  to  mean  to  try,  to  test, 
although  the  latter  is  an  entirely  differ- 
ent woi-d  and  from  an  entirely  differ- 
ent root.  The  word  taste  has  now  lost 
much  of  its  old  sense,  but  even  in  Sh. 
time  it  retained  the  meaning  of  to  try. 
Troil.  Ill,  2,  98 ;  Tw.  Ill,  4,  267.  In 
his  speech :  Taste  your  legs,  sir;  put 
them  to  motion  (Tw.  Ill,  1,  87),  Toby 
uses  the  word  in  a  sense  quite  common 
in  Sh.,  but  Viola's  reply,  that  she  does 
not  understand  what  he  means  by 
bidding  her  "taste  her  legs,"  has  mis- 
led the  coms.  Hotspur  uses  the  word 
in  the  same  sense  in  IHIV.  IV,  1,  119, 
Come,  let  me  taste  my  horse,  (over- 
looked by  Schm.),  where  "taste"  does 
not  mean  to  test  the  actual  flavor  of 
horse-flesh.  And  yet  Halliwell  tells  us 
that  "  Sir  Toby  is  perhaps  ridiculing 
the  effeminate  appearance  of  Viola  and 
tells  her  to  taste  her  legs,  they  are  so 
tender  and  delicate."  !  !  And  so  Rolfe, 
misled  no  doubt  by  Schm. ,  says :  ' '  Prob- 
ably meant  as  another  bit  of  affectation, 
and  not  an  ordinary  metaphor,  'like 
taste  their  valour '  in  III,  4,  267. "  I  do 
not  think  so.  Toby  uses  the  word  in 
a  sense  evidently  quite  conunon  at  the 
time,  but  Viola  puns  upon  it,  gives  it 
the  meaning  found  in  Rom.  I,  3,  30, 
when  it  did  taste  the  wormwood,  and 
pretends  not  to  understand.  It  was 
Viola,  not  Sir  Toby,  who  used  "a  bit 
of  affectation,"  and  she  would  probably 
have  continued  it  if  Olivia  had  not  ap- 
peared just  at  that  moment.  The  ex- 
pression "taste  their  valour,"  in  III,  4, 
267,  is  not  "an  oi'dinary  metaphor," 
but  a  legitimate  use  of  the  word  in  its 
original  sense  which  it  had  not  tiien 
quite  lost. 


TAT 


TEL 


The  expression,  who  did  taste  to  hinif 
in  John  V,  6,  28,  and  also  the  passages 
in  RII.  V,  5,  99,  and  Kins.  V,  2,  23, 
refer  to  the  old  practice  of  having  a 
prominent  oflBcial  taste  all  food  offered 
to  kings  and  other  great  personages  as 
a  precaution  against  poison,  Dyce  says  : 
"Allusions  to  the  royal  taster,  whose 
•office  it  was  to  give  the  say  (prse  libare), 
to  taste  and  declare  the  goodness  of  the 
wine  and  dishes."  By  "  goodness  "  Dyce 
probably  means  freedom  from  anything 
injurious. 

tattering.  In  the  Fl.  (John  V,  5,  7)  this 
word  is  tott'ring.  Pope  suggested 
tattered,  and  Malone  tattering,  which 
emendation  is  adopted  in  the  Globe  ed.  ; 
tottering  in  the  Cambridge.  Some  ex- 
plain the  word  as  torn  or  ragged  ;  others 
as  waving. 

Taurus,  dr. p.  Lieutenant  -  General  to 
Octavius  Caesar.     Ant. 

Taurus.  The  Bull,  one  of  the  signs  of  the 
Zodiac.  Tw.  I,  3,  147;  Tit.  IV,  3,  69. 
Johnson  remarks  that  the  allusion  in 
Tw.  is  to  the  medical  astrology  still 
preserved  in  almanacs  which  refers  the 
affections  of  particular  parts  of  the 
body  to  the  predominance  of  particular 
constellations.  As  Douce  says,  both 
knights  are  wrong  in  their  astrology 
according  to  the  almanacs  of  the  time, 
which  make  Taurus  govern  the  neck 
and  throat.  Their  ignorance  is,  perhaps, 
intentional.  Upon  which  Furness  re- 
marks that  Sir  Andrew's  ignorance  was 
genuine,  but  Sir  Toby  wanted  merely  a 
pretext  for  a  coarse  allusion. 

tavern.  It  was  the  custom  in  old  times 
and,  indeed,  is  yet  the  practice  in  some 
old-fashioned  places,  to  give  a  fancy 
name  to  each  room  in  the  house,  as,  for 
example,  "  The  Bunch  of  Grapes  "  (Meas. 
II,  1,  133);  "The  Half-Moon"  (IHIV. 
II,  4,  31);  "The  Pomgarnet"  (Pome- 
granate) (IHIV.  II,  4,  42).  At  the 
present  day,  at  the  Shakespeare  Hotel, 
in  Stratford,  the  rooms,  instead  of  being 
numbered,  are  named  after  the  Shake- 
spearean plays.  Rooms  in  mansions 
and  palaces  were  also  so  named,  as  the   ' 


"Jerusalem  Chamber,"  2HIV.  IV,  5j 
235. 

tawdry-lace.  A  rustic  necklace.  Wint, 
IV,  4,  253.  Tawdry  is  a  corruption  of 
Saint  Audrey  or  Ethelreda,  on  whose 
day,  the  17th  of  October,  a  fair  was 
held  in  the  Isle  of  Ely,  where  gay  toys 
of  all  sorts  were  sold.  There  is  a  tradi- 
tion that  St.  Audrey  died  of  a  swelling 
in  the  throat  which  she  considered  a 
special  judgment  for  having  been  ad- 
dicted to  wearing  fine  necklaces  in  her 
youth. 

tax.  To  censure  ;  to  condemn ;  to  re- 
proach. Meas.  II,  4,  79  ;  Troil.  I,  3, 197 ; 
Hml.  I,  4,  18 ;  Hml.  Ill,  3,  29.  Now 
used  in  the  sense  of  to  accuse,   cf.  task. 

taxation.  1.  Demand;  claim.  Tw.  1,5, 
225. 

2.  Censure;  satire;  invective.  As.  I,  2,91. 

YouHl  be  whipped  for  taxation  one 

of  these  days  (As.  I,  2,  91)  =  you'll  be 

whipped   for   using   your   tongue   too 

freely. 

Tearsheet,  Doll,  dr.p.  A  woman  of  bad 
repute.     2HIV.     See  road. 

tedious.  The  brief  and  the  tedious  of 
it — Parolles  form  for  the  long  and  the 
short  of  it.     All's.  II,  3,  34. 

teen.  Vexation  ;  grief ;  pain.  Ven.  808; 
Tp.  I,  2,  64;  LLL.  IV,  3,  164;  Rom.  I, 
3,  13.  In  the  latter  passage  the  F2.  and 
F4.  read  teeth,  which  spoils  the  play  on 
fourteen. 

teeth.  The  expression,  did  it  from  his 
teeth,  (Ant.  Ill,  4,  10)  is  thus  explained 
by  Pye:  "To  appearance  only,  not 
seriously. "  He  also  cites  from  Dry  den's 
Wild  Gallant ;  "  I  am  confident  she  is 
only  angry  from  the  teeth  outwards.'' 
Dyce.  In  words  merely,  not  from  the 
heart.     See  tooth-pick  and  tooth,  coifs. 

Telamon.  The  father  of  A  jax  the  Great, 
who  is  therefore  frequently  called  the 
Telamonian  Ajax  to  distinguish  him 
from  Ajax,  the  son  of  Oileus.  Telamon 
was  the  son  of  ^acus  and  the  brother 
of  Peleus.  He  was  one  of  the  Calydonian 
hunters  and  one  of  the  Argonauts.  In 
Ant.  IV,  13,  2,  the  reference  to  the 
madness  of  Telamon  is  no  doubt  a  mis- 


TEL 


TEM 


take,  Ajax  being  intended,  but  in  2HVI. 
V,  1,  26,  Ajax  is  properly  called  Ajax 
Telamonius  and  his  madness  is  alluded 
to.  He  is  more  mad  than  Telam,on 
for  his  shield  refers,  of  course,  to  the 
shield  of  Achilles,  which  was  the  most 
valuable  part  of  the  armor,  and  to  the 
dispute  with  Ulysses  in  regard  to  its 
possession.     See  Ajax. 

tell.  To  count.  Ven.  277;  Wint.  IV,  4, 
185;  Lr.  II,  4,  55.  The  word  survives 
in  the  tenn  teller,  one  who  counts  votes 
at  a  meeting.  Also  one  who  counts 
money  in  a  bank.  Tell  ten,  that  is, 
count  ten.  "  It  was  a  trial  of  idiocy  to 
make  the  person  count  his  fingers." 
Weber.     Kins.  Ill,  5,  80. 

Tellus.  Another  form  for  Terra,  the 
name  under  which  the  earth  was  per- 
sonified among  the  Romans,  as  Ge  was 
among  the  Greeks.  She  was  regarded 
as  one  of  the  deities  of  the  nether  world, 
and  Hesiod  tells  us  that  she  was  one  of 
the  first  beings  that  arose  out  of  Chaos 
and  that  she  gave  birth  to  Uranus 
(Coelus)  and  Pontus.  Sh.  uses  the  name 
as  a  synonym  for  the  earth  in  Hral.  Ill, 
2,  166,  and  Per.  IV,  1,  14. 

temper.  The  original  meaning  of  this 
word  is  to  make  "  a  right  admixture. " 
Thus  Trench  says :  "  What  has  been 
said  under  the  word  '  humour '  [see 
Addenda,  s.  v.  humout^]  will  also  ex- 
plain 'temper,'  and  the  earlier  uses  of 
it  which  we  meet.  The  happy  '  temper ' 
would  be  the  happy  mixture,  the  blend- 
ing in  due  proportions  of  the  four  prin- 
cipal 'humours'  of  the  body."  This 
meaning  still  survives  in  the  use  of  the 
word  in  regard  to  mortar ;  the  mason 
speaks  of  "tempering"  mortar  when 
he  works  and  mixes  it ;  and  this  very 
meaning  is  found  in  '2HVI.  Ill,  1,  311; 
Lr.  I,  4,  326 ;  Tit.  V,  2,  200.  Schmidt 
gives  a  special  signification  to  the  word 
in  these  passages :  "  to  wet ;  to  moisten 
(dry  things).''  Not  at  all;  the  fact  of 
moistening,  or  of  the  things  being  dry ,  is 
a  mere  accident ;  mortar  that  is  too  wet 
may  be  tempered  by  the  addition  and 
thorough  mixing  of  dry  lime  and  sand. 


The  word  has  also  the  same  meaning  in 
Ado.  II,  2,  21 ;  Rom.  II,  Chor.  14;  Hml. 
V,  2,  339 ;  Gym.  V,  5,  250. 

In  the  case  of  metals  the  meaning 
evidently  is  to  give  such  a  mixture  of 
qualities  (hardness,  toughness,  elasticity, 
etc.,)  as  may  be  best  suited  to  the  pur- 
pose in  view.  Schm.  gives  the  absurd 
definition  :  "  to  make  hard  by  cooling." 
But  metals  may  be  tempered  by  ham- 
mering as  well  as  cooling,  and  hardening 
is  not  tempering,  and  never  was.  It  is 
an  easy  thing  to  make  steel  hard,  but 
to  give  it  that  special  mixture  of  quali- 
ties which  fits  it  for  special  purposes  is 
an  art  which  is  not  understood  even  by 
all  metal-workers.  That  Sh.  understood 
all  this  is  evident  from  his  writings. 
See  ice-brook.  In  a  recent  Shake- 
spearean commentary  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing :  "The  way  of  tempering  steel 
is  by  plunging  it  red-hot  into  cold 
water,  and  the  colder  the  water,  the 
higher  the  temper  attained. "  A  sword 
tempered  in  this  way  would  fly  to  pieces 
like  a  strip  of  glass  on  the  first  encounter 
with  a  Spanish  blade.  The  vitality  of 
these  absurd  views  is  something  wonder- 
ful. Even  the  scientific  Rolfe  has  em- 
bodied a  similar  statement  (unthink- 
ingly, I  have  no  doubt)  in  his  note  on 
Oth.  V,  2,  253. 

I  believe  Booth  made  the  subtle  sug- 
gestion that  when  Othello  spoke  of 
the  ice-brook  he  alluded  to  the  temper- 
ing of  sword  blades  by  means  of  waters 
possessing  certain  charmed  qualities. 
That  some  of  the  old  fabricators  did  use 
incantations  to  cover  up  their  mechani- 
cal secrets  is  more  than  probable.  That 
the  alchemists  did  so  is  well  known  ;  and 
we  also  know  that  the  ancients  attri- 
buted supernatural  powers  to  those 
streams  and  fountains  which  were 
sacred  to  certain  divinities  (Naiades) 
who,  if  properly  propitiated,  would 
assure  success  to  those  who  used  the 
waters  over  which  they  presided.  See 
Nymphs 

temperance.   Temperature.   Tp.  II,  1, 42. 

temporize.    This  word,  as  a  verb,  occurs 


TEK 


325 


TEK 


four  times  in  Sh.,  viz.,  in  Ado.  I,  1,  276 ; 
John  V,  2,  125 ;  Troil.  IV,  4,  6,  and 
Cor.  IV,  6,  17.  Also  as  temporizer  in 
Wint.  I,  2,  302.  The  meaning  now 
usually  given  to  the  word  temporize  is 
to  delay,  to  put  off,  and  this  is  the 
meaning  given  to  it  by  Rann  in  the 
passage  from  Ado  :  You  will  temporize 
with  the  hours.  Schm.  explains  it  as, 
•'to  come  to  terms;  to  compromise," 
and  Rolfe,  "you  will  come  to  terms  in 
course  of  time. "  Furness  suggests  that 
the  word  should  be  tem2)erise,  "  that  is, 
you  will  become  attempered  by  the 
hours ;  your  temper  will  change  and 
become  more  pliant  and  yielding."  It 
seems  to  me  that  tempering  or  modifica- 
tion is,  as  Furness  indicates,  the  chief 
idea  conveyed  by  Sh.  in  his  use  of  the 
word. 

tend.  To  attend.  Hml.  IV,  3,  47;  Mcb. 
I,  5,  88. 

tender,  v.  To  take  care  of  ;  to  treat  with 
kindness ;  to  have  consideration  for. 
Tw.  V,  1,  129;  RII.  I,  1,  32;  RIII.  II, 
4,72;  Rom.  111,1,74. 

The  phrase  which  occurs  in  Hml.  I,  3, 
107 :  tender  yourself  more  dearly ; 
Or — not  to  crack  the  wind  of  the  poor 
phrase,  Running  it  thus — youHl  tender 
me  a  fool,  has  received  various  inter- 
pretations. Dowden  asks  :  "  Does  this 
mean,  You  will  present  yourself  to  me 
as  a  fool  ?  or,  present  me  to  the  public 
as  a  fool?"  There  is  evidently  a  play 
upon  the  word  tender.  Rolfe  and  Fur- 
ness are  both  silent  in  regard  to  it ;  the 
3rd  Var.  has  several  notes,  but  none 
very  satisfactory. 

tender-hefted.  The  expression,  thy  ten- 
der-hefted nature  shall  not  give  thee 
o^er  to  harshness  (Lr.  II,  4,  174),  has 
never  been  clearly  explained.  The 
words  are  hyphenated  in  the  Fl. 
Steevens  says  :  "  Hefted  seems  to  mean 
the  same  as  heaved.  Tender-hefted, 
i.e.,  whose  bosom  is  agitated  by  tender 
passions.  *  *  *  Shakespeare  uses  hefts 
for  heavings  in  Wint.  II,  1,  4.5.  Both 
the  Quartos,  however,  read  '  tender - 
hested '  nature ;   which   may  mean  a 


nature  which  is  governed  by  gentle 
dispositions.  Hest  is  an  old  word  signi- 
fying command."  Rowe  emended  to 
tender-hearted.  The  come,  have  gone 
to  a  good  deal  of  unnecessary  trouble  to 
prove  that  haft  or  heft  means  a  handle. 
Of  course  it  does ;  the  word  in  this  sense 
being  common.  And  reference  is  made 
to  Cotgrave  and  others  to  show  that 
the  corresponding  French  woi-d  em- 
manche  (helved)  was  used  in  reference 
to  the  person.  This  would  make  tender- 
hefted  =  set  in  a  delicate  bodily  frame, 
and  Wright,  who  suggests  this  inter- 
pretation, states  that  Regan  was  less 
masculine  than  Goneril — a  somewhat 
bold  assertion  in  the  face  of  the  fact 
that  Regan  was  the  one  who  seized  a 
sword  and  slew  the  servant  who  pro- 
tested against  the  tearing  out  of  Glou- 
cester's eyes.  Grant  White  says  that 
"'tender-hefted'  is  inexplicable  con- 
sistently with  common  sense  and  Shake- 
speare's use  of  language. ' '  The  ' '  finely 
sheathed  "  or  "  delicately  housed  "  gloss 
he  pronounces  "  a  most  manifest  mare's 
nest,  and  one  at  which  every  editor  of 
Shakespeare  must  have  looked  and 
passed  by  on  the  other  side.  Lear's 
thought  'has  no  reference  to  Regan's 
body  but  to  her  soul.  *  *  *  There 
is  possibly  a  misprint  of  tender-hearted, 
although  we  all  shun  such  a  simple 
relief  of  our  difficulty,  and  linger  in  the 
sweet  obscurity  of  tender-hefted.''^  Of 
"tender-hearted"  Rolfe  says:  it  "is 
'  tolerable  and  not  to  be  endured. '  Sh. 
could  never  have  written  'tender- 
hearted nature. '  "  A  somewhat  danger- 
ous assertion. 

Among  the  many  desperate  attempts 
to  make  sense  of  the  passage,  Craig,  in 
the  latest  ed.  of  this  play,  picks  up  a 
Shropshire  meaning  for  the  word:  "a 
dead  heft  =  a  weight  that  cannot  be 
lifted,"  and  suggests  that  "  tender- 
hefted  might  simply  mean  'pliable, 
manageable.'  "  He  then  falls  into  the 
singular  mistake  of  saying  that ' ' '  hefty' 
has  in  America  the  meaning  of  easy  to 
lift  or  handle. ' '    Speaking  for  that  part 


TEN 


826 


TES 


of  America  known  as  the  United  States, 
I  should  say  that  the  meaning  is  just 
the  opposite.  Hefty  simply  means  heavy 
(heft  being  an  old  form  of  heaved),  and 
a  thing  that  is  hefty  is  one  that  is  not 
easily  lifted. 

tent,  n.  A  probe  for  searching  a  wound. 
Troil.  II,  2,  10;  do.  V,  1,  11.  In  the 
latter  passage  there  is  a  pun  on  tent, 
which  signifies  both  a  temporary  house 
and  a  surgeon's  probe. 

tent,  r.  1.  To  probe.  Hml.  II,  2,626; 
Cym.  Ill,  4,  118. 

2.  To  cure.     Cor.  I,  9,  31.    cf.  untented. 

3.  To  lodge  as  in  a  tent.  Cor.  Ill,  2, 116. 
tercel.  The  male  of  the  goshawk,  ac- 
cording to  Nares,  but  Cotgrave  (s.v. 
tiercelet)  says  it  is  the  tassel  or  male 
*'of  any  kind  of  Hawke."  The  word 
literally  means  "thirdling,"  and  Cot- 
grave  says  it  was  "so  tearmed,  because 
he  is,  commonly,  a  third  part  lesse  then 
the  female."  Others  say  that  the  name 
originated  in  the  popular  belief  that  the 
female  hawk  laid  three  eggs  and  that 
the  third  or  last  laid  was  sure  to  pro- 
duce a  male.  The  falcon  was  the  female 
hawk,  and  in  the  nomenclature  of 
hawking  there  were  several  kinds  of 
falcons,  but  the  male  corresponding  to 
each  kind  was  called  the  tercel.  See 
Strutt's  "Sports  and  Pastimes,"  Book 
I,  chap.  2. 

The  falcon  as  the  tercel,  for  all  the 
ducks  V  the  river  (Troil.  Ill,  2,  56)  has 
been  the  subject  of  emendation.  Rowe 
and  Pope  read  has  the  tercel;  Tyrwhitt 
conjectured  at  the  tercel.  Cressida,  of 
course,  was  the  falcon  and  Troilus  the 
tercel,  and  the  meaning  suggested  by 
Tyrwhitt  is  that  Cressida  would  make 
the  attack.  There  seems  to  be  no  need 
of  emendation ;  the  meaning  is  that 
Cressida  is  the  equal  of  Troilus,  and  on 
this  Pandarus  is  willing  to  bet  "all  the 
ducks  i'  the  river,"  not  that  Cressida 
will  take  to  the  water  and  go  duck- 
bunting  as  some  have  explained  it.  See 
tassel- gentle. 

Tereus.    See  Philomel. 

Termagant.    According  to  the  Crusaders 


and  old  romance-writers,  Termagant, 
Termagaunt  or  Turmagant  was  a  god 
of  the  Saracens.  Like  Herod,  he  was 
often  introduced  into  the  early  Miracle- 
or  Mystery-plays  and  was  represented 
as  a  most  violent  character.  IHIV.  V, 
4,  114;  Hml.  Ill,  2,  15. 

termless.    Indescribable.     Compl.  94. 

terms.  The  expression,  recollected  terms 
(Tw.  II,  4,  5),  is  somewhat  obscure. 
Knight  says  that  "term"  forms  no 
part  of  the  technical  language  of  music 
and  suggests  tunes  as  an  emendment. 
Perhaps  the  word  may  have  been  turns^ 
defined  in  the  Cent.  Diet.  (6)  as  "a 
melodic  embellishment  or  grace,  etc." 
Whether  or  not  this  word  was  in  use  in 
the  time  of  Sh.  I  do  not  know.  In  in- 
distinct writing  turns  and  terms  much 
resemble  each  other.  But  see  note  at 
end  of  she.  Wright  explains  the  word 
as  "  phrases  gathered  with  pains,  not 
spontaneous.  Knight  proposed  tunes, 
but  we  have  already  had  the  tunes  in 
the  '  airs '  and  the  '  terras '  must  there- 
fore be  the  words  set  to  music. ' '  Wright's 
gloss  is  unquestionably  one  of  the  best 
and  clearest.  And  this  is  the  meaning 
given  to  "  terms  "  in  Ado.  V,  2,  41,  and 
LLL.  V,  2,  406. 

terrene.    Earthly.    Ant.  Ill,  13,  153. 

terrible.  Affrighted  ;  suffering  from 
terror.  Lr.  I,  2,  32.     cf.  fear. 

tertian.  A  fever  whose  paroxysms  re- 
turn every  third  day,  according  to 
Bailey,  Worcester,  Skeat  and  others; 
every  second  day,  according  to  Schm., 
Cent.  Diet.,  Imperial,  etc.  ;  Johnson 
says  two  fits  in  three  days.  Mrs. 
Quickly  made  an  obvious  jumble  when 
she  spoke  of  a  "  quotidian  tertian,"  but 
the  lexicographers  seem  to  be  in  almost 
as  great  confusion.  HV.  II,  1,  124.  See 
quotidian. 

test.  Testimony  ;  evidence.  Troil.  V,  2, 
122  ;  0th.  I,  3,  107. 

tester.  A  slang  term  for  sixpence.  2HI V. 
Ill,  2,  299.  Apparently  used  by  Pistol 
for  money  in  general.     Wiv.  I,  3,  94. 

testern.  To  give  money  to  (probably 
sixpence).    Gent.  I,  1,  155. 


TES 


337 


THE 


testril.  A  sixpence  (probably  the  clown's 
variant  of  teste)-).     Tvv,  II,  3,  36. 

testy.  QuarreLsomet  fretful.  Mids.  Ill, 
2,  358. 

tetchy.  Peevish;  touchy.  RIII.  IV,  4, 169. 

Thaisa,  dr.p.  Daughter  to  Simonides. 
Per. 

Thaliard,  dr.p.    A  lord  of  Antioch.    Per. 

tharborough.  A  constable  (corrupted 
from  third-horoxigh).  LLL.  I,  1,  185. 
"  The  office  of  third-borough  is  the  same 
with  that  of  constable,  except  in  places 
where  thei-e  are  both,  in  Avhich  case  the 
former  is  little  more  than  the  constable's 
assistant."    Ritson. 

thatched.    See  Philemon  and  visor. 

theatre.  The  following  notes,  condensed 
from  Vol.  Ill  of  the  3rd  Var.,  throw 
light  on  many  passages  and  allusions  in 
the  plays : 

In  the  time  of  Sh.  there  were  seven 
principal  theatres :  three  private  houses, 
viz.,  that  in  Blackfriars,  that  in  White- 
friars,  and  The  Cockpit  or  Phoenix  in 
Drury  Lane,  and  four  that  were  called 
public  theatres,  viz.,  The  Globe  on  the 
Bankside,  The  Curtain  in  Shoreditch, 
The  Red  Bull  at  the  upper  end  of  St. 
John's  Street,  and  The  Fortune  in 
Whiteci;^ss  Street.  The  last  two  were 
chiefly  frequented  by  citizens.  There 
were,  however,  but  six  companies  of 
comedians,  for  the  playhouse  in  Black- 
friars and  The  Globe  belonged  to  the 
same  troop.  Beside  these  seven  theatres, 
there  were  for  some  time  on  the  Bank- 
side  three  other  public  theatres:  The 
Swan,  The  Rose  and  The  Hope ;  but  The 
Hope  being  used  chiefly  as  a  l)ear-garden 
and  The  Swan  and  The  Rose  having 
fallen  to  decay  early  in  King  James's 
reign,  they  ought  not  to  be  enumerated 
with  the  other  regular  theatres.  All 
the  established  theatres  that  were  open 
in  1598  were  either  without  the  city  of 
London  or  its  liberties. 

All  the  plays  of  Sh.  appear  to  have 
been  performed  either  at  The  Globe  or 
the  theatre  in  Blackfriai-s.  These  be- 
longed to  the  same  company  of  come- 
dians, namely,  his  majesty's  servants, 


which  title  they  obtained  after  a  licence 
had  been  granted  to  them  by  King 
James  in  1603.  Like  the  other  servants 
of  the  household,  the  performers  en- 
rolled into  this  company  were  sworn 
into  office,  and  each  of  them  was  allowed 
four  yards  of  bastard  scarlet  for  a  cloak 
and  a  quarter  of  a  yard  of  velvet  for 
the  cape  every  second  year. 

The  Globe  was  built  not  long  before 
the  year  1596;  it  was  situated  on  the 
Bankside  (the  southern  side  of  the  river 
Thames)  nearly  opposite  to  Friday 
Street,  Cheapside.  It  was  an  hexagonal 
building,  partly  open  to  the  weather 
and  partly  thatched.  Like  all  the  other 
theatres  of  that  time,  it  was  built  of 
wood.  It  was  of  considerable  size,  and 
the  plays  were  always  acted  by  day- 
light. On  the  roof  of  this  and  the  other 
public  theatres  a  pole  was  erected,  to 
which  a  flag  was  affixed.  These  flags 
were  probably  displayed  only  during 
the  hours  of  exhibition ;  and  it  would 
seem  fi-om  one  of  the  old  comedies  that 
they  were  taken  down  in  Lent,  in  which 
time,  in  the  early  part  of  King  James's 
reign,  plays  were  not  allowed  to  be 
represented,  though  at  a  subsequent 
period  this  prohibition  was  dispensed 
with.  It  is  probable  that  The  Globe 
was  denominated  only  from  the  sign 
painted  on  its  side.  This  was  a  figure 
of  Hercules  supporting  the  Globe,  under 
which  was  written :  Totus  Mundus 
agit  histrionem.  This  theatre  was 
burnt  down  on  the  29th  of  June,  1613, 
but  it  was  rebuilt  in  the  following  year 
and  decorated  with  more  ornament  than 
had  been  originally  bestowed  upon  it. 
The  exhibitions  at  The  Globe  seem  to 
have  t)een  calculated  chiefly  for  the 
lower  class  of  people ;  those  at  Black- 
friars, for  a  more  select  and  judicious 
audience.  One  of  these  theatres  was  a 
winter  and  the  other  a  summer  house. 
As  The  Globe  was  partly  exposed  to  the 
weather,  and  they  acted  there  usually 
by  day-light,  it  is  probable  that  this 
was  the  summer  house. 
Some  difficulty  has  been  occasioned 


THE 


THE 


by  the  fact  that  Sh.  speaks  of  The  Globe 
theatre  as  this  xvooden  O  (HV.  Prol.  13). 
But  aside  from  the  license  usually  ac- 
corded to  poets,  a  hexagon  on  the  scale 
that  the  theatre  was  built  is  near 
enough  to  a  circle  to  justify  the  title  in 
a  general  way. 

Many  of  the  ancient  dramatic  pieces 
were  performed  in  the  yards  of  carriers' 
inns,  in  which,  in  the  beginning  of 
Queen  Elizabeth's  reign,  the  comedians,, 
who  then  first  united  themselves  in 
companies,  erected  an  occasional  stage. 
The  form  of  these  temporary  playhouses 
seems  to  be  preserved  in  our  modern 
theatre.  The  gallei'ies  in  both  are 
ranged  over  each  other  on  three  sides 
of  the  building.  The  small  rooms  under 
the  lowest  of  these  galleries  answer  to 
present  boxes,  and  it  is  observable  that 
these,  even  in  theatres  which  were  built 
in  a  subsequent  period  expressly  for 
dramatic  exhibitions,  still  retained  their 
old  name  and  are  frequently  called 
rooms  by  the  old  writers.  The  yard 
bears  a  sufRcient  resemblance  to  the  pit 
as  at  present  in  use.  We  may  suppose 
the  stage  to  have  been  raised  in  this 
area,  on  the  fourth  side,  with  its 
back  to  the  gateway  of  the  inn,  at 
which  the  money  for  admission  was 
taken. 

Hence,  in  the  middle  of  The  Globe, 
and  probably  of  other  public  theatres 
in  the  time  of  Sh. ,  there  was  an  open 
yard  or  area  where  the  common  people 
stood  to  see  the  exhibition ;  from  which 
circumstance  they  are  called  by  our 
author  "groundlings,"  and  by  Ben 
Jonson  "  the  understanding  gentlemen 
of  the  ground.''^  The  galleries,  or 
scaffolds  as  they  are  sometimes  called, 
and  that  part  of  the  house  which  in 
private  theatres  was  called  the  pit,  seem 
to  have  been  at  the  same  price,  the 
usual  cost  of  admission  being  sixpence 
in  houses  of  reputation,  while  in  some 
of  the  meaner  theatres  it  was  only  a 
penny  or,  perhaps,  twopence.  The  price 
of  admission  to  the  best  rooms  or  boxes 
was  one  shilling  in  Sh.   time,   though 


afterwards  it  rose  to  two  shillings  and 
half  a  crown. 

From  several  passages  in  our  old  plays 
we  learn  that  spectators  were  admitted 
on  the  stage  and  that  the  critics  and 
wits  of  the  time  usually  sat  there.  Some 
stood  or  lounged  around  ;  others  sat  on 
stools,  the  price  of  which  was  either 
sixpence  or  a  shilling,  according  to  loca- 
tion. And  they  were  attended  by  pages, 
who  furnished  them  with  pipes  and 
tobacco,  which  was  smoked  here  as  well 
as  in  other  parts  of  the  house.  But  it 
would  seem  that  persons  were  suffered 
to  sit  on  the  stage  only  in  the  private 
playhouses  (such  as  Blackfriars,  etc.) 
where  the  audience  was  more  select  and 
of  a  higher  class ;  and  that  in  The  Globe 
and  the  other  public  theatres  no  such 
license  was  permitted. 

The  stage  was  strewed  with  rushes, 
which  in  those  days  formed  the  usual 
covering  for  floors.  See  rush.  The 
curtain,  instead  of  being  raised  as  at 
present,  was  parted  in  the  middle  and 
drawn  to  each  side.  How  little  the 
imaginations  of  the  audience  were  as- 
sisted by  scenical  deception  and  how 
much  necessity  the  dramatist  had  to 
call  on  them  to  "piece  out  imperfections 
with  their  thoughts"  may  be  collected 
from  Sir  Philip  Sydney,  who,  describing 
the  state  of  the  drama  and  the  stage  in 
his  time  (about  1583),  says :  "  Now  you 
shall  have  three  ladies  walk  to  gather 
flowers,  and  then  we  must  beleeve  the 
stage  to  be  a  garden.  By  and  by  we 
heare  news  of  shipwreck  in  the  same 
place;  then  we  are  to  blame  if  we 
accept  it  not  for  a  rock.  Upon  the 
back  of  that  comes  out  a  hidious  mon- 
ster with  fire  and  smoke  ;  and  then  the 
miserable  beholders  are  bound  to  take 
it  for  a  cave ;  while  in  the  mean  time  two 
armies  fly  in,  represented  with  four 
swords  and  bucklers,  and  then  what 
hard  hart  wil  not  receive  it  for  a  pitched 
battle." 

At  this  time  all  female  characters 
were  represented  by  boys.  This  we  have 
noted  under  the  head  female  actors. 


THE 


329 


THE 


then.  The  word  than  is  almost  always 
spelled  then  in  the  old  eds.,  and  some 
modern  eds.  follow  the  old  style. 

theoric.  Theory  (opposed  to  practice). 
All's.  I,  1,  53 ;  IV,  3,  163  ;  0th.  I,  1,  34. 
See  practic. 

thereafter.  According  as.  2HIV.  Ill, 
3,  56.  Thereafter  as  they  be  =  accord- 
ing to  their  condition. 

Thersites,  dr.p.  This  deformed  and  evil- 
minded  Greek  is  alluded  to  in  Cym.  IV, 
3,  353.  According  to  Homer,  he  was 
the  son  of  Agrius  and  was  the  most 
impudent  talker  among  the  Greeks  at 
Troy.  Once,  when  he  had  spoken  in  the 
assembly  in  an  unbecoming  manner 
against  Agamemnon,  he  was  severely 
chastised  by  Ulysses.  According  to  the 
later  poets,  he  pulled  the  eyes  out  of  the 
dead  body  of  Penthesilea,  the  beautiful 
queen  of  the  Amazons,  who  had  been 
slain  by  Achilles.  For  this  Achilles 
slew  him.     See  Penthesilea. 

Theseus,  dr.p.    Duke  of  Athens.    Kins. 

Theseus,  dr.p.  Duke  of  Athens.  Mids. 
The  great  hero  of  Attic  legend  seems 
to  have  taken  strong  hold  of  the  imagin- 
ation of  Sh.,  for  we  find  him  the  prin- 
cipal character  in  two  plays,  besides 
being  mentioned  elsewhere  (Gent.  IV, 
4, 173) .  His  reputed  father  was  Neptune 
or  Poseidon,  and  the  Troezenians  for 
many  ages  pointed  to  the  Holy  Isle 
where  his  mother,  JEthra,  met  the  god. 
But  his  real  father  was  -lEgeus,  King  of 
Athens,  who,  being  childless,  went  to 
consult  the  oracle  at  Delphi,  and  after- 
wards went  to  Troezen  where  he  met 
-i35thra,  the  daughter  of  Pittheus,  the 
king.  Before  the  birth  of  Theseus, 
^geus  left  Troezen,  telling  ^thra  that 
he  had  deposited  his  sword  and  boots 
under  a  certain  heavy  rock  and  that  if 
she  gave  birth  to  a  boy  who,  on  reach- 
ing maturity,  should  be  able  to  lift  the 
rock  and  remove  the  sword  and  boots, 
she  was  to  send  him  secretly  to  his 
father  at  Athens.  In  due  time  Theseus 
lifted  the  rock,  secured  the  sword  and 
boots  and  set  out  for  Athens.  Accord- 
ing to  some  accounts,  it  was  on  this 


journey  that  he  slew  the  robber  Cory- 
netes  (the  club-carrier)  and  carried  off  his 
club,  and  shortly  after  he  killed  Sinnis 
and  had  an  adventure  with  his  daughter. 
See  Perigenia.  He  also  slew  a  mon- 
strous boar  or  sow ;  he  flung  over  his  own 
cliff,  Sciron,  who,  while  his  guests  were 
perforce  washing  his  feet,  used  to  kick 
them  over  into  the  sea ;  he  wrestled 
with  and  killed  Cercyon,  and  a  little 
further  on  he  slew  Procrustes,  who  had 
only  one  bed  for  all  comers :  if  his  guest 
was  too  short  for  the  bed,  he  stretched 
him  out ;  if  he  was  too  long,  he  cut  him 
down.  (From  his  name  comes  our  word 
Procrustean.)  As  he  passed  through 
the  streets  of  Athens,  his  curls  and  long 
garment,  reaching  to  his  ankles,  di-ew 
on  him  the  derision  of  some  masons  who 
were  putting  on  the  roof  of  the  new 
temple  of  Apollo  Delphinius:  "Why," 
they  asked,  "  was  such  a  pretty  girl  out 
alone?"  In  reply,  Theseus  took  the 
bullocks  out  of  their  cart  and  flung 
them  higher  than  the  roof  of  the  temple. 
He  found  his  father  married  to  Medea, 
the  sorceress,  who  had  fled  from  Corinth. 
Medea  knew  Theseus  before  his  father 
did  and  attempted  to  poison  him,  but 
-(Egeus  recognised  the  sword  and  ac- 
knowledged the  bearer  as  his  son.  The 
sons  of  Pallas,  the  brother  of  ^geus, 
who  had  hoped  to  succeed  to  the  sup- 
posedly childless  monarch,  attempted 
to  secure  the  succession  by  violence  and 
declared  war,  but  were  betrayed  by  the 
herald  Leos  and  were  destroyed. 

His  next  exploit  was  the  capture  of 
the  flame- spitting  bull  of  Marathon 
which  he  brought  alive  to  Athens  and 
sacrificed  to  Apollo.  The  time  now 
arrived  when  the  Athenians  had  to  send 
to  Minos  (see  Minos)  their  tribute  of 
seven  youths  and  seven  maidens.  The- 
seus voluntarily  offered  himself  as  one 
of  the  youths  with  the  design  of  slaying 
the  Minotaur  or  perishing  in  the  attempt. 
AVhen  they  reached  Ci^te,  Ariadne, 
daughter  of  Minos,  fell  in  love  with 
Theseus  and  provided  him  with  a  sword, 
with  which  he  killed  the  Minotaur,  and 


THE 


330 


THI 


a  clue  of  thread  by  which  he  was  able 
to  retrace  his  steps  and  escape  from  the 
labyrinth.  After  a  time,  Theseus  set 
sail  from  Crete,  taking  Ariadne  with 
him,  but  he  abandoned  her  on  the  island 
of  Naxos.  Gent.  IV,  4,  172 ;  Mids.  II, 
1,  80.  The  vessel  on  which  the  youths 
and  maidens  sailed  carried  a  black  sail, 
and  Theseus  promised  his  father  that  if 
they  were  successful  and  returned  in 
safety  the  black  sail  should  be  changed 
for  a  white  one.  But  he  forgot  his 
promise,  and  when  old  -<Egeus  saw  the 
black  sail  he  threw  himself  down  from 
the  cliff  on  which  he  had  been  watching 
and  was  killed. 

Of  his  adventures  with  the  Amazons 
there  are  different  accounts.  Some  give 
the  name  of  the  Amazon  queen  who 
opposed  him  as  Antiope ;  others  make 
it  Hippolyta.  Other  accounts  say  that 
Antiope  and  Hippolyta  were  sisters  and 
that  Theseus  made  love  to  both. 

However  we  may  reject  many  of  the 
evidently  fabulous  stories  and  adven- 
tures which  relate  to  Theseus,  his  legend 
seems  to  contain  recollections  of  his- 
torical events,  the  most  important  of 
which  was  the  unification  of  the  various 
small  townships  into  the  single  nation- 
ality of  Attica. 

Thessaly.  A  district  which  in  ancient 
times  formed  the  northeastern  division 
of  Greece.  In  it  are  the  mountains 
Ossa,  Pelion  and  Othrys,  and  through 
it  ran  the  river  Peneus  which  traversed 
the  famous  vale  of  Tempe.  Many  of  its 
cities,  mountains  and  valleys  were  cele- 
brated in  Grecian  history  and  its  in- 
habitants were  aristocratic  and  pro- 
Persian.  Explanations  of  the  references 
to  Thessaly  will  be  found  under  boar 
and  Meleager. 

Thetis.  A  marine  divinity,  one  of  the 
daughters  of  Nereus  and  Doris.  She 
was  the  wife  of  Peleus,  by  whoiji  she 
became  the  mother  of  Achilles.  Her 
wedding  was  attended  by  all  the  gods 
except  Eris  or  Strife.  See  Paris.  Like 
her  sisters,  the  Nereids,  she  dwelt  in  the 
depths  of  the  sea  with  her  father,  Nereus. 


In  Troil.  I,  3,  39,  and  Per.  IV,  4,  39,  her 
name  is  used  as  a  personification  of  the 
sea,  and  in  Ant.  Ill,  7,  61,  Antony- 
addresses  Cleopatra  by  this  name  as  if 
she  governed  the  sea.  Schm.  points  out 
that  the  goddess  of  the  ocean  was 
Tethys,  the  wife  of  Oceanus,  and  not 
Thetis. 
thewes,  )  Muscles  ;  sinews.  2HIV.  Ill, 
thews,    f     2,  276 ;  Cses.   I,  3,  81 ;  Hml. 

I,  3,  12. 

"It  is  a  remarkable  evidence  of 
Shakespeare's  influence  upon  the  English 
language  that  while,  so  far  as  has  yet 
been  observed,  every  other  writer, 
one  single  instance  excepted,  employs 
'  thews '  in  the  sense  of  manners,  quali- 
ties of  mind  and  disposition,  the  fact 
that,  as  often  as  he  employs  it,  it  is  in 
the  sense  of  nerves,  muscular  vigor,  has 
quite  overborne  the  other  use ;  which, 
once  so  familiar  in  our  literature,  has 
now  quite  passed  away."  Trench,  See 
also  Craik's  "English  of  Shakespeare," 
§124. 

thick,  adj.  Dim ;  with  defective  sight. 
Wint.  I,  2,  269  ;  2HIV.  Ill,  2, 336 ;  Cses. 
V,  3,  21. 

thick,  adv.  Rapidly.  2HIV.  II,  3,  24 ; 
Mcb.  I,  3,  97  ;  Cym.  I,  6,  67 ;  do.  Ill,  2, 58. 

thicken.    1.  To  strengthen.     0th.  Ill,  3, 
430. 
2.  To  grow  dim.    Mcb.  Ill,  2,  50;  Ant. 

II,  3,  27.     cf.  thick. 

thick-eyed.  Not  dtm-eyed  as  some  have 
it,  but  the  absorbed  look  of  a  man  in 
deep  thought.     IHIV.  II,  3,  51. 

thick-pleached.  Thickly  interwoven  or 
intertwined.    Ado.  I,  2,  10. 

thick-skin.  A  numbskull;  a  blockhead. 
Wiv.  IV,  5,  2 ;  Mids.  Ill,  2, 13.  Changed 
by  Hanmer  in  the  latter  passage  to 
thick-skull,  but  unnecessarily ;  the  word 
was  in  common  use. 

thili-horse.  Shaft-horse.  Merch.  II,  2, 103. 

thin,  too.  Not  of  sufficient  substance. 
HVIII.  V,  3,  125.  This  expression,  as 
oldasSh.,  was  but  a  short  time  ago  a 
common  "gag  "  or  slang  phrase. 

think.  "  To  think  or  to  take  thought 
seems  formerly  to  have  been  used  in  the 


THI 


831 


THO 


sense  of  to  give  way  to  sorrow  or 
despondency."  Craik.  Ant.  Ill,  13, 3. 
cf.  thought. 
third.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Tp.  IV, 
1,  3,  was  emended  to  thread  by  Theo- 
bald, and  in  this  he  is  followed  by 
Knight,  Singer,  Staunton,  Dyce,  Rolfe, 
White,*  Symons  and  others.  The  Globe 
ed.  has  the  equivalent  form  thrid. 
That  "thrid  "  is  an  old  form  of  thread 
is  well  known,  and  that  the  r  is  one  of 
the  most  commonly  transposed  letters 
is  equally  certain.  Girdle  for  griddle 
I  have  heard  time  and  again.  So  that 
whether  we  should  use  thread  or  third 
is  really  a  question  of  interpretation 
rather  than  of  reading.  In  favor  of 
"thread"  Dyce  says:  "In  a  volume 
which  I  published  in  1853,  I  observed, 
'  In  case  any  future  editor  should  still 
be  inclined  to  make  Prospero  tei-m 
Miranda  '  third  of  his  life '  (the  Folio 
having  here  '  third '  =  thrid,  thread), 
it  may  be  well  to  remark  that,  in  the 
language  of  poetry,  from  the  earliest 
times,  a  beloved  object  has  always  been 
spoken  of,  not  as  the  third,  but  as  the 
HALF  of  another's  life  or  soul."  And 
he  then  goes  on  to  cite  examples  of 
which  many  may  be  found. 

Capell,  on  the  other  hand,  believes 
that  if  the  next  line,  "  Or  that  for  which 
I  live,"  had  been  "reflected  on  thor- 
oughly by  editors  and  their  remarkers, 
Theobald's  correction  (thread  for  third) 
had  not  been  fallen  in  with  so  readily, 
for  that  poetical  thread  of  the  fates' 
spinning  is  not  what  we  live  for,  but 
what  we  live  6]/."  He  then  assumes 
that  the  three-thirds  of  Prospero 's  life 

*  Dr.  Furness  says  that  White,  in  his  first 
ed.,  adopted  "  thread."  having  objected 
to  third  because  it  "is  rather  arith- 
metical than  poetical  and  takes  us  too 
far  into  vulgar  fractions."  He  adds 
that  White,  in  his  second  ed.  (the  River- 
side), "adopted  the  arithmetical  3^," 
but.  by  an  oversight,  no  doubt,  he  omits 
White's  note  on  the  word.  It  is:  "a 
third,  that  is,  a  thread,  by  a  common 
transposition  of  r;  as  bird  for  brid.'" 


are :  his  realm,  his  daughter  and  him- 
self ;  the  daughter  he  gives  away,  keep- 
ing all  his  concern  for  her ;  the  realm 
he  hoped  to  return  to,  and  when  retired 
to  his  Milan,  then  (as  he  tells  us  in 
almost  his  last  speech)  "every  third 
thought  should  be  his  grave,"  words 
that  seem  to  derive  themselves  from 
the  expression  in  this  passage.  Apud 
Furness. 

Furness  adds:  ' '  Could  any  one  imagine 
Shakespeare  talking  of  'living  for  a 
thread  of  his  own  life '  ?  The  true  in- 
terpretation, it  seems  to  me,  is  Capell's." 

third-borough.  A  constable.  Head-bor- 
ough in  Fl.  (Shr.  Ind.  1, 12),  but  changed 
in  the  g.  a.  text  to  conform  to  Sly's 
answer.     See  tharborough. 

Thisbe,  dr.p.  A  character  in  the  Inter- 
lude.    Mids.     See  Pyramus. 

Thisne.  Bottom's  blunder  for  Thisbe. 
Mids.  I,  2,  55. 

Thomas,  dr.p.    A  friar.    Meas. 

Thomas,  Duke  of  Clarence,  dr.p.  Son 
to  Henry  IV.     2HIV. 

Thomas  Horner,  dr.p.  An  armorer. 
2HVI. 

Thopas,  Sir.  So  spelt  in  the  Fl.  Topas 
in  the  g.  a.  text.     See  Topas. 

though.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Tw. 
II,  5,  136,  has  been  explained  as  =  since 
by  the  Cowden  -  Clarkes.  The  same 
meaning  has  been  given  to  it  in  LLL. 
II,  1,  323,  though  several  they  he,  and 
also  in  All's,  IV,  3,  216,  though  I  know 
his  brains  are  forfeit.  The  word  has 
a  considerable  range  of  meaning,  and  it 
is  not  stretching  matters  very  far  to 
to  give  it  this  signification  in  the  pass- 
ages cited.  It  certainly  gives  better 
sense. 

thought.  Anxiety;  despondency.  Caes. 
II,  1,  187;  Hml.  IV,  5,  188.    cf.  think. 

The  expression,  thought  is  free  (Tw. 
I,  3,  72)  seems  to  have  been  proverbial, 
but,  like  most  such  phrases,  changeable 
in  its  meaning  and  application.  I  think 
that  what  Maria  means  to  say  is:  "I 
do  not  wish  to  call  you  a  fool,  but  I  am 
not  prevented  from  thinking  so." 

thought-executing.    Executing  with  the 


THO 


THB 


quickness  of  thought.  Johnson.  Ac- 
cording to  Moberley:  "executing  the 
thought  of  him  who  casts  you."  Lr. 
Ill,  2,  4. 
thousand.  In  Err.  IV,  1,  21,  Dromio  of 
Ephesus  says  :  /  buy  a  thousand  pound 
a  year  !  I  buy  a  rope  /—a  speech  which 
has  never  been  satisfactorily  explained. 
It  seems  to  me  that  all  the  explanations 
thus  far  offered  only  serve  to  make  the 
passage  more  obscure. 
thrasonical.  Extravagant  boasting.  As. 
V,  2,  34.  The  word  is  older  than  Sh. 
and  is  derived  from  the  name  of  Thraso, 
a  boastful  soldier  in  Terence's  Eu- 
nuchus. 
thread.    See  third. 

three.    Teste's  question.  Did  you  never 
see  the  picture  of  we  three  ?  (Tw.  II, 
3,   17)  evidently  refers   to   a   picture, 
common  then  as  now,  in  which    two 
asses,  two  wooden-heads  or  two  fools 
are   depicted,   and  underneath    is    the 
legend:  "  We  three  asses  be,"  or  what- 
ever the  representation  might  require. 
Furness  says  that  "  the  clown  referred 
to  the  picture  of  three  fools,  and  Sir 
Toby  retaliated    by  referring    to    the 
picture  of  three  asses." 
Three  Witches,  The,  dr.p.    Mcb. 
three-farthings.    The  speech  of  the  Bas- 
tard in  John  I,  1,  143,  "Look  where 
three- farthings    goes,"  alludes    to    the 
three-farthing  silver  pieces  of    Queen 
Elizabeth,  which  were  very  thin  and 
had  the  profile  of  the  sovereign  with 
a  rose  at  the  back  of  her  head,  and  we 
must  remember  that  in  Shakespeare's 
time  sticking  roses  in  the  ear  was  a 
court  fashion.    Dyce. 
three-inch  fool.  A  fool  three  inches  high, 
alluding  to   Grumio's  diminutive  size. 
Shr.  IV,  1,27. 
three-hooped  pot.  The  old  drinkfng  pots, 
being  of  Mood,  were  bound  together,  as 
barrels  are,  with  hoops  ;  whence  they 
were  called  hoops.     Cade  promised  that 
every  can  which  then  had  three  hoops 
shall  be  increased  in  size  so  as  to  i"e- 
quire  ten.    Douce.    Nash,  in  his  Pierce 
Pennilesse,  says :  "  I  believe  hoopes  in   I 


quart  pots  were  invented  to  that  end, 
that  every  man  should  take  his  hoope 
and  no  more."    2HVI.  IV,  2,  73. 
three-man  beetle.    A  beetle  worked  by 
three  men.    2HIV.  1, 2,  255.     "  A  diver- 
sion is  common  with  boys  in  Warwick- 
shire and    the   adjoining  counties,  on 
finding  a  toad,  to  lay  a  board  about  two 
or  three  feet  long,  at  right  angles,  over 
a  stick  about  two  or  three  inches  dia- 
meter.    Then,  placing  the  toad  at  one 
end  of  the  board,  the  other  end  is  struck 
by  a  bat  or  large  stick,  which  throws 
the  creature  forty  or  fifty  feet  perpen- 
dicular from  the  earth,  and  its  return 
in  general  kills  it.     This  is  called  Fillip- 
ing the  Toad.    A  three-man  beetle  is 
an  implement  used  for  driving  piles ;  it 
is  made  of  a  log  of  wood,  about  eighteen 
or  twenty  inches  diameter  and  fourteen 
or  fifteen  inches  thick,  with  one  short 
and  two  long  handles.     A  man  at  each 
of  the  long  handles  manages  the  fall  of 
the  beetle,  and  a  third  man,  by  the  short 
handle,  assists  in  raising  it  to  strike  the 
blow.     Such  an  implement  was,  without 
doubt,   very    suitable   for    filliping   so 
corpulent  a  being  as  Falstaff. "  Johnson^ 
the  architect,  quoted  by  Dyce. 
three-man  song-men.    Singers  of  songs 

in  three  parts.  Wint.  IV,  3,  44. 
three-nooked.  Having  three  corners  or 
angles.  ("Craven  Glossary.")  Ant.  IV, 
6,  6.  In  John  V,  7, 116,  we  find  :  Come 
the  three  corners  of  the  world  in  arms. 
The  expression :  the  three-nooked  world 
Shall  bear  the  olive  freely,  means  that 
there  shall  be  universal  peace.  Thus, 
in  2HIV.  IV,  4,  87,  we  find  ;  But  Peace 
puts  forth  her  olive  every  where. 
three-pile,  n.    The  richest  and  most  costly 

kind  of  velvet.     Wint.  IV,  3,  14. 
three-piled.    Of  first-rate  quality.    Meas. 

I,  2,  33 ;  LLL.  V,  2,  407. 
threne.      Lamentation  ;     funeral    song. 

Phoen.  49. 
thrice-crowned.  Luna,  Queen  of  Night, 
Proserpine,  Queen  of  Hades,  and  Diana, 
the  Goddess  of  Chastity,  were  all 
three  sometimes  identified  in  classical 
mythology ;  hence,  the  epithet  thrice- 


THB 


833 


TIE 


crowned.    Hudson.     As.  Ill,  2,  2.    See 
Diana. 

thrice-driven  bed.  A  driven  bed  is  a 
bed  for  which  the  feathers  are  selected 
by  driving  with  a  fan,  which  separates 
the  light  from  the  heavy.  Johnson. 
0th.  I,  3,  232. 

thrice  repured.  Three  times  refined.  Troil. 
Ill,  2,  21. 

thrid.  Thread  ;  fibre.  Tp.  IV,  1,  3.  In 
some  eds.  third,  q.v. 

throe,  n.  Extreme  pain;  agony.  HVIII. 
II,  4,  199 ;  Tim.  V,  1,  203 ;  Cym.  V,  4,  44. 

throe,  V.  To  pain ;  to  cause  agony.  Tp. 
II,  1,  231. 

throng.    See/asi  and  loose. 

throstle.  A  thrush.  Mids.  Ill,  1,  130. 
A  bird  closely  related  to  the  American 
robin  and  in  appearance  somewhat  re- 
sembling a  young  robin. 

thrum.  The  tufted  end  of  a  thread  in 
weaving.     Mids.  V,  1,  293. 

thrummed  hat.  A  hat  made  of  very 
coarse  woolen  cloth.     Wiv.  IV,  2,  82. 

thumb.    See  bite. 

thunder  stone.  A  thunder-bolt.  Caes. 
1,3,49;  Cym.  IV,  2,  271. 

"  The  thuuderstone  is  the  imaginary 
product  of  the  thunder,  which  the 
ancients  called  Brontia,  mentioned  by 
Pliny  as  a  species  of  gem  and  as  that 
which,  falling  with  the  lightning,  does 
the  mischief.  It  is  the  fossil  commonly 
called  the  Belemnite,  or  Finger-stone, 
and  now  known  to  be  a  shell."  Craik. 
It  is  not  impossible,  however,  that  the 
opinions  of  the  ancients  in  regard  to 
thunderstones  may  have  been  derived 
from  the  fact  that  in  some  cases  the 
passage  of  the  electric  current  through 
the  soil  produces  vitrified  tubes  known 
as  fulgurites.  These  tubes  have  often 
been  dug  up  and  might  readily  be  taken 
for  thunder-bolts  or  thunder-stones. 
The  opinion  that  the  damage  caused  by 
lightning  was  produced  by  a  solid  pro- 
jectile was  very  common.  Thus  Othello 
asks:  Are  there  no  stones  in  heaven 
but  what  serve  for  the  thunder^  Oth. 
V,  2,  2:35.  It  is  unnecessary  to  give  any 
space  to  a  discussion  of  modern  views 


on  the  subject  as  they  may  be  found  in 
any  work  on  physics  or  electricity. 

Thurio,  dr.p.  A  foolish  suitor  to  Silvia. 
Gent.  •    • 

thwart.    Perverse  ;  cross.     Lr.  I,  4,  307. 

Thyreus,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Octavius 
Caesar.    Ant. 

tickle.  Tottering  ;  unsteady.  Meas.  I,  2, 
177 ;  2HVI.  I,  1,  216. 

tickle-brain.  A  cant  name  for  a  species 
of  strong  drink.  Hence,  applied  meta- 
phorically to  a  seller  of  liquor.  IHIV. 
II,  4,  438. 

Defined  by  Cent.  Diet,  as,  "  One  who 
has  a  tickle  or  unsteady  brain,  as  one 
intoxicated."    Steevens  quotes  A  New 
Trick  to  Cheat  the  Devil  (16.36) : 
A  cup  of  Nipsitate  brisk  and  neat, 
The  drawers  call  it  tickle-brain. 

tickling.  A  peculiar  method  of  catching 
trout  by  tickling  them  lightly  with  the 
fingers  on  the  belly.  After  a  little 
practice  it  is  easy  to  grasp  the  fish 
behind  the  gills  and  lift  it  out  of  the 
water.  The  process  is  called  guddling 
in  Scotland,  and  the  writer,  when  a  boy, 
has  caught  hundreds  in  this  way.  Tw. 
II,  5,  26. 

tick-tack.  A  sort  of  backgammon  (evi- 
dently a  quibble).     Meas.  I,  2,  202. 

tide.  1.  The  alternate  ebb  and  fiow  of 
the  sea.  HV.  II,  3,  14.  "  It  has  been 
a  very  old  opinion  which  Mead,  '  De 
Imperio  Soils,'  quotes  as  if  he  believed 
it,  that  nobody  dies  but  in  the  time  of 
ebb ;  half  the  deaths  in  London  confute 
the  notion;  but  we  find  that  it  was 
common  among  the  women  of  the  poet's 
time. ' '    Johnson. 

2.  Time,  as  in  Lamraas-tide  (Rom.  I,  3, 
14),  even-tide,  spring-tide,  etc.  Hence, 
high-tides  (John  III,  1,  86)  =  high  times 
or  days  ;  festivals  ;  solemn  seasons  ; 
times  to  be  observed  above  others. 

tie.  The  passage  in  Meas.  IV,  2,  187, 
Shave  the  head  and  tie  the  beard,  has 
been  subjected  to  emendation.  Simpson 
suggested  dye  the  beard,  and  this  was 
adopted  by  Grant  White  in  both  his  eds. 
Theobald  conjectured  tire,  and  Dyce 
adopted  trim,  the  conjecture  of  Jervis, 


TIE 


a34 


TIN 


Tie  has  been  defended  on  the  ground 
that  it  was  a  not  unusual  practice  to  tie 
the  beard  out  of  the  way  of  the  axe. 
Thus  Sir  Thomas  More,  when  laying 
his  head  on  the  block,  said  to  the  exe- 
cutioner :  "  Let  me  put  my  beard  aside ; 
that  hath  not  committed  treason. "  But 
this  is  entirely  irrelevant  since  this 
tying  was  for  the  execution,  not  for  ex- 
hibition. Jackson  argues  that  Simpson's 
reading  is  justified  by  the  passage  in 
sc.  3,  line  76 :  A  man  of  Claudio''s 
years  ;  his  beard  and  head  Just  of  his 
colour.  While  we  are  bound  to  stick 
to  the  original  text  where  we  can  make 
good  sense,  I  think  it  probable  that 
"tie "  is  a  printer's  error  for  "  die  "  as 
dye  was  then  spelt. 

tied.    See  tithed. 

tiercel.    See  tercel. 

tiger.  "  It  was  an  ancient  belief  that 
this  animal  roared  and  raged  most  furi- 
ously in  stormy  and  high  winds — a  piece 
of  folk-lore  alluded  to  in  Troil.  I,  3,  52, 
by  Nestor."    Dyer. 

tight.    Nimble  ;  active.    Ant.  IV,  4,  15. 

tightly.  Adroitly;  soundly;  nimbly.  Wiv. 
I,  3,  88 ;  do.  II,  3,  67. 

tike.  A  dog;  a  cur.  Lr.  Ill,  6,  73. 
Hence,  a  tei-m  of  reproach.  HV,  II,  1, 
31.  The  word  is  still  in  use  in  some  parts. 

tile.  His  hraiyis  are  forfeit  to  the  next 
tile  that  falls,  that  is,  he  is  destined  to 
run  but  a  short  course.  All's.  IV,  3, 
217.  Douce  thinks  that  the  illustration 
was  taken  from  a  story  found  in  Whit- 
ney's ' '  Emblems. ' '  Three  women  threw 
dice  to  ascertain  who  should  die  first. 
The  loser  was  disposed  to  laugh  at  the 
decrees  of  Fate,  when  she  was  instantly 
killed  by  the  accidental  falling  of  a  tile. 
To  wash  a  tile  =  to  labor  in  vain. 
Kins.  Ill,  5,  41. 

tilly-fally.     )    An   exclamation   of   con- 

tilly-valley.  )  tempt,  the  origin  and  pre- 
cise meaning  of  which  are  alike  obscure. 
Tw.  II,  3,  83;  2HIV.  II,  4,  90. 

tilth.  Husbandry  ;  cultivation ;  tillage. 
Tp.  II,  1,  152;  Meas.  I,  4,  44. 

time  goes  upright  with  his  carriage. 
Tp.  V,  1,  2,    "  Alluding  to  on©  carrying 


a  burden :  '  This  critical  period  of  my 
life  proceeds  as  I  could  wish.'  Time 
brings  forward  all  the  expected  events 
without  faltering  under  his  burden." 
Steevens. 

"The  thought  is  pretty.  Time  is 
usually  represented  as  an  old  man  al- 
most worn  out,  and  bending  under  his 
load.  He  is  here  painted  as  in  great 
vigour,  and  walking  upright  to  denote 
that  things  went  prosperously  on." 
Warhv^rton. 

Timandra,  dr. p.  Mistress  to  Alcibiades. 
Tim. 

Time,  as  Chorus,  dr.p.     Wint. 

timeless.  Untimely  ;  unseasonable ;  pre- 
mature. Gent.  Ill,  1,  21;  RII.  IV,  1, 
5  ;  Rom.  V,  3,  162. 

timely.  Early.  Pilgr.  133;  Err.  I,  1, 
139  ;  Mcb.  II,  3,  51 ;  do.  Ill,  3,  7.  Too- 
timely  =  too  early  ;  too  forward.  Kins. 
II,.2,  28. 

timely-parted.  Having  died  a  natural 
death.  Some  explain  it  as  recently  dead. 
2HVI.  Ill,  2,  161.    cf.  ghost. 

Timon,  dr.p.    A  noble  Athenian.     Tim. 

timorous.  Caused  by  feai\  Nothing  iron- 
ical in  this  case  as  some  would  have  it. 
lago  was  in  dead  earnest.     0th.  1, 1,  75. 

tinct.    1.  Dye  ;  color  ;  stain.    Hml.  Ill, 
4,  91 ;  Cym.  II,  2,  23. 
2.  Tincture ;  the  grand  elixir  of  the  al- 
chemists.    All's.  V,  3, 102 ;  Ant.  I,  5,  37. 

tinder.  The  invention  of  the  lucif  er  match 
has  so  entirely  changed  our  methods  of 
lighting  lamps  and  candles  and  kindling 
fires  that  many  of  the  expressions  in 
Sh.  and  other  old  authors  are  completely 
unintelligible  to  the  people  of  this  gen- 
eration. In  the  time  of  Sh.  and  until 
almost  the  middle  of  the  last  century 
the  process  used  for  obtaining  fire  was 
so  tedious  and,  in  many  cases,  so  un- 
certain, that  in  some  houses  fires  were 
kept  in  from  one  year's  end  to  the  other, 
and  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  for  one 
family  to  send  to  another  to  obtain  a 
light  or  a  coal  of  fire.  Hence,  every  night 
the  fire  on  the  hearth,  which  burned 
wood  or  peat,  was  "  raked  "  or  covered 
with  ftshes  (Wiv.  V,  5,  48)  so  that  the 


TIN 


835 


TIN 


fuel  might  not  burn  out  and  yet,  at  the 
same  time,  keep  red  hot,  so  that  when 
morning  came  a  few  puffs  from  a  pair 
of  bellows  or  the  mouth  would  brighten 
it  up.  When  the  fire  did  go  out,  it  was 
generally  rekindled  by  the  use  of  flint 
and  steel,  tinder  and  old-fashioned  brim- 
stone (sulphur)  matches.  The  tinder 
usually  consisted  of  charred  rags,  which 
were  kept  in  a  tinder-box  (Wiv.  I,  3, 
27),  the  common  form  of  which  was  a 
round  tin  box  with  a  cover  which  slipped 
on  and  was  nearly  air-tight.  A  few 
rags  being  placed  in  this  and  set  on  fire, 


THE   OLD    FLINT  AND  STEEL. 

the  cover  was  put  on  and  the  fire  soon 
went  out,  leaving  a  charred  mass  which 
the  least  spark  would  ignite.  The  steel 
was  generally  made  expressly  for  the 
purpose,  though  I  have  used  the  back 
of  the  blade  of  a  jack-knife  with  good 
effect.  The  regular  steel  consisted  of  a 
bar  on  which  a  neat  handle  was  forged,  as 
shown  in  the  accompanying  engraving. 
This  made  it  easy  to  get  a  good  hold, 
and  the  knuckles  were  protected  from 
chance  blows.  The  flint  consisted  of  a 
flake  with  a  sharp  edge,  gun-flints  being 


frequently  used  for  the  purpose.  The 
temper  of  the  steel  bar  was  an  important 
point,  as,  if  too  hard,  it  was  impossible 
to  tear  off  flakes  sufficiently  large  to 
ignite  the  tinder,  and  if  too  soft,  the 
force  required  to  tear  off  bits  of  the 
steel  was  not  sufficient  to  ignite  them. 
When  the  steel  was  of  the  right  degree 
of  hardness,  an  expert  could  hold  it  in 
the  left  hand  over  the  tinder  and  striking 
it  with  the  flint,  giving  a  scraping  action 
to  the  latter,  send  down  such  a  shower 
of  sparks  as  would  light  up  a  small 
room.  With  a  good  steel,  a  well-shaped 
flint  and  a  sufficient  degree  of  dexterity, 
a  single  stroke  generally  ignited  the 
tinder  all  over  its  surface.  But  in  many 
cases  the  steel  was  of  poor  quality  or 
badly  tempered ;  the  flint  would  get  so 
dull  that  it  would  slide  over  the  surface* 
of  the  steel  instead  of  tearing  into  it, 
and  it  was  not  every  one  that  had  the 
dexterity  to  give  a  properly  directed 
and  effective  blow.  In  addition  to  this, 
the  tinder,  even  when  ignited,  would 
not  set  fire  to  anything  substantial,  and 
it  was  necessary  to  employ  brimstone 
matches  to  take  fire  from  the  tinder  and 
communicate  it  to  paper,  shavings, 
straw  and  other  light  material.  These 
matches  were  usually  three  or  four 
times  the  length  of  those  now  in  use  and 
were  tipped  with  sulphur  at  both  ends. 
This  was  effected  by  melting  the  sulphur 
in  any  old  cup  or  similar  vessel  and 
dipping  the  ends  of  the  matches,  a  hand- 
ful at  a  time.  In  the  best  matches  one 
end  was  thick  while  the  other  tapered 
to  a  fine  point.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
light  a  thick  match  by  means  of  the 
delicate  spark  of  tinder,  but  a  finely- 
pointed  one  gave  no  trouble.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  thick  ends  were  much 
more  efficient  when  a  small  coal  was 
available. 

The  flint  and  steel  has  been  frequently 
used  by  smokers  during  recent  years,  a 
special  form  of  punk  or  "match  "  being 
employed.  But  when  used  for  this  pur- 
pose the  punk  is  placed  on  the  flint, 
which  is  then  struck  with  the  steel.    It 


TIE 


TIT 


will  be  readily  seen  that  the  description 
which  we  have  just  given  of  this  house- 
hold article,  conforms  to  the  directions 
given  by  Brabantio — "  strike  on  the 
tinder."    Oth.  I,  1,  141. 

The  history  of  the  various  methods 
which  were  devised  for  procuring  fire, 
before  the  introduction  of  the  lucifer 
match,  is  exceedingly  interesting.  The 
number  of  devices  which  were  placed 
on  the  market  was  very  large,  but  they 
were  all  inferior  to  the  flint  and  steel. 
In  1827  Faraday,  probably  the  best  in- 
formed chemist  in  the  world  at  that 
time,  published  his  "  Chemical  Manipu- 
lation," and  in  the  seconded.,  published 
in  1833,  he  states  that  he  knows  no 
better  means  for  lighting  the  laboratory 
fire  than  flint  and  steel.  Matches  of 
various  kinds  were  sold,  but  all  very 
ineffective  and  very  expensive.  I  have 
now  before  me  a  chemical  work,  pub- 
lished in  1818,  in  which  matches  are 
advertised  at  7s.  6d.  ($1.80)  per  box, 
warranted  to  contain  100.  Our  present 
matches  were  introduced  about  1837  to 
1840. 

tire-valiant.  A  fanciful  head-dress  of 
which  we  do  not  seem  to  have  any  clear 
description.    Wiv.  Ill,  3,  60. 

tire,  n.  1.  Attire;  dress.  Wiv.  IV,  4, 
73.  Tire  is  the  reading  in  some  modern 
eds.;  the  Folio  has  time,  which  many 
eds.  think  does  not  make  good  sense.  It 
is  retained  in  the  "G-lobe." 

2.  Head-dress.  Gent.  IV,  4,  190;  Ado. 
Ill,  4,  13. 

3,  Furniture;  perhaps  bed-clothes.  Per. 
Ill,  2,  22. 

tire,  V.  1.  To  dress ;  to  attire ;  to  adorn. 
LLL.  IV,  2,  131.  (The  horse  adorned 
with  ribbons  or  trappings,  not  the 
wearied  horse.) 

2.  To  feed  ravenously.  A  term  in  fal- 
conry frequently  applied  to  other  birds 
of  prey  as  well  as  to  hawks.  Ven.  56 ; 
3HVI.  I,  1,  269;  Cym.  Ill,  4,  97. 

tiring-house.  The  dressing-room  of  a 
theatre.     Mids.  Ill,  1,  5. 

tirrets.  Perhaps  terrors.  One  of  Mrs. 
Quickly's  words.    3HIV.  II,  4,  219, 


tisiclc.    A  cough.    Troil.  V,  3,  101. 

Titan.  This  word  occurs  six  times  in  the 
plays  and  in  every  instance  it  denotes 
the  sun.  Troil.  V,  10,  25  ;  Rom.  II,  3, 
4;  Cym.  Ill,  4,  166.  The  passage  in 
IHIV.  II,  4, 133,  in  the  Fl.  reads :  Didst 
thou  neuer  see  Titan  kisse  a  dish  of 
Butter,  pittifull  hearted  Titan  that 
melted  at  the  siveete  Tale  of  the  Sunne? 
And  this  reading  is  retained  in  the  Globe, 
the  Cambridge  and  several  modern 
eds.  As  the  passage  stands  it  does  not 
make  sense.  Theobald  emended  pitiful- 
hearted  Titan  to  pitiful  hearted  butter, 
and  this  has  been  generally  accepted. 
In  the  earliest  Quarto  the  reading  is, 
at  the  sweete  tale  of  the  sonnes,  and 
some  retain  Titan  and  adopt  Steevens' 
explanation  that  the  "sonne"  was 
"  Phaeton,  who,  by  a  plausible  story, 
won  on  the  easy  nature  of  his  father  so 
far  as  to  obtain  from  him  the  guidance 
of  his  own  chariot  for  a  day. 

The  Titans  were  the  sons  and  daughters 
of  Uranus  and  Ge  (Heaven  and  Earth), 
but  the  name  was  also  given  to  their 
descendants :  Prometheus,  Hecate,  La- 
tona,  Pyrrha,  and  especially  Helios  (the 
Sun)  and  Selene  (the  Moon).  Helios 
was  the  son  of  the  Titan,  Hyperion. 

Titania,  dr.jo.  Queen  of  the  Fairies.  Mids. 
The  name  Titania  was  given  by  Ovid, 
in  his  "Metamorphoses,"  to  several 
goddesses,  Diana,  Latona  and  Circe, 
because  they  were  supposed  to  be  de- 
scended from  the  Titans,  q.v.  As  Pro- 
fessor Baynes  says  in  his  "  Shakespeare 
Studies":  the  name  "thus  used  em- 
bodies rich  and  complex  associations 
connected  with  the  silver  bow,  the 
magic  cup  and  the  triple  crown.  *  *  * 
Diana,  Latona,  Hecate  are  all  goddesses 
of  night,  queens  of  the  shadowy  world, 
ruling  over  its  mystic  elements  and 
spectral  powers.  The  common  name 
thus  awakens  recollections  of  gleaming 
huntresses  in  dim  and  dewey  woods,  of 
dark  rites  and  potent  incantations  under 
moonlit  skies,  of  strange  aSrial  voyages 
and  ghostly  apparitions  of  the  under 
WQrld,    It  was,  therefore,  of  all  possibly 


TIT 


337 


TOL 


names,  the  one  best  fitted  to  designate 
the  queen  of  the  same  shadowy  empire, 
with  its  phantom  troops  and  activities 
in  the  northern  mythology.  And  since 
Sh.,  with  prescient  inspiration,  selected 
it  for  this  purpose,  it  has  naturally  come 
to  represent  the  whole  world  of  fairy 
beauty,  elfin  adventure  and  goblin  sport 
connected  with  lunar  influences,  with 
enchanted  herbs  and  muttered  spells. 
The  Titania  of  8h.  fairy  mythology  may 
thus  be  regarded  as  the  successor  of 
Diana  and  other  regents  of  the  night 
belonging  to  the  Greek  Pantheon." 
tithe.  In  Katherine's  description  of  Wol- 
sey,  HVIII.  IV,  2,  lines  35  and  36  read : 
One  that  by  suggestion  Ty''de  all  the 
Kingdome,  and  4;his  is  retained  in  many 
eds.— the  Globe,  the  "Henry  Irving" 
and  others.  Hanmer  changed  to  tithed, 
and  this  reading  has  been  adopted  by 
Grant  White,  Rolfe,  Dyce,  Hudson  and 
some  others.  By  suggestion  tied  all 
the  kingdom  is  supposed  to  mean  "by 
craft  limited  or  infringed  the  liberties 
of  the  kingdom."  But  tithed  seems 
more  nearly  to  conform  to  the  passage 
in  Holinshed,  from  which  Sh.  got  his 
information :  "  By  crafty  suggestion 
gat  into  his  hands  innumerable  treas- 
ure."   See  suggest  and  suggestion. 

tithe-woman.  The  tenth  woman.  All's. 
I,  2,  88.  As  the  tithes  belonged  to  the 
parson  of  the  parish,  the  tenth  woman 
or  tithe-woman  would  belong  to  him, 
or,  as  the  song  made  it,  "one  good  in 
ten." 

tithing.  "  A  tithing  is  a  division  of  a 
place  ;  a  district ;  the  same  in  the  country 
as  a  ward  in  the  city."  Steevens.  Lr. 
Ill,  4,  40. 

Titinius,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Brutus  and 
Cassius.     Caes. 

Titus  Andronicus,  dr.p.  General  against 
the  Goths.     Tit. 

Titus  Lartius,  dr.p.  General  against  the 
Volscians.     Cor. 

to.  As  it  occui's  in  Troil.  I,  1,  7,  has  been 
explained  as  "in  proportion  to. ' '  Others 
explain  it  here  and  in  Mcb.  Ill,  1,  52,  as 
"  in  addition  to. "    cf.  to-spend. 


toad.     See  la7'k  and  paddock. 

toast.  Bread  scorched  and  put  into  liquor. 
Dyce.  Troil.  I,  3,  45.  In  this  passage 
the  "saucy  boat"  is  to  be  a  dainty 
morsel  for  Neptune  to  swallow.  Verity. 
So  in  Wiv.  Ill,  5,  3,  Falstaflf  tells  Bar- 
dolph  to  put  a  toast  in  his  quart  of  sack. 
As  rheum,atic  as  two  dry  toasts 
(2HIV.  II,  4,  62)  =  which  cannot  meet 
but  they  grate  one  another.     Johnson. 

toasting-iron.  A  slang  name  for  a  sword. 
John  IV,  3,  99.     cf.  HV.  II,  1,  9. 

toaze.  To  pull  apart ;  to  draw  out.  Wint. 
IV,  4,  760.  Probably  another  form  of 
touse,  q.v. 

tod,  n.  T  wenty -eight  pounds  or  a  quarter 
of  a  hundredweight  (112  lbs).  Wint. 
IV,  3,  34. 

tod,  V.  To  yield  a  tod  of  wool.  Wint. 
IV,  3,  33. 

tofore.    Before.    LLL.  Ill,  1,  88. 

toge.  A  robe  ;  a  gown;  the  Roman  togra. 
Cor.  II,  3,  122.     See  woolvish. 

The  passage  in  0th.  I,  1,  25,  which 
reads  toged  consuls  in  the  g.  a.  text 
reads  tongued  consuls  in  the  Fl.  The 
change  from  tongued  to  toged  was 
made  by  Theobald,  as  the  word  toged 
gave  a  contrast  to  arms  or  soldiership 
such  as  is  found  in  the  legal  maxim 
cedant  ay-ma  togce  (let  arms  give  place 
to  robes).  But  Boswell  judiciously  re- 
marks (3rd  Var.,  Vol.  IX,  p.  222) :  "The 
Folio  reads  tongued,  which  agrees  better 
with  the  words  which  follow,  'mere 
prattle  without  practice.'  " 

tokens.  Plague  spots.  LLL.  V,  2,  423. 
See  Lord^s  tokens.  The  inscription 
"Lord  have  mercy  on  us"  was  put 
upon  the  doors  of  houses  infected  with 
the  plague. 

tokened.  Spotted,  denoting  the  infection 
of  the  plague.     Ant.  Ill,  10,  9. 

toll.  To  take  toll ;  to  collect  a  tax.  John 
III,  1,  154;  2HIV.  IV,  5,  75. 

The  passage  in  All's.  V,  3,  149,  / 
will  buy  me  a  son-in-law  in  a  fair, 
and  toll  for  this,  is  rather  obscure. 
The  passage  reads  toule  for  this  in  the 
Fl. ;  toule  him  for  this  in  the  other 
Folios.     Some    explain    the  expression 


TOM 


838 


TOU 


as,  "I  will  pay  tax  for  the  privilege  of 
selling  him."  Others:  "I  will  offer 
him  for  sale  and  toule  him,  i.e.,  drive 
him  up  and  down  as  they  do  horses  to 
show  them  off."*  Others  think  it 
means,  "  I  will  look  upon  him  as  a  dead 
man  and  have  the  church  bell  tolled  for 
him." 

tomboy.    A  drab.    Cyra.  I,  6, 123. 

Tom  o'  Bedlam.    See  Bedlam. 

Tomyris.    See  Cyrus. 

tongs.  An  instrument  for  making  a  kind 
of  music.  "  The  music  of  the  tongs  was 
produced,  I  believe,  by  striking  them 
with  a  key,  while  bones  were  played 
upon  by  rattling  them  between  the 
the  fingers."    Dyce.    Mids.  IV,  1,  32. 

tongue,  V.  To  denounce ;  to  scold.  Meas. 
IV,  4,  28. 

tongued.    See  toge. 

tongues.  Languages.  Gent.  IV,  1,  33; 
Ado.  V,  1,  167;  Tw.  I,  3,  97.  Sir 
Toby  pretends  to  understand  the  word 
"  tongues  "  in  the  latter  passage  to  mean 
"tongs,"  both  words  being  probably 
pronounced  more  nearly  alike  than  they 
are  now.  He  therefore  replies  to  Sir 
Andrew,  Then  hadst  thou  had  an  ex- 
cellent head  of  hair.  The  pun  here  is 
between  tongues  and  tongs,  i.e.,  curling- 
tongs.  This  was  first  clearly  set  forth 
by  Mr.  Joseph  Crosby  in  the  American 
Bihliopolist  for  June,  1875. 

too  too.  Excessively.  Gent.  II,  4,  20.5. 
The  slang  phrase  "  too  too  "  may  occur 
to  some  readers. 

tooth,  colt's.  Literally,  one  of  the  first 
set  of  teeth  in  a  colt.  These  are  shed 
when  the  animal  is  about  three  years 
old.  Hence,  for  a  young  man  to  cast 
his  colt's  tooth  means  to  get  rid  of 
youthful  habits  or  to  sow  his  wild  oats. 
HVIII.  I,  3,  48. 

tooth-pick.  The  use  of  the  tooth-pick 
was  in  Sh.  time  considered  as  an  affecta- 
tion of  foreign  manners.  As  Dr.  John- 
son notes :    "It  has  been  already  re- 

*  Query :  Is  the  expression  "  to  tool  a 
coach,"  i.e.,  to  drive  a  coach,  a  modifi- 
cation of  this  word  ?  It  is  in  common 
use  amongst  sporting  men. 


marked  that  to  pick  the  tooth  and 
wear  a  piqued  heard  were,  in  that 
time,  marks  of  a  man  affecting  foreign 
fashions. "  Ben  Jonson,  in  his  Cynthia'' s 
Revels,  has :  "  A  traveller,  one  so  made 
out  of  the  mixture  and  shreds  of  forms 
that  himself  is  truly  deformed.  He 
walks  most  commonly  with  a  clove  or 
pick-tooth  in  his  mouth."  All's.  I,  1, 
171 ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  780  ;  John  I,  1,  190. 

Topas,  Sir,  dr. p.  A  curate  whose  name 
and  character  were  assumed  by  Feste, 
the  clown,  in  Tw.  IV,  2.  In  regard  to 
the  name,  Purness  has  this  note,  for 
which  he  gives  credit  to  his  son,  H.  H. 
Purness,  Jr. :  "Did  Shakespeare  choose 
this  name  by  design  ?  Reginald  Scot, 
in  his  '  Disco verie  of  Witchcraft '  (Sixt. 
Chap.,  p.  294,  ed.  1584),  speaking  of  the 
virtues  imparted  to  precious  stones, 
says  that '  a  topase  healeth  the  lunatike 
person  of  his  passion  of  lunacie."  Por 
the  title  "  Sir  "  see  sir. 

top-gallant.  The  summit;  the  highest 
point.  The  top-gallant  is  above  the  top- 
mast and  below  the  royal.  Perhaps  in 
Sh.  time  the  highest  sail  or  mast.  Rom. 
II,  4,  203. 

topless.  Supreme ;  that  cannot  be  over- 
topped; without  a  superior.     Troil.  I, 

3,  152. 

tortive.  Twisted ;  turned  awry.  Troil. 
I,  3,  9. 

tottering.  Hanging  in  tatters  or  rags. 
John  V,  5,  7. 

to-spend.  These  two  words,  as  they  oc- 
cur in  John  V,  2,  39,  were  hyphenated 
by  Steevens,  who  has  been  followed  by 
many  eds.  Not  hyphenated  in  the  PI. 
nor  in  the  Cambridge  or  Globe  eds.  The 
idea  was  that  the  to  was  intensive,  but, 
as  Rolfe  says,  "it  seems  to  be  merely  an 
instance  of  the  insertion  of  to  with  a 
second  infinitive  after  its  omission  with 
the  first."  cf.  to-pinch.  Wiv.  IV,  4, 
57.  These  words  are  hyphenated  in  the 
Globe  but  not  in  the  Fl. 

touch,  n.    1.  A  touchstone.    IHIV.  IV, 

4,  10. 

2.  A  trait.    As.  Ill,  2,  160 ;  do.  V,  4,  27 ; 
Troil.  Ill,  3,  175. 


TOTT 


339 


TBA 


3.  A  test ;  a  proof.  Cor.  IV,  1,  49.  Of 
noble  touch  =  of  tried  nobleness. 

4.  Exploit ;  deed.     Mids.  Ill,  2,  70. 

5.  Upon  the  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Tw, 

II,  1,  18,  Furness  has  the  following 
remarks:  "Schmidt  (Lexicon)  is  some- 
what astray  in  defining  this  present  use 
of  touch  as  'dash,  spice,  smack'; 
'  touch  '  is  more  refined  than  these  rude 
words.  W.  A.  Wright  defines  it  by 
'delicate  feeling,'  and  quotes  in  proof 
the  following  passages."  He  then 
quotes  Mids.  Ill,  2,  286;  Tp.  V,  1,  21; 
Cym.  I,  1,  135. 

One  touch  of  nature.     See  nature. 
touch,  V.    To  test ;  to  put  to  the  proof. 
John  III,  1,  100 ;  Cor.  II,  3,  199 ;  Tim. 

III,  3,  6  ;  Oth.  Ill,  3,  81. 

torcher.    A  torch  bearer.   All's.  II,  1, 165. 

Touchstone,  dr.p.     A  clown.     As. 

touse.  To  pull  apart ;  to  rend.  Meas. 
V,  1,  313.     cf.  toaze. 

toward.  Ready ;  at  hand ;  coming.  Mids. 
Ill,  1,  81 ;  As.  V,  4,  35 ;  Rom.  I,  5,  134. 

tower.  The  Tower  of  London  is  tradi- 
tionally said  to  have  been  the  work  of 
Julius  Caesar.  Johnson.  RII.  V,  1,  2  ; 
RIII.  Ill,  1,  68. 

tower.  To  soar  as  a  bird.  John  V,  2, 
149. 

toy.  This  word  is  used  by  Sh.  in  several 
senses,  the  differences  between  which 
are  not  always  appreciated  by  readers 
or  even  by  corns.  The  original  meaning 
of  toy  was  probably  "spoil'**;  "hence, 
materials  for  one's  own  use  as  well  as 
stuff,  gear  and  trash."  Skeat.  And 
like  many  other  words  it  was  after- 
wards applied  to  mental  as  well  as 
material  things.  The  following  are 
some  of  the  senses  in  which  it  occurs : 

1.  A  trinket ;  a  bauble.     Tw.  Ill,  3,  44. 

2.  A  thing  of  no  value,  hence,  applied 
in  a  depreciatory  sense.  Lucr.  214 ; 
IHVI.  IV,  1,  145 ;  RIII.  Ill,  3,  114. 

3.  A  freak ;  a  sudden  whim  ;  an  odd 
conceit.  Pilgr.  337;  RIII.  I,  1,  60; 
Rom.  IV,  1,  119;  Hml.  I,  3,  6,  and  I,  4, 
75 ;  Kins.  V,  4,  66. 

4.  A  rumor ;  an  idle  report ;  a  curious 
story.    Mids.  V,  1,  3 ;  John  I,  1,  232. 


5.  A  head-dress;  a  sort  of  cap.    Wint. 
IV,  4,  326  ;  Kins.  I,  3,  71. 

Most  coms.  define  the  word  toy  in 
these  two  passages  as  "an  ornament" 
or  "bit  of  finery,"  but  it  seems  to  me 
that  this  does  not  quite  satisfy  the 
obvious  requirements  of  the  context : 
Any  toys  for  yoiu'  head 
Of  the  new'st  and  finest,  finest  wear— a? 
It  is  much  more  likely  that  what  Auto- 
lycus  here  offered  was  a  head-dress  such 
as  was  at  one  time  worn  by  all  women, 
young  and  old.  Toy,  in  this  sense,  is  a 
good  old  English  word  still  surviving 
in  Scotch.  Thus,  Burns,  in  his  address 
"  To  a  Louse,"  speaks  of  "an  auld 
wife's  flainen  toy,"  and  in  his  own 
glossary,  appended  to  the  eds.  issued 
during  his  lifetime,  he  defines  toy  as  "a 
vezy  old  fashion  of  female  head-dress." 
Strange  to  say,  the  word  is  not  found 
in  Jamieson's  "Dictionary  of  the  Scot- 
tish Language  "  (4  vols.  4to.),  and  Henley 
omits  it  from  his  glossary,  appended  to 
the  Centenary  ed. ,  but  it  may  be  found 
in  all  good  eds.  of  Burns. 

The  Cent.  Diet,  gives  toy-mutch  as 
the  equivalent  of  toy.  This,  to  my 
thinking,  is  a  very  queer  compound  not 
found  in  any  authoritative  list  of  Scot- 
tish words  within  my  reach.  A  mutch 
is  a  cap,  so  that  "  toy-mutch  "  literally 
translated  would  be  cap-cap. 

tract.  Trace;  track.  HVIII.  I,  1,  40; 
Tim.  I,  1,  51. 

trade.  The  general  course ;  way ;  beaten 
path.     HVIII.  V,  1,  36. 

traded.  Professional ;  skilful.  John  IV, 
3,  109 ;  Troil.  II,  2,  64. 

train,  n.  Bait;  allurement.  Mcb.  IV, 
3,  118. 

train,  v.  To  entice ;  to  allure.  Err.  Ill, 
2,  45 ;  Tit.  V,  1,  104. 

traject.    See  tranect. 

trammel  up.  To  oatch  as  in  a  net.  Mcb. 
I,  7,  3. 

tranect.  A  ferry.  Merch.  Ill,  4,  53. 
This  is  the  word  used  in  the  Fl.  and  in 
many  eds.  Corrected  by  Rowe  to  tra- 
ject., of  which  it  is  in  all  probability  a 
misprint.     Coryat,  in  his  "Crudities," 


IBA 


340 


TEE 


tells  us  that  "  there  are  in  Venice  thir- 
teen ferries  or  passages  which  they 
commonly  call  Traghetti." 

Tranio,  dr.p.   Servant  to  Lucentio.    Shr. 

transformation.  The  passage:  the  goodly 
transformation  of  Jupiter  there  (Troll, 
V,  1, 9)  is  thus  explained  by  Warburton: 
"  He  calls  Menelaus  the  transformation 
of  Jupiter,  that  is,  as  he  himself  explains 
it,  the  bull,  on  account  of  his  horns, 
which  he  had  as  a  cuckold.  This  cuckold 
he  calls  the  primitive  statue  of  cuckolds ; 
i.e.,  his  story  had  made  him  so  famous, 
that  he  stood  as  the  great  archetype  of 
his  character. ' '    See  Europa. 

translate.  To  transform ;  to  change  the 
appearance  of.     Sonn.  XCVI,  10 ;  Mids. 

I,  1,  191,  and  III,  1,  122 ;  Hml.  Ill,  1, 
113 ;  Cor.  II,  3,  198. 

trap.    See  tnarry. 

trash.  1.  To  prune  or  lop  off  branches. 
Tp.  I,  2,  81. 

2.  To  restrain  ;  to  check.  0th.  II,  1, 312. 
A  hunting  term  dei'ived  from  the  tech- 
nical name  of  the  leash  or  strap  used 
to  hold  dogs  back. 

traverse.  To  make  a  thrust.  Wiv.  II, 
3,25. 

traversed.   Crossed ;  folded.   Tim.  V,  4,  7. 

travel.    A  demure  travel  of  regard  (Tw. 

II,  5, 59),  "that  is,  scanning  his  '  officers ' 
gravely,  one  by  one."    Furness. 

Travers,  dr,p.  Servant  to  Northumber- 
land.   2HVI. 

tray-trip.  "A  game  at  cards,  played 
with  dice  as  well  as  with  cards,  the 
success  in  which  chiefly  depended  upon 
the  throwing  of  treys."  Halliwell. 
Nares  says  that  some  coins,  have  fancied 
that  it  resembled  the  game  called  hoj)- 
scotch  or  Scotch-hop.  He  adds,  how- 
ever, that  this  seems  to  rest  merely 
upon  unauthorized  conjecture,  and  that 
"it  is  not  likely  that  a  great  stake 
should  be  played  for  at  a  childish  game 
of  activity."    Tw.  II,  5,  207. 

treacher.  A  traitor.  Lr.  I,  2,  133.  The 
Quartos  have  trecherers,  which  has  been 
adopted  in  some  eds. 

treaties.  1.  Entreaties;  supplications. 
Ajit.  Ill,  11,  62. 


2.  Proposal ;  offer.    John  II,  1, 481 ;  Cor. 
II,  2,  59. 

treble  -  dated.  Living  for  three  ages. 
Phoen.  17. 

Trebonius,  dr. p.  A  Roman  conspirator. 
Caes. 

trench.   To  cut ;  to  carve.   Gent.  Ill,  2,  7. 

trencher-friend.  A  sponger ;  a  parasite ; 
one  who  flatters  for  the  sake  of  a  place 
at  table.    Tim.  Ill,  6,  106. 

trencher-knight.  Usually  defined  as  "  a 
serving  man  attending  at  table. ' '  (Cent. 
Diet,  and  Schm.  "  Lexicon.")  Dyce 
defines  it  as  "  one  who  holds  a  trencher ; 
a  parasite."  Nares  suggests  that  it  is 
synonymous  with  carpet  knight;  but 
while  a  carpet  knight  was  regularly 
dubbed  a  knight,  the  epithet  "  trencher 
knight"  was  not  only  a  term  of  con- 
tempt but  actual  knighthood  did  not 
seem  to  form  any  necessary  condition 
for  conferring  it.  The  only  quotation 
given  from  Sh.  or  any  other  old  writer 
is  LLL.  V,  2,  464,  and  the  functions  of 
the  trencher-knight  as  there  described 
are  certainly  not  those  of  a  serving 
man: 

Some  please-man,  some 
slight  zany, 
Some  mumble-news,  some  trencher- 
knight,  some  Dick 
That  smiles  his  cheek  in  years  and 

and  knows  the  trick 
To  make  my  lady  laugh  when  she's 
disposed. 
Surely  it  never   was   the  custom  for 
serving  men   and    waiters  (except,  of 
course,  the  professional  fool)  to  join  in 
the  discourse  at  table  and  make  the  host 
and  guests  laugh.    The  expression,  you 
are  alloiv^d,  in  line  478,  would  seem  to 
show  that  a  fool  rather  than  a  serving 
man    was   intended.     Schm.    refers  to 
lines  further  on  (476),  but  these  indicate 
the  functions  of  the  fool  rather  than 
those  of  the  serving  man.     See  carpet 
knight. 
trencher-man.  A  feeder.  A  very  valiant 
trencher-man  =  a  good  feeder.     Ado. 
I,  1,  51. 
trespass.    Sin ;  crime.     Wint.  I,  2,  265 ; 
mi.  I,  1,  138.     The  passage  in  Tp.  Ill, 


TBE 


341 


TBI 


3,  99,  the  thunder  *  *  *  did  bass 
my  trespass  =  the  deep  pipe  told  it  me 
in  a  rough  bass  sound.  Johnson.  See 
organ-pipe. 

tresses.    See  hair. 

trey.  Three  ;  a  term  at  cards.  LLL.  V, 
2,  233. 

tribulation.  A  name  applied  to  Puritans, 
either  to  the  whole  sect  or  to  some  par- 
ticular congregation.     HVIII.  V,  4,  67. 

trick,  n.  1.  A  peculiarity ;  special  feature ; 
characteristic.  All's.  I,  1,  107;  John  I, 
1,  85 ;  IHIV.  II,  4,  446 ;  Lr.  IV,  6,  108. 
In  this  sense  the  word  "  is  properly  an 
heraldic  term,  meaning  a  delineation  of 
arms,  in  which  the  colors  are  distin- 
guished by  their  technical  marks,  with- 
out any  color  being  laid  on. "     Dyce. 

2.  A  habit ;  manner ;  custom.  Meas.  V, 
1,510;  2HIV.  1,2,240. 

3.  A  knack ;  a  faculty.  LLL.  V,  2,  465  ; 
Hml.  V,  1,  99 ;  Cym.  Ill,  3,  86. 

4.  A  toy  ;  a  puppet.  Shr.  IV,  3,  67 ; 
Wint.  II,  1,  51. 

The  M  ord,  as  it  occurs  in  Hml.  IV,  4, 
61:  That  for  a  fantasy  and  trick  of 
fame,  has  received  several  interpreta- 
tions. Caldecott  makes  trick  of  fame 
=  point  of  honour.  Dowden,  a  toy  or 
trifle  of  fame.  Delius  thinks  that  both 
fantasy  and  trick  should  be  connected 
with  fame  and  makes  it  "  an  illusion 
and  a  whim  that  promise  fame."  But 
may  it  not  be  a  purely  heraldic  term 
referring  to  the  "  trick  "  or  delineation 
of  a  great  deed  that  is  placed  over  a 
soldier's  tomb  or  embodied  in  his 
history  ? 

trick,  V.  To  dress  out;  to  adorn.  HV. 
Ill,  6,  80.  In  Hml.  II,  2,  479,  trick'd  = 
painted ;  smeared.  E  v idently  an  applica- 
tion of  the  heraldic  term.  cf.  trick,  n.  (1 ) . 

tricking.    Dresses ;  ornaments.    Wiv.  IV, 

4,  79. 

tricksy.  1.  Clever;  adroit;  sportive.   Tp. 
V,  1,  226. 
2.  Affected ;  quibbling.  Merch.  Ill,  5, 74. 

Trigon.  "  Fiery  Trigon  "  was  a  term  in 
the  old  judicial  astrology  when  the  three 
upper  planets  met  in  a  fiery  sign — a 
phenomenon    which  was    supposed    to 


indicate  rage  and  contention.   2HI V.  II, 
4,  288.    Dr.  Nash,  in  his  notes  to  Butler's 
"Hudibras,"  says:  "The  twelve  signs 
in  astrology  are  divided  into  four  ti^igons 
or  triplicities,  each  denominated  from 
the  connatural   element;   so  they  are 
three  fiery,  three  airy,  three  watery  and 
three  earthy  signs. "    These  are  : 
Fiery— Aries,  Leo,  Sagittarius. 
Airy— Gemini,  Libra,  Aquarius. 
Watery— Cancer,  Scorpio,  Pisces. 
Earthy — Taurus,  Virgo,  Capricornus. 
Thus,  when  the  three  superior  planets 
met  in  Aries,  Leo  or  Sagittarius,  they 
formed  a  fiery  trigon  ;  when  in  Cancer, 
Scorpio  or  Pisces,  a  watery  one. 

trill.    To  trickle.     Lr.  IV,  3,  14. 

Trinculo,  dr. p.     A  jester.     Tp. 

triple.  1.  A  third  ;  one  of  three.  All's. 
II,  1,  111;  Ant.  I,  1,  12.  In  this  last 
passage  the  allusion  is  to  Caesar's  being 
one  of  the  triumvirate. 
2.  Three-fold.  Mids.  V,  1,  391.  The  al- 
lusion here  is  to  the  triple  character  of 
Hecate :  Luna  in  heaven ;  Diana  on 
earth  and  Hecate  in  the  nether  world. 
See  Diana. 

triple-turned.  Three  times  faithless.  Ant. 
IV,  12,  13.  Cleopatra  was  first  the 
mistress  of  Julius  Caesar,  then  of  Cneius 
Pompey,  and  afterwards  of  Antony. 
The  latter  now  supposes  that  she  had 
betrayed  him  to  Augustus ;  hence,  the 
opprobrious  epithet. 

triplex.  Triple-time  in  music.  Tw.V,  1,41. 

tristful.    Sorrowful.     Hml.  Ill,  4,  50. 

Triton.  The  son  of  Neptune  and  Araphi- 
trite,  who  dwelt  with  his  father  and 
mother  in  a  golden  palace  on  the  bottom 
of  the  sea  or,  according  to  Homer,  at 
^gae,  in  Euboea.  Later  writers  de- 
scribe this  divinity  of  the  Mediterranean 
as  riding  over  the  sea  on  horses  and 
other  sea  monsters.  Sometimes  also 
Tritons  are  mentioned  in  the  plural 
and  as  serving  other  marine  divinities 
in  riding  over  the  sea.  They  are  always 
conceived  as  having  the  upper  part  of 
their  bodies  human  and  the  lower  part 
as  that  of  a  fish.  The  chief  character- 
istic of  Tritons  in  poetry  as  well  as  in 


TBI 


342 


TBO 


works  of  art  is  a  trumpet  consisting  of 
a  conch-shell,  which  they  blow  at  the 
command  of  Neptune  to  calm  the  rest- 
less waves  of  the  sea,  and  in  the  fight  of 
the  Gigantes  this  trumpet  served  to 
to  frighten  the  enemies.  The  reference 
in  Cor.  Ill,  1,  89,  needs  no  explanation. 

triumph.   A  trump  card.    Ant.  IV,  12,  20. 

Troilus,  dr.p.    Son  to  Priam.    Troil. 

Troian,  [   "A  cant  term  used  in  various 

Trojan.  )  meanings,  sometimes  as  a 
term  of  reproach,  sometimes  as  com- 
mendation." Dyce.  LLL.  V,  2,  640; 
do.  V,  2,  681 ;  IHIV.  II,  1,  77;  HV.  V, 
1,  20.  Trojan  Greeks  (2HIV.  II,  4, 181) 
is  one  of  Pistol's  drunken  and  nonsen- 
sical expressions. 

troll.  To  sing  in  rotation.  Tp.  Ill,  2, 
1L>9. 

troll -my -dames.  The  game  of  Troll- 
madam  was  borrowed  from  the  French 
(Trou-raadame) :  an  old  English  name 
for  it  was  Pigeon-holes,  as  the  arches 
in  the  machine  through  which  the  balls 
are  rolled  resemble  the  cavities  made 
for  pigeons  in  a  dove-house.  Steevens. 
Wint.  IV,  3,  92. 

tropically.  Figuratively  ;  by  way  of  a 
trope  or  figure.  Hml.  Ill,  2,  250.  The 
word  is  trapically  in  QL,  and  Dowdeu 
suggests  that  a  pun  may  have  been  in- 
tended. 

trot.  1.  A  decrepit  old  woman  or  man. 
Shr.  I,  2,  80  ;  Meas.  Ill,  2,  53. 
2.  One  of  the  horse's  gaits.  Upon  this 
word,  as  used  in  As.  Ill,  2,  328,  Hudson 
remarks :  "  Hardly  anything  is  so  apt 
to  make  a  short  journey  seem  long  as 
riding  on  a  hard-trotting  horse,  however 
fast  a  horse  may  go.  On  the  other 
hand,  to  ride  an  ambling  horse  makes 
a  long  journey  seem  short,  because  the 
horse  rides  so  easy.  It  were  hardly 
needful  to  say  this,  but  that  some  have 
lately  proposed  to  invert  the  order  of 
the  nags  in  this  case. " 

trowel.  Celia's  reply  to  Touchstone,  that 
was  laid  on  with  a  trowel  (As.  I,  2, 112), 
is  an  old  proverb  which  may  be  found 
in  Ray  (p.  73,  ed.  of  1813).  Furness 
very  properly  says  that  as  the  first  ed. 


of  Ray  was  published  in  1670,  his  work 
is  useless  as  an  unsupported  authority 
for  any  phrase  of  Sh.  like  this.  But 
Ray  lived  very  close  to  Sh.  time,  and 
his  Collection  of  Proverbs  was  no  doubt 
gathered  from  the  lips  of  those  who 
were  contemporaries  of  Sh.  Ray  quotes 
the  proverb  as  applied  to  "a  great  lie," 
"a  loud  one."  But  it  probably  was 
applied  to  any  extravagant  speech  and 
literally  means:  "That  was  laid  on 
thick." 

troth-plight.  Betrothment.  Wint.  1,2, 
278. 

trow.  To  trust ;  to  believe ;  to  know. 
Lr.  I,  4,  135 ;  do.  I,  4,  234 ;  HVIII.  I,  1, 
184 ;  Shr.  I,  2,  4  ;  As.  Ill,  2,  189. 

Troy.  This  city  is  frequently  referred  to 
in  other  plays  of  Sh.  besides  Troilus 
and  Cressida,  of  which  the  main  sub- 
ject is  the  siege  of  Troy.  The  very 
existence  of  Troy  has  been  disputed 
and  the  story  of  its  origin,  siege  and 
destruction  has  been  relegated  to  the 
region  of  fable  and  poetry.  On  the 
other  hand,  there  are  those  who  main- 
tain that  Troy  had  a  real  existence  and 
that  the  story  of  the  siege  was  the 
history  of  a  decisive  conflict  between 
the  great  Thracian  empire  in  the  north- 
west of  Asia  Minor  and  the  rising  power 
of  the  Achgeans  in  Greece,  in  which  the 
latter  were  victorious.  But  the  Troy 
legend  enters  so  extensively  into  the 
literature  of  every  age  and  of  every 
European  people  that  a  brief  account 
of  it  is  not  out  of  place. 

The  first  town  near  the  site  of  the 
city  of  Priam  was  founded  by  Teucer, 
who  was  told  by  an  oracle  to  settle 
wherever  the  "earth-born  ones"  at- 
tacked him.  So  when  he  and  his  com- 
pany were  attacked  in  the  Troad  by 
mice,  which  gnawed  their  bow-strings 
and  the  handles  of  their  shields,  he 
settled  on  the  spot,  thinking  that  the 
oracle  was  fulfilled.  He  built  a  town 
and  called  it  Sminthium,  Sminthius 
being  the  Cretan  word  for  a  mouse.  In 
his  reign,  Dardanus,  in  consequence  of 
a   flood,    drifted   from   the   island   of 


TBO 


343 


TUM 


Samothrace  on  a  raft  to  the  coast  of  the 
Troad,  where  Teucer  gave  him  a  por- 
tion of  land  and  his  daughter,  Batea, 
for  a  wife.  He  founded  the  city  of 
Dardania  or  Dardanus  on  high  ground 
at  the  foot  of  Mount  Ida.  On  the  death 
of  Teucer,  Dardanus  succeeded  to  the 
kingdom  and  called  the  whole  land 
Dardania  after  himself.  He  had  a  son, 
Erichthonius,  who  was  the  father  of 
Tros,  by  Astyoche,  daughter  of  Simois. 
On  succeeding  to  the  throne,  Tros  called 
the  country  Troy  and  the  people  Trojans. 
He  had  three  sons,  Ilus,  Assaracus  and 
Ganymede.  From  Ilus  and  Assaracus 
sprang  two  separate  lines  of  the  royal 
house — that  from  Ilus  being  Laomedon, 
Priam  and  Hector ;  that  from  Assara- 
cus, Capys,  Anchises  and  -^neas.  Ilus 
went  to  Phrygia  where,  being  victorious 
in  wrestling,  he  received  as  a  prize  a 
spotted  cow  with  an  injunction  to  follow 
her  and  found  a  city  wherever  she  lay 
down.  The  cow  lay  down  on  the  hill 
of  the  Phrygian  At6,  and  here,  accord- 
ingly, Ilus  founded  the  city  of  Ilios. 
Afterwards  Dardania,  Troy  and  Ilios 
became  one  city.  Desiring  a  sign  at 
the  foundation  of  Ilios,  Ilus  prayed  to 
Zeus  (Jupiter),  and  as  an  answer  he 
found,  lying  before  his  tent  the  Pal- 
ladium, a  wooden  statue  of  Pallas,  three 
cubits  high,  with  her  feet  joined,  a 
spear  in  her  right  hand  and  a  distaff 
and  spindle  in  her  left.  Ilus  built  a 
temple  for  the  image  and  worshipped 
it.  Ilus  had  a  son,  Laomedon,  in  whose 
reign  Poseidon  (Neptune)  and  Apollo,  or 
Poseidon  alone,  built  the  walls  of  Troy. 
Hercules  besieged  Troy,  took  the  city, 
slew  Laomedon  and  his  children  except 
one  daughter,  Hesione,  and  one  son, 
Podarces.  The  life  of  Podarces  was 
granted  at  the  request  of  Hesione  ;  but 
Hercules  stipulated  that  Podarces  must 
first  be  a  slave  and  then  be  redeemed 
by  Hesione ;  she  gave  her  veil  for  him ; 
hence,  his  name  Priam  (trom.  praisthai^ 
to  buy).  See  Priam,.  During  his  reign 
the  Greeks  besieged  Troy  and  took  it  by 
stratagem  after  ten  years'  fighting.  See 


horse,  ominous,  Achilles,  Paris,  Sinon, 
miraculous  harp,  etc. 

truckle-bed.  A  low  bed  which  runs  on 
castors  and  can  be  pushed  under  an 
ordinary  bed  ;  a  trundle-bed.  Wiv.  V, 
5,  7;  Rom.  II,  1,39. 

true  defence.  Honest  defence;  defence 
in  a  good  cause.  Johnson.  John  IV, 
3,  84. 

true-penny.  An  honest  fellow.  Hml.  I, 
5,  150. 

trundle-tail.  A  dog  with  a  curling  tail. 
Lr.  Ill,  6,  78. 

trunk-sleeve.  A  full  sleeve.  Shr.  IV, 
3,  141. 

try.  To  bring  a  ship  as  close  to  the  wind 
as  possible.     Tp.  I,  1,  40. 

tub,  )    Refers  to  a  particular  process 

tub-fast.  )  of  curing  the  venereal  disease 
by  sweating.  Meas.  Ill,  2,  61  ;  Tim. 
IV,  3,  86. 

The  reference  in  HV.  II,  1,  79  and  80, 
"  alludes  to  the  punishment  of  Cressida 
for  her  falsehood  to  Troilus.  She  was 
afflicted  with  the  leprosy  '  like  a  Lazar- 
ous"  and  sent  to  the  'spittel  hous.'" 
Douce,  cf.  Chaucer's  Testament  of 
Creseide. 

Tubal,  dr.p.    Friend  to  Shylock.    Merch. 

tuck.  A  rapier.  Tw.  II,  4,  247.  See 
standing-tuck. 

tucket  sonance.  A  flourish  on  a  trum- 
pet.   HV.  IV,  2,  35. 

tuition.  Protection.  Another  instance 
of  the  word  used  in  its  etymological 
sense.  It  is  derived  from  the  Latin 
tuitus,  p.p.  of  tueri,  to  watch,  protect. 
Skeat.  The  word  occurs  only  once  in 
Sh.  (Ado.  I,  1,  283),  but  it  was  in  com- 
mon use  in  this  sense  in  his  time.  Malone 
quotes  Michael  Drayton,  who  concludes 
one  of  his  letters  to  Drummond  of 
Hawthornden,  in  1619,  thus:  "And  so, 
wishing  you  all  happiness,  I  commend 
you  to  God's  tuition,  and  rest  your 
assured  friend." 

Tullus  Auf idius,  dr.p.  A Volscian  general. 
Cor. 

tumbler's  hoop.  The  expression.  And 
wear  his  colours  like  a  tumbler''s  hoop 
(LLL.  Ill,  1,  190),  is  thus  explained  by 


TUN 


844 


TWE 


Harris:  "Tumblers'  hoops  are  to  this 
day  bound  round  with  ribbons  of  various 
colours." 

ttin-dish.  A  funnel  or  tunnel.  Meas.  Ill, 
3,  182.  Dyce  says  a  wooden  funnel. 
Why  ? 

tune.    Accent.    Cym.  V,  5,  239. 

Turk.  To  turn  Turk  =  to  go  to  the  bad. 
Ado.  Ill,  4,  56 ;  Hml.  Ill,  2,  292. 

Turk  Gregory.  "Meaning  Gregory  the 
Seventh,  called  Hildebrand.  This  furi- 
ous friar  surmounted  almost  invincible 
obstacles  to  deprive  the  Emperor  of  his 
right  of  investiture  of  bishops,  which 
his  predecessors  had  long  attempted  in 
vain.  Fox,  in  his  History,  hath  made 
Gregory  so  odious,  that  I  don't  doubt 
but  the  good  Protestants  of  that  time 
were  well  pleased  to  hear  him  thus 
characterized,  as  uniting  the  attributes 
of  their  two  great  enemies,  the  Turk 
and  Pope  in  one. "  Warhurton.  IHIV. 
V,  3,  46. 

Turiy-god,    )    A  word  which  has  caused 

Turly-good.  )  much  discussion,  but  evi- 
dently used  by  Sh.  as  equivalent  to 
Tom-o'-Bedlam.  Lr.  II,  3,  21.  Collier 
has  suggested  that  it  is  simply  a  vulgar 
mode  of  pronouncing  thoroughly-good  ; 
but  this  seems  to  me  untenable.  War- 
burton  derives  the  name  from  Tur  lupin, 
a  fraternity  of  naked  beggars  which 
ran  up  and  down  Europe,  and  were 
probably  so  called  from  their  wolvish 
bowlings.  Nares  thinks  it  is  an  original 
English  term,  too  remote  in  form  to 
be  derived  from  Turlupin.  Cotgrave 
gives:  " Tirelupin  :  m.  A  catchbit,  or 
captious  companion ;  a  scowndreU  or 
scuruie  fellow.'''' 

Turn -bull  street.  Properly  Tummill- 
street,  near  Cler ken  well ;  a  street  notori- 
ous as  the  residence  of  low  characters. 
It  had  its  name  from  a  river  or  brook 
formerly  there  whereon  stood  several 
mills.    2HIV.  Ill,  2,  329. 

turning  away.  The  Clown's  speech  in 
Tw.  I,  5,  21,  for  turning  away,  let 
summer  hear  it  out,  is  thus  explained 
by  Steevens :  "If  I  am  turned  away, 
the    advantages   of    the   approaching 


summer  will  bear  out  or  support  all  the 
inconveniences  of  dismission  ;  for  I  shall 
find  employment  in  every  field,  and 
lodging  under  every  hedge."  Wright 
says :  "  But  perhaps  the  Clown,  having 
been  frequently  threatened  with  dis- 
missal, simply  means.  Wait  till  summer 
comes,  and  see  if  it  be  true." 

turquoise.  This  stone  was  said  to  fade 
or  brighten  as  the  health  of  the  wearer 
increased  or  grew  less.  To  this  Ben 
Jonson  refers  in  his  Sejanus,  1, 1 :  "And 
true  as  turquoise  in  my  dear  lord's  ring. 
Look  well  or  ill  with  him."  Steevens. 
Edward  Fen  ton,  in  "Secret  Wonders 
of  Nature  "  (1569),  says :  "  The  Turkeys 
doth  move  when  there  is  any  perill  pre- 
pared to  him  that  weareth  it."  Merch. 
Ill,  1,  126. 

turtle.  This  word  in  Sh.  always  means 
the  turtle-dove ;  never  the  tortoise  or 
allied  species.  The  turtle-dove  was  the 
emblem  of  chaste  and  faithful  love,  and 
hence  the  name  was  used  for  a  chaste 
woman,  as  in  Wiv.  II,  1,  71 ;  Wint.  V, 
3,  132. 

twangling.  Shrill  -  sounding ;  jingling. 
Tp.  Ill,  2,  146  ;  Shr.  II,  1,  159. 

twenty.  The  phrase  sweet  and  twenty 
(Tw.  II,  3,  52)  has  been  variously  ex- 
plained. Capell's  comment  is:  "then 
give  me  a  kiss,  sweet,  give  me  twenty 
kisses."  Johnson  observes  that  the  "line 
is  obscure ;  we  might  read,  Come,  a 
kiss  then,  sweet,  and  twenty.  Yet  I 
know  not  whether  the  present  reading 
be  not  right,  for  in  some  counties  sweet 
and  twenty,  whatever  be  the  meaning, 
is  a  phrase  of  endearment."  It  is  true 
that  twenty  has  been  used  in  the  sense 
of  twenty  times,  as  in  Wiv.  II,  1,  203, 
where  Shallow  says,  Good  even  and 
twenty,  good  Master  Page!  but,  as 
Furuess  well  observes,  such  "  quotations 
are  not,  I  think,  exactly  parallel  to  the 
preseiit  phrase;  the  twenty  *  *  *  is 
repeated  directly  after  a  noun,  such  as 
*  evening. ' ' '  Steevens  gives  a  quotation 
supporting  Dr.  Johnson's  suggestion, 
"his  little  wanton  wagtailes,  his  sweet 
and  twenties,"  etc.,  but  nobody  has  yet 


TWI 


345 


TWI 


verified  it,  though  many  have  quoted 
it.  Very  probably  one  of  Steevens's 
"fakes."  But  Johnson  was  before 
Steevens  and  his  evidence  is  all  that  is 
needed.  The  probability,  therefore,  is 
that  it  was  an  idiomatic  phrase  express- 
ing endearment. 

The  words  sweet  and  twenty  are  not 
hyphenated  in  the  Fl.  This  was  done 
first  by  Reed,  who  has  been  followed  by 
many  eds.,  including  the  Variorums  of 
1793,  1803,  1813  and  1821.  Not  hyphen- 
ated in  either  the  Globe  or  the  Cam- 
bridge ed. 
twiggen.    Made   of   twigs ;   encased   in 

osier  or  wicker-work.  Oth.  II,  3,  153. 
twilled.  The  line  Thy  banks  withpioned 
and  twilled  hrims  (Tp.  IV,  1,  64)  has 
never  been  clearly  explained.  Furness 
devotes  nearly  six  pages  to  the  notes  and 
explanations  which  have  been  offered, 
and  Skeat,  in  his  Etym.  Diet.,  says  that 
the  word  "twilled"  as  it  occurs  here 
"is  yet  unexplained."  The  following 
are  a  few  of  the  interpretations  which 
have  been  offered.  Of  the  different 
emendations  which  have  been  suggested, 
tulip^d,  Rowe ;  tilled,  Capell ;  lilted, 
Rann ;  willow'' d,  Keightley ;  tvillied, 
Keightley,  and  others  it  is  unnecessary 
to  speak. 

The  interpretations  may  be  divided 
into  two  classes  :  first,  those  which  ex- 
plain pioned  and  twilled  as  covered 
with  flowers.  Professor  Bayne  insists 
that  pion  is  the  Warwickshire  name  for 
the  maish  marigold,  and  pioned  would 
then  mean  covered  with  this  plant. 
Twilled  is  said  by  some  to  be  reeded, 
i.e.,  covered  with  reeds ;  others  make  it 
covered  with  lilies,  and  this  gloss,  covered 
with  flowers  of  some  kind,  has  been 
accepted  by  many  corns. ,  including  John- 
son, Steevens,  Dyce,  White,  Schmidt, 
Rolfe  and  others.  Johnson's  note  on  the 
passage  is  as  follows :  "  The  old  Edition 
reads  pioned  and  twilled  brims,  which 
I  do  not  understand."  In  the  text  he 
changed  pioned  to  pionied. 

The  second  explanation  is  that  pioned 
means  dug  or  trenched,  and  twilled, 


ridged.  Henley  (not  W.  E.,  but  the  old 
Shakespearean  com.)  seems  to  have  been 
the  first  to  insist  upon  dug  and  ridged 
as  being  the  meaning  of  pioned  and 
twilled.  That  "pion"  means  to  dig  is 
seen  in  Spenser's  "Fairie  Queen,"  Book 
II,  chap.  11 : 
Which    to    outbarre,    with    painful 

pyonings 
From  sea  to  sea  he  heapt  a  mighty 
movmd. 
And  the  word  "pioner,"  which  signifies 
a  digger,  occurs  in  Lucr.  1380 ;  HV.  Ill, 
2,  92 ;  Hml.  I,  5,  163 ;  Oth.  Ill,  3,  346. 
See  pioner.  To  manufacture  the  word 
"  pioned  "  out  of  this  would  be  just  like 
Sh.  Twilled  has  been  explained  in  two 
ways.  Some  define  it  as  thrown  into 
ridges  which  give  land  an  appearance 
similar  to  that  of  twilled  cloth  ;  others 
claim  that  it  means  staked  and  wattled, 
a  process  often  applied  to  land  to  pre- 
vent banks  from  being  washed  away. 
White  objects  to  this  interpretation 
that  "dug  and  ridged  banks  cannot 
'  make  cold  nymphs  chaste  crowns ;'  for 
those  we  must  go  to  pioned  and  lilied 
banks.''  But  Sh.  does  not  say  that  the 
"chaste  crowns"  are  made  of  dug  and 
ridged  banks.  The  "  chaste  crowns"  are 
made  of  the  trimmings  bestowed  by 
spongy  April,  as  may  be  seen  on  reading 
the  passage : 
Thy  banks  with  pioned  and  twilled 

brims, 
Which  spongy  April  at  thy  hest  be- 

trims, 
To  make  cold  nymphs  chaste  crowns. 

Knight,  Collier,  Marshall,  Furness  and 
several  others  adopt  Henley's  gloss, 
which  seems  to  me  to  be  most  probably 
right.  Those  who  desire  to  study  this 
point  exhaustively  should  consult  the 
ed.  of  Dr.  Furness,  who  closes  as  follows : 
"  I  doubt  if  there  be  any  corruption  in 
this  line  which  calls  for  change.  We 
have  simply  lost  the  meaning  of  words 
which  were  perfectly  intelligible  to  Sh. 
audience.  As  agricultural  or  horticul- 
tural terms  'pioned'  and  'twilled'  will 
b«  some  day,  probably,  sufficiently  ex- 


TWI 


346 


ULL 


plained  to  enable  us  to  weave  from  them 
the  chaste  crowns  for  cold  nymphs.  In 
the  mean  time  I  see  no  reason  why  we 
should  not  accept  Henley's  interpreta- 
tion as  the  best  means  of  enabling 
spungy  April,  in  Emerson's  fine  phrase, 
to  turn  the  sod  to  violet. " 

twire.  To  twinkle ;  to  shine  with  an  un- 
steady light.     Sonn.  XXVIII,  12. 

twist.    A  string.    Cor.  V,  6,  96. 

.Tybalt,  dr. p.  Nephew  to  Capulet.  Rom. 
See  prince  of  cats. 

Tyburn.  The  place  of  public  execution  in 
Middlesex  until  1783.  After  that  time, 
until  quite  recently,  all  executions  took 
place  in  Newgate.  "  Tyburn  Tree  "  was 
the  public  gallows,  and  malefactors  were 
conveyed  there  in  an  open  cart.  The 
old  gallows  at  Tyburn  stood  near  the 
N.  E.  corner  of  Hyde  Park,  at  the 
angle  formed  by  the  Edge  ware- road  and 
the  top  of  Oxford-street.    In  1778  this 


was  two  miles  out  of  London.  It  took 
its  name  from  a  small  stream  which 
ran  through  this  district.  The  region 
is  now  highly  fashionable  and  is  known 
as  Tyburnia,  facetiously  divided  by  the 
Londoners  into  Tyburnia  Felix,  Ty- 
burnia Deserta  and  Tyburnia  Snobbica. 

type.  A  badge  ;  a  distinguishing  mark. 
RII.  IV,  4,  244  ;  HVIII.  I,  3,  31. 

tyrannically.  Violently;  outrageously; 
after  the  manner  of  the  tyrants  in  the 
old  miracle  plays.     Hml.  II,  2,  356. 

tyrant.  One  who  shows  no  mercy.  Ado. 
I,  1,  170;  Meas.  II,  4,  169;  2HIV^  Ind. 
14.  Of  this  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Ado. 
I,  1,  170,  Furness  says:  "An  extremely 
unusual  use  of  the  word,  wherein  there 
cannot  be  involved  the  idea  of  dominion, 
usurped  or  otherwise.  The  hatred  felt 
for  a  tyrant  is  transferred  to  the  objects 
of  his  tyranny." 

Tyrrel,  Sir  James,  dr. p.    RIII. 


PJ^/^jaaLLGRXA.  A  word  which  occurs 
Mf^T/y  in  the  Fl.  (Tim.  Ill,  4,  113), 
'W^^jlH  and  which  has  proved  a  puzzle 
g^^'^W  to  all  the  corns.  It  was  omitted 
from  the  F3.  and  F3.,  and  this  course 
has  been  followed  by  Dyce  and  several 
others.  The  Cambridge  eds.  read :  Ally 
sirrah,  all.  White  and  Clarke  sug- 
gested that  it  was  a  misprint  for  Ven- 
tidius.  Fleay  suggested  all  luxors, 
luxors  meaning  luxurious  or  lustful 
persons  and  being  a  favorite  word  of 
Cyril  Tourneur,  whom  Fleay  atf  one 
time  conjectured  to  be  the  second  author 
concerned  in  the  play.  But  the  passage 
reads  well  enough  with  the  word  omitted. 
Professor  Harold  Littledale  has,  how- 
ever, suggested  in  the  London  "  Athen- 
8Bum "  a  reading  which  deserves  at- 
tention and  which  seems  the  most 
plausible  of  any  yet  offered.  He  says : 
"My  theory,  at  least,  is  that  the 
word  as  it  stands  is  nothing  more  than 
a  running  together  by  the  printer  of 


four  words — two  being  numerals  and 
one  a  contraction — into  the  mystic  crux 
Vllorxa.  Let  us  divide  it —  Vll-or-X-a. 
The  only  question  is  as  to  the  a.  This 
I  take  be  or  =  other.  Thus  the  Folio 
makes  Timon  say  to  his  faithful  Steward: 
Go,  bid  all  my  Friends  againe, 

Lucius,    LucuUus,    and    Sempronius 
Vllorxa :  All, 

He  once  more  feast  the  rascals. 

What  Shakspere  meant  Timon  to  say 

was  this : 

Go,  bid  all  my  friends  again, 
Lucius,  LucuUus,  and  Sempronius  : 
Seven  or  ten  other  :  All  I 
I'll  once  more  feast  the  rascals. 

As  the  printer  could  not  make  out  the 
(probably  close- written)  numerals  and 
contraction,  he  printed  quite  faithfully 
what  he  took  to  be  a  Greek  name.  The 
contraction  or  for  other  is  still  in  com- 
mon *use,  and,  written  carelessly,  closely 
resembles  the  loosely  written  Eliza- 
bethan a,  in  which  the  stroke  often 


TJLY 


347 


UNA 


stood  out  from  the  o,  though  joined  at 
the  top." 

Ulysses,  dr.p.  A  Grecian  commander. 
Troii. 

Ulysses,  or  Odysseus  as  he  was  called 
by  the  Greeks,  was  one  of  the  principal 
Greek  heroes  in  the  Trojan  war.  He 
was  the  son  of  Laertes  and  Anticlea, 
the  daughter  of  Autolycus,  the  famous 
robber  of  Mount  Parnassus.  See  Auto- 
lycus. He  was  married  to  Penelope 
(see  Penelope),  by  whom  he  became  the 
father  of  Telemachus.  When  a  young 
man  he  went  to  see  his  grandfather, 
Autolycus,  and  while  there  he  was 
wounded  by  a  wild  boar  in  his  knee, 
and  by  this  scar  his  old  nurse,  Euryclea, 
recognised  him  when  he  returned  to 
Ithaca  after  his  twenty  years  wander- 
ings. Even  at  an  early  age  he  was 
distinguished  for  courage,  for  knowledge 
of  navigation,  for  eloquence  and  skill 
as  a  negotiator.  Laertes,  having  had 
some  sheep  stolen  from  him  by  the 
Messenians,  sent  Ulysses  to  demand 
reparation.  He  there  met  with  Iphitus, 
who  was  seeking  the  horses  stolen  from 
him  and  who  gave  Ulysses  the  famous 
bow   of   Eurytus.    This   bow   was   so 

"  strong  that  very  few  could  bend  it.  It 
is  said  that  he  was  one  of  the  suitors  of 
Helen  and  he  advised  Tyndareus  to 
make  the  suitors  swear  that  they  would 
defend  the  chosen  bridegroom  against 
any  one  who  should  insult  him  on 
Helen's  account.  After  Paris  had  car- 
ried Helen  off,  Palaraedes  and  some 
other  Greeks  visited  him  to  urge  him  to 
keep  his  promise  and  aid  them.  He 
feigned  madness,  and  to  carry  out  the 
pretence  he  yoked  an  ass  and  an  ox 
together  and  sowed  salt.  Palamedes, 
to  try  him,  placed  the  infant  Telemachus 
in  the  way  of  the  plow,  whereupon 
Ulysses  had  to  confess,  but  he  never 
forgave  Palamedes.  During  the  siege 
of  Troy  he  distinguished  himself  as  a 
valiant  and  undaunted  warrior,  but 
more  particularly  as  a  cunning  spy  and 
a  prudent  and  eloquent  negotiator, 
(See   Diormdes   and   Rhesus.)    He   is 


said  to  have  devised  the  stratagem  of 
the  wooden  horse,  and  he  was  one  of 
those  who  were  concealed  inside  it.  (See 
Sinon,  and  horse,  ominous.)  On  his 
way  home  from  Troy  he  met  with  a 
series  of  misfortunes  which  so  prolonged 
his  absence  that  he  was  twenty  years 
away  from  home.  (See  Circe  and 
Sirens.)  On  his  return  he  found  that 
Penelope,  during  his  absence,  had  been 
beset  by  a  number  of  suitors  who  wasted 
his  substance  in  riotous  living  and  re- 
fused to  desist  unless  Penelope  married 
one  of  them.  (See  Penelope.)  Penelope, 
with  great  diflSculty,  was  made  to  pro- 
mise her  hand  to  the  one  who  should 
conquer  the  others  in  shooting  with  the 
bow  of  Ulysses.  As  none  of  the  suitors 
was  able  to  draw  the  bow,  Ulysses  him- 
self took  it  and  then  began  to  attack 
them.  Being  supported  by  Athena 
(Minerva)  and  Telemachus,  his  son,  he 
soon  slew  them  all.  He  then  made  him- 
self known  to  Penelope  and  went  to  see 
his  aged  father.  Of  his  after  life 
various  accounts  are  given.  According 
to  some,  he  was  slain  by  his  son,  Tele- 
gonus,  whom  he  had  by  Circe  and  whom 
he  and  Telemachus  had  attacked  for 
plundering  the  coast  of  Ithaca,  Tele- 
gonus  having  been  cast  thereon  by  a 
storm  and  being  without  provisions. 

umber.  A  brownish  paint.  Certainly 
not  "red  ochre"  as  some  have  it.  As. 
I,  3,  114. 

umber'd.  Darkened ;  shadowed.  HV. 
IV,  Chor.  9. 

umbrage.    Shadow.    Hml.  V,  2,  126. 

unable.  Weak,  inadequate.  Lr.  I,  1, 
61.  See  HV.,  Epi.  1 :  My  weak  and  all 
unable  pen.  Nash  had  written  in  Pierce 
Pennilesse,  "My  unable  pen."    Craig. 

unaccommodated.  Not  furnished  with 
what  is  necessary.     Lr.  Ill,  4,  111. 

unagreeable.  Unsuitable;  not  adapted 
to  the  circumstances.    Tim.  II,  2,  41. 

unaneled.  Not  having  received  extreme 
unction.     Hml.  I,  5,  77. 

unapproved.    Unconfirmed.     Compl.  53. 

unaptness.  Unfitness;  not  being  in  9. 
proper  mood.    Tit.  II,  2,  140, 


UNA 


348 


UNC 


unattainted.  Impartial;  without  defect. 
Rom.  I,  2,  90. 

unavoided.    1.  Inevitable;  unavoidable. 
(See  "Sh.  Grammar,"  §375.)    RII.  2, 
268 ;  IHVI.  IV,  5,  8 ;  RIII.  IV,  4,  217. 
2.  Unshunned.     RIII.    IV,   1,    56.     See 
cockatrice. 

unbacked.  Not  taught  to  bear  a  rider  ; 
unbroken.     Tp.  IV,  1,  176. 

unbarbed.  1.  The  Cent.  Diet.,  following 
Dyce,  defines  unbarbed  as  unshorn  ; 
untrimmed.  Schm.,  unharnessed ;  bare. 
Gould  suggested  unbarber''d  as  the 
correct  reading.  But  barbed  =  covered 
with  armor  was  in  common  use  (c/.  RII. 
Ill,  3,  117,  and  RIII.  I,  1, 10),  and  the 
word  in  Cor.  Ill,  2,  99,  probably  means 
uncovered  or  without  a  helmet.  The 
word  is  a  corruption  of  bard.  Chaucer 
uses  barbe  for  a  hood  covering  the  head 
and  shoulders. 

unbated.  1.  Undiminished.  Merch.  II, 
6,  11. 

2.  Unblunted ;  without  a  button  on  the 
point.     Hml.  V,  2,  328. 

unbid.  Unsought  for ;  unwelcome.  3H VI. 
V,  1,  18. 

unbent.  A  bow  is  said  to  be  bent  when 
it  is  ready  for  action.  Imogen  asks 
Pisanio  why  he  is  not  ready  ?  why  he, 
like  a  bow,  is  unbent  ?    Cym.  Ill,  4,  111. 

unblown.    Unopened.     RIII.  IV,  4,  10. 

unbolt.  To  disclose ;  to  reveal.  Tim.  I, 
1,51. 

unbolted.  Literally,  unsifted  ;  hence, 
coarse  ;  gross  ;  rank.     Lr.  II,  2,  71. 

unbonneted.  This  word  has  greatly 
puzzled  the  corns.,  and  White  says: 
*'The  question  of  manners,  in  Sh.  time, 
as  to  the  hat  seems  veiy  difficult.  The 
'remembering  courtesy,'  the  'off-cap- 
ping '  and  the  '  unbonneting '  are  quite 
incongruous.  No  attempt  to  reconcile 
these  expressions  has  been  at  all  success- 
ful." It  seems  to  me,  however,  that 
the  difficulty  lies  in  the  language  used 
rather  than  in  the  manners  practiced  ; 
amongst  the  Aryan  nations  it  has  always 
been  courteous  to  remove  the  head- 
covering,  and  surely  we  understand 
what  was  meant  by  off- capping. 


Furness  gives  nearly  a  page  of  fine 
type  to  the  notes  and  comments  which 
have  been  written  upon  this  word,  and 
the  3rd  Var.  (Vol.  IX,  p.  240)  discusses 
it  very  fully.  The  word  unbonneted  is 
used  in  Lr.  Ill,  1,  14,  in  the  sense  of 
without  a  honnet-r-unbonneted  he  runs. 
But  cf.  loose  and  unloose  as  ordinarily 
used.  Now  Cotgrave  gives  "  bonneter: 
to  put  off  his  cap  unto.'' ^  And  if  the 
French  idiom  had  survived  until  the 
time  of  Sh. ,  to  unbonnet  would  be,  not 
' '  to  put  his  cap  off  unto. "  Bos  well,  in  the 
3rd  Var.,  quotes  "  A.  C."  to  this  effect : 
"Unbonneted  is  uncovered,  revealed, 
made  known."  Fuseli  is  quoted  by 
Steevens  as  follows:  "I  am  his  equal 
or  superior  in  rank  ;  and  were  it  not  so, 
such  are  my  demerits,  that  unbonneted, 
without  the  addition  of  patrician  or 
senatorial  dignity,  they  may  speak  to 
as  proud  a  fortune,  etc.— At  Venice, 
the  bonnet  as  well  as  the  toga,  is  a  badge 
of  aristocratic  honours  to  this  day." 
Staunton  says  :  "  The  import  we  take 
to  be, — my  services  when  revealed 
( unbonneted )  may  aspire  or  lay 
claim,  to  (may  speak  to)  as  proud  a 
fortune  as  this  which  I  have  attained." 
Oth.  I,  2,  23.  See  bonneted  and  de- 
merit. 

unbookish.  Skilless  ;  foolish  ;  ignorant. 
Oth.  IV,  1,  102. 

unbraced.  Unbuttoned.  Cees.  I,  3,  48; 
Hml.  II,  1,  78. 

unbraided.  Unfaded ;  undamaged.  Wint. 
IV,  4,  204.  Braided  is  an  old  word 
meaning  faded,  given  by  Baily  and  by 
the  N.  E.  D.  White  suggested  em- 
broidered. 

unbreathed.  Unexercised  ;  unpractised. 
Mids.  V,  1,  74.     cf.  breathe. 

uncandied.  Thawed ;  dissolved.  Kins.  I, 
1,  107. 

uncape.  To  throw  off  the  hounds ;  to  put 
them  on  the  scent.  Wiv.  Ill,  3,  176. 
Warburton  says  it  means :  to  dig  out 
the  fox  when  earthed;  Steevens:  to 
turn  the  fox  out  of  the  bag.  Eds.  are 
not  at  all  agreed  as  to  this  word,  but 
the  general  meaning  is  obvious. 


TTNC 


349 


UND 


uncase.    To  undress.     LLL.  V,  2,  707; 

Shr.  I,  1,  213.     cf.  case. 
uncharge.    To  acquit  of  blame ;   not  to 

accuse.     Hml.  IV,  7,  68. 
uncharged.    Unassailed.     Tim,  V,  4,  55. 
uncharmed.    In  Rom.  I,  1 ,  217,  the  word 

uuharm'd,  as  found  in  the  g.a.  text,  is 

uncharmed  in  the  Fl.     Unharmed  is 

the  reading  of  the  Ql.  and  makes  better 

sense. 
unchary.    Heedlessly.     Tw.  Ill,  4,  222. 
unchecked.  Uncontradicted.   Merch.  Ill, 

1,2. 
unciew.    To  unwind  ;  to  undo.     Tim.  I, 

1,  168. 

uncoined.  Unstamped.  HV.  V,  2,  161. 
Uncoined  constancy  =  the  constancy 
of  a  mind  which  had  never  borne  the 
stamp  of  another.  Also  defined  as  un- 
feigned; natural. 

uncolted.  Deprived  of  his  horse.  IHIV. 
II,  2,  42. 

uncomprehensive.  Not  understood ;  not 
known.     Troil.  Ill,  3,  198. 

unconfirmed.  Inexperienced.  Ado.  Ill, 
3,  124  ;  LLL.  IV,  2,  19. 

uncouth.  This  word  occurs  three  times 
in  Sh.,  viz.,  Lucr.  1598;  As.  II,  6,  6; 
Tit.  II,  3,  211.  In  its  original  sense  it 
meant  strange,  unfamiliar,  and  is  merely 
the  Anglo-Saxon  word  for  unknown. 
This  sense  it  still  retains  in  the  Scottish 
unco,  and  it  had  not  quite  lost  it  in  the 
time  of  Sh. ,  for  in  the  first  and  last  of  the 
above  quotations  it  distinctly  bears  that 
meaning.  In  the  second  quotation  the 
meaning  has  been  modified  to  ill-formed, 
rude,  ungainly,  and  this  is  its  usual 
signification  at  the  present  day. 

uncrossed.  Not  struck  out;  not  cancelled. 
Cym.  Ill,  3,  26.  When  an  account  was 
paid,  it  was  crossed  out  of  the  trades- 
man's book. 

uncurse.    To  take  off  a  curse.     RII.  Ill, 

2,  137. 

undeaf.    To  cure  of  deafness.     RII.   II, 

1,  16. 
undeeded.    Not  noted  for   any  exploit. 

Mcb.  V,  7,  20. 
underbear.    To  face ;  to  trim.     Ado.  Ill, 

4,21. 


underborne.  Trimmed  ;  bordered ;  some 
have  suggested  lined.     Ado.  Ill,  4,  21. 

undercrest.  To  wear  as  a  crest.  Cor.  I, 
9,72. 

undergo.    1.    To  undertake.     Gent.  V,  4, 
42;  Wint.   II,  3,   164;  Caes.  I,  3,   133; 
Cym.  Ill,  5,  110. 
2.  To  endure  with    firmness.     Tp.  I,  2, 
157 ;  Cym.  Ill,  2,  7. 

underskinlcer.  An  under  drawer ;  a  tap- 
ster's helper.     IHIV.  II,  4,  26. 

undertaker.  One  who  undertakes  or  gives 
assurance  either  for  another  or  in  re- 
gard to  some  special  matter.  The  word 
occurs  but  twice  in  Sh.,  and  a  great  deal 
of  learning  has  been  expended  over  the 
application  of  the  term  to  certain  ob- 
noxious government  ofiicials,  but  it 
seems  to  me  that  this  is  quite  beside 
the  question.  Schm.  defines  it  as  "a 
meddler,'  and  in  this  he  is  followed,  as 
usual,  by  most  recent  coms.  In  Tw. 
Ill,  4,  349,  Antonio  had  assumed  re- 
sponsibility for  Viola ;  he  undertook 
for  her,  and  Toby  tells  him,  Nay,  if 
you  he  an  undertaker,  i.e.,  if  you  want 
to  stand  in  her  shoes,  /  am  for  you. 
Meddler  does  not  supply  the  idea  re- 
quired here.  Even  the  sagacious  Fur- 
ness  seems  to  lean  towards  the  idea  that 
the  word  undertaker  was  used  here  as  a 
special  term  of  contempt.  I  cannot 
think  so.  It  seems  to  me  that  Sir 
Toby  used  it  in  its  legitimate  sense  of 
surety,  and  I  can  hardly  believe  that 
he  felt  much  contempt  for  the  daring 
and  combative  Antonio. 

So  in  0th.  IV,  1,  224,  And  for  Cassia, 
let  me  be  his  undertaker,  evidently 
means,  let  me  give  assurance  that  he 
will  be  disposed  of.  The  usual  glosses : 
"  Let  me  take  care  of  him,"  or  "let  me 
deal  with  him,"  have  none  of  the  force 
conveyed  by  lago's  words  which  are 
intended  to  assure  Othello  that  he 
(lago)  will  be  bondsman  for  his  (Cassio's) 
taking-off. 

undervalued.  Inferior  in  value.  Merch. 
I,  1,  165. 

underwrite.  To  subscribe  to ;  to  acknow- 
ledge.    Troil.  II,  3,  137. 


UND 


sm 


UNH 


underwrought.  Undermined.  Literally, 
worked  under  or  beneath.    John  11,1, 95. 

undeserver.  A  person  of  no  merit.  2HIV. 
II,  4,  406. 

undeserving.  Undeserved.  LLL.V,2,366. 

undistinguished.  The  passage  in  Lr.  IV, 
6,  278,  O  undistinguished  space  of 
woinan^s  will,  has  received  several 
emendations,  but  unnecessarily  so.  The 
meaning  is  not  far  to  seek.  Hudson 
explains  it  thus:  "Woman's  will  has 
no  distinguishable  bounds  or  no  assign- 
able limits ;  there  is  no  telling  what 
she  will  do  or  where  she  will  stop." 

undone.    Solved.    Per.  I,  1,  117. 

uneared.    Unplowed.    Sonn.  Ill,  5. 

uneatli.  With  diflSculty.  Literally,  with- 
out ease.    2HVI.  II,  4,  8. 

unexperient.  Inexperienced.  Compl.  318. 

unexpressive.  Inexpressible.  As.  Ill, 
2,  10. 

unfair,  v.  To  deprive  of  beauty.  Sonn. 
V,4. 

unfatlierM  lieirs.  Equivocal  births ;  ani- 
mals that  had  no  animal  progenitors. 
Johnson.  Not  produced  in  the  ordinary 
course  of  nature.  Staunton  explains 
the  expression  as  meaning  certain  so- 
called  prophets,  who  pretended  to  have 
been  conceived  by  miracle,  like  Merlin. 
Montaigne,  in  his  " Essays,"  says :  "In 
Mahomet's  religion,  by  the  easie  beleefe 
of  that  people,  are  many  Merlins  found ; 
That  is  to  say,  fatherles  children ; 
Spiritual  children,  conceived  and  borne 
devinely  in  the  wombs  of  virgins." 
And  the  reader  will  no  doubt  call  to 
mind  the  birth  of  Brian  in  the  Third 
Canto  of  "The  Lady  of  the  Lake." 
2HIV.  IV,  4,  122. 

unfellow'd.  Without  an  equal.  Hml.  V, 
2,.  150. 

unfenced.  Without  any  protection.  John 
II,  1,  386. 

unfold.  1.  To  release  from  a  fold  or  pen. 
The  unfolding  star  =  the  star  that 
bids  the  shepherd  unfold  his  sheep  and 
turn  them  out  to  pasture.  Meas.  IV,  3, 
218. 

In   illustration    of   this    expression, 
Steevens  quotes  Milton's  "  Comus  "  : 


The  star  that  bids  the  shepherd  fold, 
Now  the  top  of  heaven  doth  hold. 

And  Malone  adds,  from  Marston's  "  In- 
satiate Countess  "  (1613) : 

So  doth  the  evening  star  present  itself 
Unto  the  careful  shepherd's  gladsome 

eyes 
By  which  unto  the  fold  he  leads  his 

flock. 

Reference  in  both  these  instances  is 
made  to  the  evening  star  and  to  the  in- 
folding of  the  flock;  here  the  Duke 
refers  to  a  morning  star  and  to  the  un- 
folding of  the  flock.  The  star  in  both 
cases  was  most  probably  Venus,  which 
at  some  seasons  sets  a  little  after  the 
sun  and,  from  its  brilliancy,  has  been 
called  the  evening  star.  At  other 
seasons,  this  planet  rises  a  little  before 
the  sun,  and  hence  has  been  called  the 
morning  star,  or  Lucifer,  the  light- 
bringer,  the  harbinger  of  day.  The 
evening  star  is  called  Hesperus.     All's. 

II,  1,  167. 

2.  To  make  known ;  to  display.     Hml.  I, 

1,  2  ;  Cym.  II,  3,  101. 
unfool.    To  take  away  the  disgrace  of 

being  fooled.     Wiv.  IV,  2,  120. 
unfurnished.    Uncompanioned ;   without 

corresponding  features.     Merch.  Ill,  2, 

126. 
ungenitured.  It  has  not  been  quite  settled 

whether  this  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Meas. 

III,  2,  184,  means  un begotten  (see  line 
112  above)  or  impotent. 

ungird.  To  unbend  ;  to  relax.  Ungird 
thy  strangeness  (Tw.  IV,  1,  16)  =  be 
communicative  and  unreserved. 

ungracious.  Without  grace ;  wicked.  Tw. 

IV,  1,  51 ;  Hml.  I,  G,  47. 
ungravely.    Without  gravity  or  dignity. 

Cor.  II,  3,  233. 
unhaired.    Beardless ;    foolish  ;   not   yet 
come  to  years  of  discretion.     John  V, 
2,133. 

In  the  Fl.  this  passage  reads:  This 
un  -  heard  sawcinesse  and  boyish 
Troopes.  Theobald  corrected  to  un- 
hair''d,  giving  the  following  reasons : 
"  Unheard  is  an  epithet  of  very  little 
force  of  meaning  here;  besides,  let  us 


UNH 


351 


UNL 


observe  how  it  is  coupled.  Faulcon- 
bridge  is  sneering  at  the  Dauphin's  in- 
vasion as  an  unadvised  enterprise, 
savouring  of  youth  and  indiscretion  ; 
the  result  of  childishness  and  unthinking 
rashness;  and  he  seems  altogether  to 
dwell  on  this  character  of  it,  by  calling 
his  preparation  '  boyish  troops,  dwarfish 
war,  pigmy  arms,  etc.,'  which,  accord- 
ing to  my  emendation,  sort  very  well 
with  unhaired^  i.e.,  unbearded  sauci- 
ness."  Malone  notes  that  hair  was 
formerly  written  hear,  and  so  the  mis- 
take might  easily  happen.  . 

Unhair''d  is  now  found  in  the  g.  a. 
text,  and  the  Globe  and  even  the  Cam- 
bridge ed.  have  adopted  it.  Schm. 
prefers  unheard  =  unprecedented,  and 
adds:  "Modern  ed.  unhaired,  in  the 
sense  of  unbearded,  in  which  the  poet 
would  hardly  have  used  the  word." 
unhandsome.  1.  Unbecoming.  As.  Epi. 
2 ;  IHIV.  I,  3,  44. 
2.  Unfair.    Unhandsome  warrior  (Oth. 

III,  4,  151)  =  unfair  assailant.  "A 
lovely  reminiscence  of  her  husband's 
having  called  her  '  ray  fair  warrior  '  in 
the  joy  of  his  first  meeting,  on  arrival." 
Cowden-Clarkes. 

unhappy.  Evil ;  pernicious  ;  mischievous. 
Err.  IV,  4,  127 ;  LLL.  V,  2,  12 ;  All's. 

IV,  5, 66.  In  the  last  passage  =  roguish ; 
full  of  tricks. 

unhappily.  Mischievously;  eviUy.  HVIII. 
I,  4,  89 ;  Hml.  IV,  5,  13 ;  Lr.  I,  2,  157. 

unhatched.    1.  Undeveloped ;  which  has 

not  yet  taken  effect.     Oth.  Ill,  4,  140. 

2.  Unbacked ;  uninjured.   Tw.  111,4,260. 

unheedy.    Inconsiderate.    Mids.  I,  1,  237. 

unhelpful.  Unaiding ;  unavailing.  2HVI. 
Ill,  1,  218. 

unhoused.  In  regard  to  this  word,  as  it 
occurs  in  Oth.  I,  2,  26,  Hunter,  in  his 
"New Illustrations,"  p. 282, says :  "This 
passage  affords  one  of  the  best  proofs  of 
Shakespeare's  acquaintance  with  the 
Italian  language.  Unhoused  conveys 
to  English  eai's  no  idea  of  anything 
which  any  one  would  be  unwilling  to 
resign  ;  and,  in  fact,  it  is  only  by  re- 
collecting the  way  in  which  the  Italians 


use  cassare  that  we  arrive  at  its  true 
meaning,  which  is  unmarried.  A  sol- 
dier was  as  much  unhoused,  in  the 
ordinary  meaning  of  the  term,  after 
marriage  as  before.  Othello  would  not 
resign  the  freedom  of  his  bachelor- 
estate.'''' 

unhouseled.  Not  having  received  the 
Sacrament.     Hml.  I,  5,  77. 

unimproved.  Hml.  I,  1,  96.  Quite  a 
number  of  meanings  have  been  given  to 
this  word.  Johnson:  "Not  regulated 
or  guided  by  knowledge  or  experience.". 
Schm.  :  "Not  yet  used  for  advantage  ; 
not  turned  to  account. "  Nares  :  "Un- 
reproved;  unimpeached."  Singer:  "Un- 
tried." Staunton  :  "  Insatiable,  un- 
governable," etc.,  etc. 

unintelligent.  Uninformed ;  unaware  of. 
Wint.  I,  1,  16. 

union.  A  fine  pearl.  Hml.  V,  2,  283. 
Under  pretence  of  throwing  a  pearl 
into  the  cup,  the  king  may  be  supposed 
to  drop  some  poisonous  drug  into  the 
wine.  Hamlet  seems  to  suspect  this, 
when  he  afterwards  discovers  the  effects 
of  the  poison,  and  tauntingly  asks  him, 
"  Is  thy  union  here  ? "    Steevens. 

unjointed.    Incoherent.     IHIV.  I,  3,  65. 

unjust.  1.  Dishonest.  Wint.  IV,  4,  688 ; 
IHIV.  IV,  2,  30. 

2.  Not  founded  in  fact ;  untrue.  Ado. 
V,  1,  223. 

3.  Faithless.  Gent.  IV,  4,  173 ;  Meas. 
Ill,  1,  249. 

unkennel.  To  drive  a  fox  from  his  earth  ; 
to  drive  one  from  his  hiding-place  ;  to 
disclose.     Wiv.   Ill,   3,   174;  Hml.   Ill, 

2,  86. 

unkind.  1.  Unnatural.  Lr.  I,  1,  263; 
do.  Ill,  4,  73. 

2.  Childless.  Ven.  204.  c/.  kind  and 
kindless. 

unlace.  1.  To  uncover  ;  to  expose  to  in- 
jury ;  to  damage  ;  to  disgrace.     Oth.  II, 

3,  194.  Thus  the  coms.  Perhaps  the 
idea  is  to  loose  or  unfasten  the  reputa- 
tion and  let  it  depart. 

2.  To  unfasten  (referring  to  a  woman's 
dress).     Pilgr.  149. 
unlived.    Deprived  of  life.    Lucr.  1754. 


UNL 


853 


vrr-R 


unlustrous.  Wanting  lustre ;  non-illumi- 
nating. Cym.  I,  6,  109.  The  Fl.  reads 
illustrious.  The  emendation  is  due  to 
Rowe.    See  illustrious. 

unmanned.  This  is  a  term  in  falconry  ; 
a  hawk  is  said  to  be  unmanned  when 
she  is  not  yet  accustomed  to  her  keeper. 
A  hood  is  a  sort  of  cap  used  to  prevent 
the  hawk  from  seeing  objects.  Rom. 
Ill,  2,  14.     See  bate. 

unmastered.  Unbridled;  unrestrained. 
Hml.  I,  3,  33. 

unmeritable.  Devoid  of  merit.  RIII. 
Ill,  7,  155 ;  Cses.  IV,  1,  13. 

unnumbered.  Innumerable.  Caes.  Ill, 
l,63;Lr.  IV,  6,  31. 

unowed.  Having  no  owner.  John  IV,  3, 147. 

unpang'd.  Free  from  pain  or  pangs. 
Kins.  I,  1,  169. 

unpay.    To  undo.    3HIV.  II,  1,  130. 

unpinked.  Not  pierced  with  eyelet-holes. 
Shr.  IV,  1,  136. 

unpitied.  Without  pity ;  unmerciful. 
Meas.  IV,  3,  13. 

unplausive.  Displeased ;  disapproving. 
Troil.  Ill,  3,  43. 

unpoHcied.  Stupid  ;  devoid  of  policy. 
Ant.  V,  3,  311. 

unpregnant.  Stupid;  unapt  for  business. 
Meas.  IV,  4,  23;  Hml.  II,  3,  595.  See 
pregnant. 

unprevailing.  Unavailing.  Hml.  I,  3, 
107;  cf.  prevail  in  Rom.  Ill,  3,  60. 
Dry  den,  "Essay  on  Dramatic  Poetry," 
has :  "  He  may  often  prevail  himself  of 
the  same  advantages." 

unprizable.    1.  Of  exceeding  value;  in- 
valuable ;  inestimable.     Cym.  I,  4,  99. 
2.  Worthless ;  not  to  be  valued  highly. 
Tw.  V,  1,  58. 

Abbott,  Sh.  Gram.,  §3,  says  the  word 
means  "not  able  to  be  made  a  prize  of, 
captured,"  but  this  definition  has  not 
been  generally  accepted.  Furness  quotes 
the  Cent.  Diet.:  "Incapable  of  being 
prized  or  of  having  its  value  estimated, 
as  being  either  below  valuation  or  above 
or  beyond  valuation."  Furness  adds: 
"Hence  it  follows  that  the  meaning 
can  be  determined  only  by  the  context, 
which  in  the  present  passage  is,  I  think, 


in  favor  of  valueless.  Thus  *  unvalued  * 
is  also  used  by  Sh.  with  opposite  mean- 
ings. In  Hml.  I,  3,  19,  Laertes  says  of 
Hamlet,  '  He  may  not  as  unvalued  per- 
sons do,  Carve  for  himself ; '  where 
unvalued  means  common,  ordinary.  In 
RIII.  I,  4,  27,  Clarence  describes  the 
sight  in  his  dream  of  '  heaps  of  pearls, 
Inestimable  stones,  unvalued  jewels,' 
where  unvalued  means  uncommon,  ex- 
traordinary." 

unprized.  Unvalued  or,  perhaps,  price- 
less.    Lr.  I,  1,  263. 

unproper.  Not  one's  own  ;  not  peculiar 
to  an  individual ;  common.  0th.  IV, 
1,  69.     cf.  proper  (1). 

Schm.,  followed  as  usual  by  several 
coms.,  sees  here  a  quibble  between  two 
meanings  which  he  gives  to  the  word — 
"common"  and  "indecent."  But  it 
seems  to  me  that  there  is  no  quibbling 
here.  The  context,  which  they  dare 
swear  peculiar ,  would  seem  to  confine 
it  to  the  single  meaning  which  we  have 
given.  And,  besides,  it  was  not  a  time 
for  quibbles.  Furness  does  not  note  any 
quibble,  though  he  must  have  seen 
Schmidt's  suggestion. 

unprovide.  To  deprive  of  what  is  neces- 
sary. Oth.  IV,  1,  218.  "Divest  [my 
mind]  of  resolution."  Johnson.  The 
only  instance  of  its  use  in  Sh. 

unqualified.  Unmanned;  deprived  of  his 
faculties.  Malone  would  understand  it 
to  mean  "  unsoldiered  " — quality  being 
formerly  common  in  the  sense  of  "  pro- 
fession. ' '    Ant.  Ill,  1 1 ,  44. 

unquestionable.  Averse  to  question  or 
conversation.     As.  III.  2,  393. 

This  word  is  the  reverse  of  question- 
able (Hml.  I,  4,  43),  which  means  in- 
viting conversation,  and  does  not  mean 
suspicious,  as  it  is  often  understood. 
See  question  and  questionable. 

unraked.  Not  made  up  for  the  night. 
Wiv.  V,  5,  48.  In  Sh.  time,  long  before 
the  invention  of  matches,  fires  were 
kept  constantly  burning,  and  at  night 
they  were  "raked"  or  made  up  so  as 
to  consume  very  little  fuel.  See  rake^  v; 
also  tinder. 


tTNa 


553 


tTNT 


unready.    Undressed.     IHVI.  II,  1,  39. 

unrecalling.  Past  recall ;  that  caunot  be 
repealed.    Lucr.  993. 

Schm.  says  :  "  Not  the  participle,  but 
the  gerund  used  adjectively. "  See  also 
Sh.  Gram.,  §372. 

unreclaimed.  Untamed ;  undisciplined. 
A  term  in  falconry.     Hml.  II,  1,  34. 

unrecuring.  Fast  cure ;  uucurable.  Tit. 
Ill,  1,  90. 

unresisted.    Irresistible.    Lucr.  282. 

unrespective.  Unregarded ;  unvalued. 
Troil.  II,  2,  71. 

The  termination  ive  is  sometimes  used 
by  Sh.  in  a  passive  instead  of  as  now  in 
an  active  signification ;  thus,  incompre- 
hensive  depths,  etc.  See  Abbott's  Sh. 
Gram.,  §445.     See  also  sieve. 

unrip.  To  rip  ;  to  cut  open.  RIII.  I,  4, 
212.  The  un  here  is  intensive  as  in  un- 
loose. 

unrolled.  Struck  off  the  roll  or  register 
(of  expert  thieves).     Wint.  IV,  3,  130. 

unroosted.  Driven  from  the  roost ;  hen- 
pecked.    Wint.  II,  3,  74. 

unrough.    Unbearded.    Mcb.  V,  2,  10. 

unscanned.  Inconsiderate ;  unobservant. 
Cor.  Ill,  1,  313. 

unseam.  To  rip ;  to  cut  open.  Mcb.  I, 
2,22. 

unseasoned.  1.  Untrained;  inexperienced. 
All's.  I,  1,  80. 
2.  Unseasonable.    2HIV.  Ill,  1,  105. 

unsecret.    Wanting  in   secrecy.    Troil. 

III,  2,  133. 

unseminared.  Deprived  of  virility.  Ant. 

I,  5,  11. 
unset.    Unplanted.    Sonn.  XVI,  6. 
unshape.  To  disorder ;  to  derange.  Meas. 

IV,  4,  23. 

unsifted.  Untried;  inexperienced.  Hml. 
I,  3,  102. 

unsisting.  Meas.  IV,  2,  92.  A  doubtful 
word  for  which  no  satisfactory  explana- 
tion has  been  offered.  As  a  corrected 
reading,  unresisting  has  been  suggested, 
but  has  not  been  adopted,  although  it 
has  actually  been' accepted  as  a  defini- 
tion of  the  word  in  one  of  the  large 
dictionaries  !  The  Cent.  Diet,  does  not 
mention   it.    Schm.    and    most   corns. 


consider  it  a  misprint.  "  Unshifting," 
"unresting,"  "uulisting,"  have  all  Ceen 
oflFered  as  emendations.  Arthur  Symons 
explains  it  as  "perhaps  shaking."  It 
seems  to  me  that  this  comes  nearest  to 
the  real  sense.  The  radical  or  etymo- 
logical meaning  of  the  word  would  be 
"  un-standing "  (from  Latin  stare)^ 
which,  of  course,  is  =  shaking.  There 
is  an  old  Scotch  word,  sist,  now  used 
only  as  a  law  term,  which  means  to 
stop  or  make  to  stand  (in  relation  to 
law  proceedings;.  Unsisting  may  be 
related  to  this  word. 

unsorted.    Unsuitable.    IHIV.  II,  8,  13. 

unsphere.  To  remove  from  its  orbit. 
Wint.  I,  2,  48.     See  sphere. 

unsquared.    Unsuitable.    Troil.  I,  3, 159. 

unstanched,     )  1.  Insatiate;  unquenched. 

unstaunched.  )     3HVI.  II,  6,  83. 
2.  Incontinent.     Tp.  I,  1,  51. 

unstate.  To  divest  of  state  or  dignity. 
Lr.  I,  2,  108 ;  Ant.  Ill,  13,  30. 

untempering.  Unsof  tening  ;  not  produc- 
ing the  desired  effect.  HV.  V,  2,  241. 
cf.  temper. 

untent.  To  bring  out  of  the  tent.  Troil. 
II,  3,  178. 

untented.  Not  to  be  probed  by  a  tent 
or  probe;  incurable ;  unsearchable.  Lr. 
I,  4,  322.     cf.  tent. 

unthread.  As  used  in  its  ordinary  sense, 
this  word  requires  no  gloss  or  comment, 
but  as  it  occurs  in  John  V,  4,  11,  it  has 
given  some  trouble.  The  phrase,  un- 
thread the  rude  eye  of  rebellion,  is 
rather  obscure,  and  Theobald  proposed 
untread  the  rude  way,  but  the  emend- 
ation has  not  been  generally  accepted. 
White,  adopted  it  in  his  first  ed  ,  but 
rejected  it  in  his  second.  The  combina- 
tion of  "thread"  with  "eye"  is  so 
obviously  apt  that  it  hardly  seems 
possible  that  either  word  singly  should 
be  corrupt.  Then  we  have  in  Cor.  Ill, 
1,  127 :  They  would  not  thread  the 
gates.  So  that  on  the  whole  it  would 
seem  that  the  present  reading  is  the 
true  one,  although  the  metaphor  may, 
perhaps,  be  a  little  crude.  But  under  any 
circumstances  the  general  meaning  is 


VNt 


354 


tJPC 


obvious  enough.  The  Cowden-Clarkes 
say  :  *'  The  metaphor  has  the  more  pro- 
priety, because  to  thread  the  eye  of  a 
needle  is  a  process  of  some  difficulty, 
while  to  unthread  a  needle's  eye  is,  on 
the  contrary,  one  of  the  most  easy  of 
tasks ;  therefore,  the  proposal  to  un- 
thread the  rude  eye  of  rebellion  ap- 
propriately metaphorizes  the  intricate 
course  they  have  taken  in  forsaking  the 
English  side  and  revolting  to  the  French, 
and  also  the  facile  one  they  vpould  take 
in  withdrawing  themselves  from  it  and 
returning  to  their  natural  allegiance." 
cf.  RII.  V,  5,  17,  and  Matthew  xix,  25. 

untoward.  Refractory;  unmannerly.  Shr. 
IV,  5,  79;  JohnI,  1,243. 

untraded.  Not  employed  in  common 
use  ;  unhackneyed.     Troil.  IV,  5,  178. 

tintread.    To  retrace  one's  steps.    Merch. 

II,  6, 10;  John  V,  4,  52. 
untrimmed.  Stripped  of  ornamental  dress, 

Sonn.  XVIII,  8.     The  passage  in  John 

III,  1,  209,  the  devil  tempts  thee  here 
In  likeness  of  a  new  untrimmed  bride, 
has  occasioned  some  discussion.  Theo- 
bald emended  to  and  trimmed,  but 
White,  in  hLs  first  ed.,  says  :  "  An  un- 
trimmed bride  is  a  bride  in  deshabille, 
and  in  some  such  condition  was  Blanch 
on  account  of  her  unexpected  nuptials." 
White  thinks  he  sees  an  "obvious  al- 
lusion to  the  temptation  of  Saint  An- 
thony," though  he  admits  that  "it  is, 
of  course,  not  intimated  that  Blanch 
was  then  and  there  in  a  condition  ap- 
proaching that  in  which  the  temptress 
of  Saint  Anthony  is  generally  supposed 
to  have  won  the  victory  for  the  devil." 
This,  however,  is,  I  think,  too  fine-spun. 
Moreover,  untrimmed  =  en  deshabille 
does  not  meet  the  case.  Constance  is 
enumerating  attractions,  not  defects, 
and  a  woman  untrimmed  is  not  generally 
supposed  to  be  as  attractive  as  one  well 
dressed.  I  cannot  but  think  that  those 
coms.  who  see  here  an  allusion  to  the 
old  custom  of  the  bride's  going  to  church 
with  her  hair  dishevelled  are  right. 
It  would  then  mean  virgin  bride,  the 
strongest  attraction  that  could  be  offered 


to  a  young  man.  Numerous  passages 
from  the  poets  may  be  cited  in  support 
of  this  view.  Thus  Webster  in  White 
Devil : 

Let  them  dangle  loose 
As  a  bride's  hair. 
In  Spenser's  "  Prothalamion  "  we  find : 
Locks  all  loose  untyde. 
As  each  had  bene  a  Bryde. 
Fleay,  who  is  of  this  opinion,  quotes 
Tancred  and  Gismunda  (Dodsley,  Vol. 
VII,  p.  86) : 
So  let  thy  tresses,  flaring  in  the  wind 
Untrimmed  hang  about  thy  bared  neck. 

The  lamented  Marshall,  whose  judg- 
ment in  such  matters  was  excellent, 
seemed  to  favor  this  view.  And  see 
hair. 

untrussing.  Unloosing  the  points  of  the 
hose.  Meas.  Ill,  2,  194.  Certainly  not 
"  unpacking  "  as  Schm.  has  it. 

untucked.    Dishevelled.     Compl.  31. 

untuneable.  Not  harmonious;  discordant ; 
not  nuisical.     Gent.  Ill,  1,  208. 

It  has  been  thought  by  some  that  this 
word,  as  it  occurs  in  As.  V,  3,  37,  is  a 
misprint  for  untimeable,  the  reply  of 
the  page  leading  to  that  conclusion. 
But  "  untuneable  agrees  better  with 
what  Touchstone  afterwards  says,  '  God 
mend  your  voices. '  The  page  mistakes 
the  point  of  the  criticism,  perhaps  in- 
tentionally."   Eolfe. 

unvalued.    1.  Mean  ;  not  of  the  nobility. 
Hml.  I,  3,  19. 
2.  Invaluable ;  inestimable.  RIII.  1, 4, 27. 

unweighed.    Reckless.     Wiv.  II,  1,  23. 

unweighing.  Thoughtless.  Meas.  Ill,  2, 
147. 

unwitted.  Deprived  of  wit  or  intelligence. 
■Oth.  II,  3,  182. 

unworthy.    Undeserved.    RIII.  I,  3,  88. 

unyoke.  To  cease  work;  to  put  off  the 
yoke.     Hml.  V,  1,  57. 

unyoked.  Uncontrolled;  unbridled.  IHIV. 
I,  2,  220. 

upcast.  A  throw  or  cast  at  bowls ;  per- 
haps the  final  throw.     Cym.  II,  1,  2. 

Upon  an  upcast  means  by  a  throw 
from  another  bowler  directed  straight 
up.    Johnson. 


TIPS 


355 


tJTT 


up  her.  The  expression  found  in  Rom. 
IV,  2,  41,  help  to  deck  up  her,  is  pecu- 
liar. Hudson  and  some  others  emend 
to  deck  her  up.  See  line  45  below.  We 
speak  of  "trimming  up  a  hedge," 
"cleaning  up  a  room,"  etc.  The  ex- 
pression is  evidently  idiomatic  and 
should  be  allowed  to  stand. 

In  Shakespeare  the  place  of  the  word 
up  in  compounds  and  partial  compounds 
seems  in  many  instances  to  have  been 
different  from  that  now  generally  used. 
Thus  we  have  upfill  for  fill  up  (Rom.  II, 

3,  7) ;  uphoard  for  hoard  up  (Hml.  I,  1, 
136)  ;  uplock  for  lock  up  (Sonn.  LII,  2) ; 
up-jjrick  for  prick  up  (Ven.  271),  etc. 

upright.     Straight  up;  directly  upward. 

Lr.  IV,  6,  27 ;  2HVI.  Ill,  1,  365. 
uproar,  v.  To  throw  into  confusion.  Mcb. 

IV,  3,  99. 
upstaring.    Standing  on  end.     Tp.  I,  2, 

213. 
upshoot,  [   The  deciding  shot.     LLL.  IV, 
upshot.    \      1,  138;  Hml.  V,  2,  395. 
upspring.    A  boisterous   sort  of  dance. 

Hiul.  I,  4, 9.     Pope  emended  to  upstart, 

meaning  the  king. 
Upswarm.    To  cause  to  rise  In  a  swarm 

or  in  swarms.     2HIV.  IV,  2,  30. 
up-till.     Against ;  up  to.    In  Scottish  and 

old  English,  till  is  fi-equently  used  where 

we  would  say  to.     Pilgr.  382. 
urchin.     1.    A  hedgehog.     Tit.  II,  3,  101  ; 

Tp.  I,  2,  326.     In  the  latter  passage  it  is 

possible  that  the  word  has  the  meaning 

given  in  the  next  definition.     Urchin  is 

still  used  in  Scotland  and  the  North  of 

England  for  hedgehog. 
2.  A  kind  of  fairy  or  goblin.     Wiv.  IV, 

4,  49.  Also  in  Tp.  II,  2,  5,  in  the  com- 
pound word  urchin-show. 

urge.  To  allege  as  a  cause  or  reason. 
Ant.  II,  2,  46.  "  Made  use  of  my  name 
as  a  pretext  for  the  war. ' '    Warburton. 

Ursula,  dr. p.     Attendant  on  Hero.    Ado. 

Urswick,  Christopher,  dr.p.  A  priest. 
RIII. 

This  person,  who  was  chaplain  to  the 
Countess  of  Richmond  and  afterwards 
almoner  to  King  Henry  VII,  is  called 
Sir  as  being  a  priest.    Dyce.    See  Sir. 


usance.    Interest  paid  for  use  of  money. 

Merch.  I,  3,  46. 
use.    Interest  paid  for  borrowed  money. 

Meas.  I,  1,  41;  Ado.  II,  1,  288;  Tw.  Ill, 

1,  57. 

usurer's  chain.  Gold  chains  were  for- 
merly worn  by  rich  merchants;  and 
merchants  were  the  chief  usurers  of 
those  days.     Dyce.     Ado.  II,  1,  197. 

ut.  The  first  note  in  Guido's  musical 
scale  :  ut,  re,  sol,  la,  mi,  fa.     LLL.  IV, 

2,  102 ;  Shr.  Ill,  1,  76. 

utis.  This  word  is  from  the  French  huit, 
eight,  and  signifies  the  eighth  day  or 
the  space  of  eight  days  after  any  festival. 
It  was  a  law  term  and  occurs  in  some 
of  the  English  statutes.  Now  more 
commonly  called  the  octave.  Any  day 
between  the  feast  and  the  eighth  day 
was  said  to  be  within  the  utis  or  utas. 
Dyce.  Here  will  he  old  utis  =  here 
will  be  a  high  old  time.  2HIV.  II,  4, 
22.     See  old. 

utter.  To  put  forth  ;  to  dispense.  Hence 
to  dispose  of  to  the  public  in  the  way  of 
trade.  Schm.  says:  "not  exactly  = 
sell  as  the  commentators  explain  it." 
This  is  true ;  the  words  sell  and  utter 
are  not  synonymous,  but  the  result  is 
the  same  in  both  cases.  In  LLL.  II,  1, 
16,  beauty  is  bought  by  judgment  of 
the  eye,  not  uttered  by  base  sale  of 
chapmen'' s  tongues,  "uttered"  evi- 
dently means  disposed  of.  Upon  this 
passage  Johnson  has  the  following  note : 
"  Chapman  here  seems  to  signify  the 
seller,  not  as  now  commonly  the  buyer. 
Cheap  or  cheaping  was  anciently  the 
market:  chapman  is  therefore  market- 
man.  The  meaning  is,  that  the  esti- 
mation of  beauty  depends  not  on  the 
uttering  or  proclamation  of  the  seller, 
but  on  the  eye  of  the  buyer."  This 
note  has  been  frequently  quoted  with- 
out protest,  although  it  contains  a  very 
obvious  blunder.  The  uttering  is  not 
the  proclamation  of  the  seller,  but  the 
actual  sale  to  or  purchase  by  the  buyer. 
The  difficulty  here  lies  in  the  word  sale, 
not  in  the  word  utter ;  the  of  is  here,  as 
in  some  other  places  (see  Sh.  Gram., 


VAO 


8156 


VAL 


§  170)  =  by,  and  the  sense  of  the  passage 
is :  not  disposed  of  by  base  sale  (or  pro- 
clamation) of  chapmen's  tongues.  So 
in  Wint.  IV,  4,  330,  utter  =  dispose  of. 
The  passage  in  Ado.  V,  8,  20,  has  re- 
ceived many  explanations,  for  which 
see  Furness's  ed.  of  the  play,  p.  275. 
The  chief  interpretations  are:  1.  The 
cry,  graves  yawn,  etc.,  shall  be  raised 
till  death.  Schm.  2.  That  death  is  to 
be  expelled  (outer^ed)  by  the  power  of 
Heaven.  An  obscure  allusion  to  the 
resurrection.  White  and  others.  8. 
*'  Till   death   be   uttered "    means   till 


death  be  overcome,  vanquished  to  the 
utterance.  Furness. 
utterance.  Extremity;  the  "bitter end." 
Mcb.  Ill,  1,  72 ;  Cym.  Ill,  1,  78.  On 
the  first  quotation,  champion  me  to  the 
utterance,  Johnson  remarks :  "  A  chal- 
lenge or  a  combat  a  Voutrance  [French], 
to  extremity,  was  a  fixed  term  in  the 
law  of  arms,  used  when  the  combatants 
engaged  with  an  odium  internecinum, 
an  intention  to  destroy  each  other,  in 
opposition  to  trials  of  skill  at  festivals, 
or  on  other  occasions,  where  the  contest 
was  only  for  reputation  or  a  prize." 


|ACANCY.  Unoccupied  and  idle 
time.  If  he  filled  his  vacancy 
with  his  voluptuousness.  Ant. 
I,  4,  26.  On  the  passage  in 
Ant.  II,  2,  221,  Whistling  to  the  air; 
which,  but  for  vacancy,  Had  gone  to 
gaze  on  Cleopatra  too,  Warburton 
makes  a  note:  "Alluding  to  an  axiom 
in  the  peripatetic  philosophy  then  in 
vogue,  that  Nature  abhors  a  vacuum.'''' 
In  other  words  :  The  air  was  chained  to 
the  spot  lest  its  absence  should  create  a 
vacuum.  Line  223,  And  m,ade  a  gap 
in  nature,  seems  to  confirm  this  view. 

vade.    To  fade.    Pilgr.  131 ;  RII.  I,  2,  20. 

vail,  n.  A  going  down ;  a  setting.  Troil. 
V,  8,  7. 

vail,  v.  To  lower  ;  to  let  fall.  Ven.  314 ; 
Meas.  V,  1,  20  ;  Hml.  I,  2,  70. 

vagrom.    A  blunder  for  vagrant.    Ado. 

III,  3,  26. 

vailful.  Available;  advantageous.   Meas. 

IV,  6,  4. 

vails.  Payment  for  services.  Per.  II,  1, 
157.  This  word,  like  the  word  wages, 
is  generally  used  in  the  plural.  It  has 
given  some  trouble  to  the  corns.,  some 
of  whom  make  it  =  avails  and  print  it 
'vails.  "The  Henry  Irving  Shake- 
speare" explains  it  as  "perquisites.  ' 
But  it  seems  to  have  been  a  legitimate 
word  for  payment  for  services.     It  is 


used  by  Cotton  (1670)  in  this  sense,  as 
the  following  extract  from  his  "  Voyage 
to  Ireland  "  shows  : 
A  guide  I  had  got,  who  demanded 

great  vails 
For  conducting  me  over  the  mountains 

of  Wales  ; 
Twenty  good  shillings,  which   sure 

very  large  is  : 
Yet  that  would  not  serve,  but  I  must 
bear  his  charges. 
From  this  it  is  very  clear  that  the  "  per- 
quisites" were  extra  and  were  not  the 
"vails." 
vainly.    Erroneously.    2HIV.  IV,  5,  239. 
vainness.    1.   Falseness.     Tw.  Ill,  4,  389. 
2.  Vanity  ;  boastfulness.     HV.  V,  Chor. 
20. 
valance,  n.     A  short  curtain  or  fringe; 
generally  used  upon  a  bedstead.     Shr. 
II,  1,  856. 
valance,  v.    To  fringe  or  decorate  with  a 
valance  ;  used  figui-ately  in  regard  to  the 
beard.     Hml.  II,  2,  451. 
Valdes.    Name  of  a  pirate  in  Per.  IV,  1, 
97.     It  is  noticeable  that  an  admiral  in 
the  Spanish    Armada    bore    the  same 
name. 
Valentine.    Halliwell  has   this   note  on 
Hml.  IV,  5,  50:  "This  song  alludes  to 
the  custom  of  the  first  girl  seen  by  a 
man  on  the  morning  of  this  day  being 
considered  his  Valentine  or  true-love." 


VAL 


357 


VAS 


Valentine,  dr. p.    A  geiitleiuaii  of  Verona. 

Gent. 
Valentine,  di-.p.    Attendant  on  the  Duke 

of  IlJyria.     Tw. 
Valeria,  dr.p.     Friend  to  Virgilia,     Cor, 
Valerius,    dr.p.     A    Theban    nobleman. 

Kins. 
validity.    1.    Efficacy.     Hml.  Ill,  2,  199. 

2.  Value.     All's.  V,  3,  19:3 ;  Lr.  I,  1,  83. 

3.  Worth  or  dignity.     Johnson.    Rom. 
Ill,  3,  33. 

valued.  Having  the  value  of  each  item 
estimated.  Valued  file  =  a  list  in  which 
the  good  are  distinguished  from  the 
worthless.     Mcb.  Ill,  1,  95. 

vanish'd.  Dowden,  in  his  valuable  ed. 
of  the  play,  has  this  note  on  Rom.  Ill, 
3,  10,  A  gentler  judgement  vanisWd 
from  his  lips  :  "  No  such  use  of  vanish 
is  found  elsev\here  in  Sh.,  for  breath 
vanishing  from  the  lips  like  smoke  (in 
Lucr.  1041)  is  not  a  parallel.  Massinger, 
however,  in  the  Renegado,  V,  3,  has : 
'  Upon  those  lips  from  which  those  sweet 
words  vanished,'  which  Keightley  sup- 
poses was  written  on  the  authority  of 
the  present  passage.  Heath  conjectured 
issued.  I  suspect  that  banishment  in 
the  next  line  misled  the  printer ;  but 
possibly  (and  it  is  strange  that  this  has 
not  been  suggested)  Shakespeare  wrote : 

A  gentler  judgment—'  banish'd  '  from 
his  lips." 

Vanity.    On  this  passage  in  Lr.  II,  2,  39, 
Dyce  has  this  note:   "The  coms.  may 
be  right  in  seeing  here  an  allusion  to 
the  character  of  Vanity  in  some  of  the 
early    Moralities   or    Moral-plays,    but 
we  occasionally  meet  with  similar  pass- 
ages where  there  does  not  appear  to  be 
any  such  allusion  ;  e.g.  : 
Young  Mistris  Vanity  is  also  sad, 
Because  the  parrat's  dead  she  lately 
had,  etc. 
— Wither's  Abuses  Stript  and  Wliipt— Joy, 
p.  141,  ed.  1617." 

Here,  as  in  many  other  passages  of  our 
old  writers,  "puppet"  may  be  nothing 
else  than  a  term  of  contempt  for  a 
female.     See  Iniquity. 


vantage.     1.    In  addition    to ;    to    boot. 
Hml.  Ill,  3,  33 ;  0th.  IV,  3,  86. 

2.  Favorable  condition.     Gent.  I,  3,  82  ; 
Mcb.  I,  3,  113. 

3.  Superiority.     Lucr.   249 ;   Mids.  I,  1, 
102  ;  HV.  Ill,  6,  153. 

vara.  Costard's  way  of  pronouncing  very. 
LLL.  V,  2,  487. 

Varrius,  dr.p.     Friend  to  Pompey.    Ant. 

varlet.  1.  A  servant  to  a  kni'ght  (used 
without  implying  reproach).  HV.  IV, 
2,  2;  Troil.  I,  1,  1.  Really  the  same 
word  as  the  modern  valet. 
2.  A  term  of  reproach ;  knave ;  rascal. 
Tp.  IV,  1,  170;  Wiv.  I,  3,  106;  IHIV. 
II,  2,  25. 

varletry.    Rabble ;  mob.    Ant.  V,  2,  56. 

Varro,  dr.p.     Servant  to  Brutus.     Cses, 

vary.    Change  ;  caprice.     Lr.  II,  2,  85. 

vant  brace.    Armor  for  the  arm.     Troil. 
I,  3,  397.     c/.  brace. 

Vapians.  Sir  Andrew's  quotation  from 
Feste's  nonsensical  speech:  "the  Vapians 
passing  the  Equinoctial  of  Queubus," 
which,  as  Leigh  Hunt  says,  is  "some 
gloi'ious  torrid  zone,  lying  beyond  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning "  has  caused 
some  discussion  without  any  result,  and 
no  wonder.  It  is  mere  nonsense,  but 
very  good  nonsense  or,  as  Sir  Andrew 
calls  it,  "very  gracious  fooling." 
Brewer,  in  his  "Reader's  Handbook," 
says  of  it :  "  '  The  Equinoctial  of  Queu- 
bus,' a  line  in  '  the  unknown  sea  '  passed 
by  the  Vapians  on  the  Greek  kalends  of 
the  Olympiad  era,  B.C.  777,  according 
to  the  authority  of  Quinapalus."  After 
some  discussion  of  this  "gracious  fool- 
ing," Furnesssays,  in  a  sort  of  tentative 
manner :  "  It  is  not  exclusively  to 
Rabelais  that  we  should  look  for  light, 
but  also  to  Astrology  and  to  conjuring. 
And  this  leads  to  the  only  feeble  little 
ray  that  here  dawns  on  me.  At  the 
risk  of  being  deemed  a  copesmate  of  Sir 
Andrew,  I  am  willing  to  confess  that  in 
the  distorted  '  Pigrogromitus  '  I  think 
we  may  possibly  find  Sir  Andrew's 
version  of  the  Tetragrammaton.''^ 
vast.  A  waste  (sea  or  land).  Wint.  I,  1, 
33  ;  Per.  Ill,  1,  1.     Vast  of  night  =  the 


VAS 


ssa 


VEK 


dead  void  of  night  when  liviiig  things 
have  aU  retired.  Tp.  I,  2,  327  ;  Hml.  I, 
2,  198. 

A  number  of  extended  comments  have 
been  written  about  this  expression  and 
various  readings  have  been  suggested, 
e.g.,  waist,  intimating  the  iniddle  of  the 
night  and  waste  ==  dead  or  void.  The 
word  vast  as  used  here  needs  no  amend- 
ment and  scarcely  a  gloss.  It  is  one  of 
those  expressions  of  Sh.  which  convey- 
precisely  the  idea  he  intended  to  impart, 
and  this  often  without  our  being  able 
to  accurately  define  the  words  employed. 
"In  the  dead  vast  and  middle  of  the 
night"  impresses  us  with  just  that 
•'  eerie "  feeling  appropriate  to  all  the 
circumstances  of  the  case.  Vast,  ac- 
cording to  Skeat,  is  a  16th  century  word, 
and  both  waste  and  vast  are  originally 
the  same.  About  the  time  of  Sh.  the 
two  words  seem  to  have  been  differ- 
entiated as  to  their  meanings,  but  vast 
seemed  to  carry  with  it  the  idea  of 
waste  as  well  as  of  immensity. 

vastidity.    Immensity.    Meas.  Ill,  1,  69. 

vastly.  Like  a  waste.  Lucr.  1740.  See 
vast. 

vasty.  Boundless ;  vast.  Merch.  II,  7, 
41  ;  IHIV.  Ill,  1,  52;  HV.,  Prol.  12. 

Vaughan,  Sir  Thomas,  dr.p.    RIII. 

vaultages.     Caverns.     HV.  II,  4,  124. 

vaulty.  Arched;  vaulted.  John  III,  4, 
30,  and  V,  2,  52;  Rom.  Ill,  5,  22. 

vaunt.     1.   The  beginning.     Troil.,  Prol. 
27.     From  the  French  avant. 
2.  Boast;  brag.    2HVI.  Ill,  1,  50. 

vaunt-courier.  A  forerunner.  Lr.  Ill, 
2,  5. 

Vaux,  dr.p.    2HVI. 

Vaux,  Sir  Nicholas,  dr.p.    HVIII. 

vaward.  1.  The  vanguard  of  an  army. 
RV.  IV,  3,  130;  Cor.  I,  6,  53.  In  IHVI. 
1, 1, 132,  he  being  in  the  vaward,  placed 
behind,  the  term  vaward  has  given  rise 
to  an  apparent  contradiction  which 
Hanmer  and  Theobald  have  tried  to 
avoid  by  changing  vaivard  to  rearward. 
But  the  vaward  of  an  army  is  not  a 
mathematical  line  without  breadth  or 
thickness ;  it  has  a  front  and  a  rear  of 


its  own,  and  this  may  explain  the  ap- 
parent confusion.  Clarke's  explanation 
is :  Fastolfe,  being  in  the  front  line  of 
his  own  troop,  at  the  head  of  his  own 
division,  was  placed  behind  the  main 
body  of  the  army. 
2.  The  forepart  of  anything.     Mids.  IV, 

I,  110  ;  2HIV.  I,  2,  199. 
vegetives.    Vegetables.    Per.  Ill,  2,  36. 
Velutus,  Sicinius,  dr.p.    Tribune  of  the 

people.     Cor. 

velure.    Velvet.     Shr.  Ill,  2,  62. 

velvet  guards.  Velvet  trimmings  on 
ladies'  dresses.  IHIV.  Ill,  1,  261.  By 
this  expression  is  meant  the  higher  class 
of  female  citizens  whose  gowns  (at  least 
their  holiday  ones)  were  guarded  with 
velvet.     Malone.     See  guards. 

veney.  A  term  in  fencing;  literally,  a 
coming  on  or  onset ;  a  turn  or  bout ;  a 
hit  or  touch.  Used  metaphorically  for 
a  repartee  or  sally  of  wit.  Wiv.  I,  1, 
296  ;  LLL.  V,  1,  62.  Also  spelled  venue, 
venew  and  veny. 

vengeance,  n.  Mischief ;  injury.  As. 
IV,  3,  48 ;  Tim.  II,  3,  113. 

vengeance,  adv.  Excessively;  very.   Cor. 

II,  2,  6.  As  an  adj.  in  Kins.  II,  3, 71,  it 
means  either  dangerous  or  that  he  is 
very  expert  at  the  "  trick  o'  the  hip." 

Venice,  Duke  of,  dr.p.    0th.  and  Merch. 

Venice.  In  regard  to  the  passage  in  Ado. 
I,  1,  273,  if  Cupid  have  not  spent  all 
his  quiver  in  Venice,  Capell  tells  us 
that  "Venice  was  in  Shakespeare's 
time,  and  is  now,  of  such  celebrity  for 
its  dissolute  gallantries,  that  there  is 
small  occasion  for  extracts  from  any 
writer  to  prove  the  fitness  of  making 
that  city  the  exhauster  of  all  Cupid's 
quiver."  All  the  writers  of  the  18th 
century  agree  in  representing  Venice  in 
the  same  light  as  the  ancients  did 
Cyprus. 

vent,  n.  Escape;  utterance.  All's.  II, 
3,  213;  Ant.  V,  2,  353. 

This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Cor.  IV,  5, 
238,  full  of  vent,  has  been  explained  as 
"  like  wine,  full  of  working,  effervescent, 
opposed  to  *  mulled. '  "  It  has  also  been 
claimed  that  it  is  a  hunting  term,  mean- 


VEK 


VER 


ing  to  wind  or  scent  game,  and  it  is  sup- 
posed that  war  is  conceived  as  a  dog  full 
of  the  excitement  of  the  chase  and 
straining  at  the  leash.  But  Sh.  nowhere 
uses  the  word  in  this  sense,  and  uses 
it  often,  both  as  verb  and  noun,  in  its 
ordinary  sense.  Here  it  signifies  the 
escape  or  relief  of  boisterous  spirits. 

vent,  v.     1.   To  void ;  to  get  rid  of .    Tp. 
II,  2,  111 ;  Cym.  I,  2,  5 ;  Cor.  I,  1,  229. 
2.  To  utter ;  to  give  expression  to.     As. 
II,  7,  43  ;  Tvv.  IV,  1,  10. 

ventages.  The  holes  in  a  flute  or  flageo- 
let which  regulate  the  note.  Hml.  Ill, 
2,  373. 

Ventidius,  dr.p.  One  of  Timon's  false 
friends.     Tim. 

Ventidius,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Antony. 
Ant. 

ventricle.    A  cavity.    LLL.  IV,  2,  70. 

Venus.  The  goddess  of  love.;  referred  to 
many  times  in  Sh.  works.  Before  she 
was  identified  with  the  Greek  goddess, 
Aphrodite,  she  was  one  of  the  least  im- 
portant of  the  Roman  divinities,  al- 
though her  worship  was  established  at 
an  early  date.  But  the  Romans  identi- 
fied her  with  the  Greek  goddess  and  all 
the  legends  pertaining  to  the  latter  were 
attributed  to  Venus.  She  is  said  to 
have  surpassed  all  the  other  goddesses 
in  beauty  and  to  have  had  the  power  to 
make  others  beautiful  and  beloved.  She 
had  a  magic  girdle  and  whoever  wore 
it  immediately  became  the  object  of  love 
and  desire.  Through  her  influence  Paris 
won  Helen  from  her  husband,  Menelaus. 
See  Paris. 

In  the  Iliad  she  is  said  to  have  been 
the  daughter  of  Jupiter  and  Dione  ; 
later  traditions  make  her  the  daughter 
of  Saturn,  but  the  poets  most  frequently 
relate  that  she  arose  from  the  foam  of 
the  sea.  She  was  the  wife  of  Vulcan, 
but  was  faithless  to  him  and  carried  on 
an  intrigue  with  Mars,  whence  she  is 
called,  in  Tp.  IV,  1,  98,  Mars's  hot 
minion.  Vulcan  caught  them  both  in 
an  invisible  net  and  exposed  them  to 
the  ridicule  of  the  assembled  gods. 
In  the  vegetable  kingdom  the  myrtle, 


rose,  apple,  poppy,  etc.,  were  sacred  to 
her.  The  animals  which  are  sacred  to 
her  are  the  sparrow,  the  dove,  the  swan 
and  the  swallow,  and  they  are  men- 
tioned as  her  messengers  or  as  drawing 
her  chariot.  The  planet,  Venus,  and 
the  month  of  April  are  likewise  sacred 
to  her.     See  Cytherea. 

The  wicked  bastard  of  Venus  (As. 
IV,  1,  216)  is,  of  course,  Cupid. 

Ver.  The  spring ;  season  after  winter. 
Kins.  I,  1,  7. 

verbal.  1.  Literal ;  word  for  word.  Ven. 
831. 

2.  Expressed  in  words.  Lr.  IV,  3,  26. 
Furness  explains  this  line  thus:  "Did 
she  give  you  to  understand  her  meaning 
hy  words  as  well  as  by  the  foregoing 
external  testimonies  of  sorrow  ?" 

3.  Plain-spoken  or,  according  to  some, 
verbose.     Cym.  II,  3,  111. 

verdict.  Literally,  a  true  saying.  IsH  a 
verdict?  =  do  I  say  right?  are  we 
agreed  ?    Cor.  I,  1,  11. 

verge.   Space ;  bound  ;  compass.   RII.  II, 

I,  103  ;  RIII.  IV,  1,  59. 

Verges,  dr.p.    A  foolish  old  ofiicer.   Ado. 
Vernon,  dr.p.    Of  the  White   Rose   or 

York  faction.     IHVI. 
Vernon,  Sir  Richard,  dr.p.    IHIV. 
versal.  A  corruption  of  wntrersaZ.   Rom. 

II,  4,  219. 

verses.  The  line.  By  magic  verses  have 
contrived  his  end  (IHVI.  1, 1,  27)  refers 
to  the  notion  which  was  prevalent  for  a 
long  time  that  life  might  be  taken  away 
by  metrical  charms.  "  As  superstition 
grew  weaker,  these  charms  were  imag- 
ined only  to  have  power  on  irrational 
animals.  In  our  author's  time  it  was 
supposed  that  the  L^ish  could  kill  rats 
by  a  song."  Johnson,  cf.  As.  Ill,  2, 
188. 

The  fanciful  idea  that  rats  were  com- 
monly rhymed  to  death,  in  Ireland, 
arose  probably  from  some  metrical 
charm  or  incantation  used  for  that  pur- 
pose. Sir  W.  Temple  seems  to  derive 
it  from  the  Runic  incantations;  for, 
after  speaking  of  them  in  various  ways, 
he  adds :  "And  the  proverb  of  rhyming 


VES 


360 


VIC 


rats  to  death  came,  I  suppose,  from  the 
same  root." 
Vesta.  Although  her  name  does  not  occur 
in  Sh.,  the  woi-d  Vestal  cannot  be  well 
understood  without  a  knowledge  of  her 
mythological  character. 

She  was  one  of  the  great  Roman 
divinities  and  was  the  goddess  of  the 
hearth.  In  the  ancient  Roman  house 
the  hearth  was  the  central  part,  and 
around  it  all  the  inmates  daily  assembled 
for  their  common  meal ;  every  meal 
thus  taken  was  a  fresh  bond  of  union 
and  affection  among  the  members  of  a 
family,  and  at  the  same  time  an  act  of 
worship  of  Vesta  combined  with  a 
sacrifice  to  her  and  the  Penates.  Every 
dwelling-house,  therefore,  was,  in  some 
sense,  a  temple  of  Vesta,  but  a  public 
sanctuary  united  all  the  citizens  of  the 
state  into  one  large  family.  This  sanc- 
tuary stood  in  the  Forum,  between  the 
Capitoline  and  Palatine  hills,  and  not 
far  from  the  temple  of  the  Penates. 
The  goddess  was  not  represented  in  her 
temple  by  a  statue,  but  the  eternal  fire 
burning  on  her  hearth  or  altar  was  her 
living  symbol.  This  fire  was  believed 
to  have  been  brought  by  -<Eneas  from 
Troy  along  with  the  images  of  the 
Penates,  and  it  was  continually  watched 
and  kept  up  by  Vestals  who  were  sup- 
posed to  be  chaste  and  pure  maidens. 
The  extinction  of  this  fire  was  con- 
sidered as  the  most  fearful  of  all  pro- 
digies and  emblematic  of  the  extinction 
of  the  state.  If  such  misfortune  befell 
and  was  caused  by  the  carelessness  of 
the  priestess  on  duty,  she  was  stripped 
and  scourged  by  the  Pontif  ex  Maximus, 
in  the  dark  and  with  a  screen  inter- 
posed, and  he  rekindled  the  flame  by 
the  friction  of  two  pieces  of  wood  from 
Skfelix  arbor. 

Supreme  importance  was  attached  to 
the  purity  of  the  Vestals,  and  a  terrible 
punishment  awaited  her  who  violated 
the  vow  of  chastity.  When  condemned 
by  the  college  of  pontifices,  she  was 
stripjied  of  her  vittae  and  other  badges 
of  office,  was  scourged,  attired  like  a 


corpse  and  borne  to  a  small  underground 
vault  which  had  been  previously  pre- 
pared. There  she  was  actually  buried 
alive,  the  earth  over  the  vault  being 
leveled  and  made  to  conform  to  the 
surrounding  ground.  In  every  case  the 
paramour  was  publicly  scourged  to 
death  in  the  Forum. 

To  compensate  for  this  life  of  priva- 
tion they  had  numerous  and  important 
privileges  and  honors,  and  after  a  ser- 
vice of  thirty  years  they  might  retire, 
re-enter  life  and  even  marry. 
Vestal,  n.  A  priestess  of  Vesta.  Ven. 
752 ;  Lucr.  883 ;  Ant.  Ill,  12,  81 ;  Per. 
IV,  5, 7.   Hence,  a  chaste  woman.   Mids. 

II,  1,  158,  and  ironically  in  Ei'r.  IV,  4, 
78,  the  allusion  being  to  her  taking  care 
of  the  kitchen  fire.  See  Vesta  and  cf. 
tinder. 

very.    True..   Gent.    Ill,  2,  41;    Merch. 

III,  2,  226. 

Vestal,  ad/.  Pure;  chaste.  Rom.  II,  2, 
8  ;  Per.  Ill,  4,  10. 

via.  1.  Off  with  you  1  go!  Merch.  II,  2, 11. 
2.  Florio,  in  his  "  Italian  and  English 
Diet.,"  gives:  "Via,  an  adverbe  of 
encouraging  much  used  by  commanders, 
as  also  by  riders  to  their  horses,  Goe  on, 
forward,  on,  away,  goe  to,  on  quickly." 
3HVI.  II,  1,  182. 

As  it  occurs  in  LLL.  V,  1,  156,  it 
evidently  means  "speak  out."  The 
word  has  various  meanings  according 
to  the  words  to  which  it  is  joined. 

vice,  n.  1.  A  well-known  mechanical 
tool  consisting  of  two  jaws  which  may 
be  forced  together  with  a  screw.  Hence 
it  signifies  a  tight  grasp  or  hold.  2HI V. 
II,  1,  34.  As  it  occurs  in  Ado.  V,  2,  21, 
it  probably  has  the  same  meaning. 
Some  have  defined  it  as  a  screw,  from 
the  French  vis  (from  which  it  is  un- 
doubtedly derived),  but  the  tool  which 
is  known  to  us  as  a  vice  is  described  by 
Moxon  (1677)  under  that  name.  Thoms 
calls  attention  to  the  well-known  fact 
(as  shown  in  numerous  engravings)  that 
the  circular  bucklers  of  the  16th  century, 
now  called  more  commonly  "  targets," 
had  frequently  a  central  spike  or  *  'pike ' ' 


VIC 


361 


VIN 


which  was  usually  screwed  into  the 
center  of  the  buckler.  It  is  evident  that 
to  turn  this  screw  in  with  sufficient  force 
to  make  it  hold  firmly,  must  have  re- 
quired the  use  of  a  vice.  But  there 
is  evidently  a  coarse  quibble  in  Bene- 
dict's speech,  and  the  word  might  mean 
either  a  vice  or  a  screw. 

2.  A  character  in  the  old  Moralities  or 
Moral-plays  frequently  referred  to  by 
Sh.,  and  evidently  so  named  from  the 
vicious  qualities  attributed  to  him. 
Usually  he  was  a  mischievous  buffoon ; 
he  wore  sometimes  the  parti-coloured 
dress  of  a  fool,  a  feature  which  Dyce 
thinks  gave  rise  to  the  expression  "a 
king  of  shreds  and  patches."  Like  the 
fool,  he  was  sometimes  furnished  with 
a  dagger  of  lath,  and  it  was  not  unusual 
that  it  should  be  gilt.  With  this  he 
belabored  the  devil  till  he  made  him 
roar.  Tw.  IV,  2,  134;  Hml.  Ill,  4,  98. 
Bee  iniquity;  nails;  vanity. 

vice,  V.    Generally  explained  as,  to  screw. 

Wint.   I,  2,  416;   and    cf.   Tw.  V,    1, 

125. 
vicious.    Blameable ;  wrong.    0th.  Ill, 

3,  145 ;  Cym.  V,  5,  65. 

victualler.  In  2HIV.  II,  4,  375,  all  victu- 
allers do  so,  Steevens  notes  that  "the 
brothels  were  formerly  screened,  under 
pretext  of  being  victualling  houses  and 
taverns,^''  just  as  they  are  in  New  York 
at  present  under  the  name  of  "  Raines' 
Law  Hotels." 

vie.  1.  To  compete ;  to  rival.  Ant.  V, 
2,98;  Per.  111,1,26. 
2.  A  term  at  gleek,  Primero  and  other 
games  signifying  to  challenge  or  invite. 
In  one  of  Gifford's  notes  on  Jonson's 
works  we  read :  "To  vie  was  to  hazard, 
to  put  down,  a  certain  sum  upon  a  hand 
at  cards ;  to  revie  was  to  cover  it  with 
a  larger  sum,  by  which  the  challenged 
became  the  challenger,  and  was  to  be 
revied  in  his  turn,  with  a  proportionate 
increase  of  stake.  This  vying  and  re- 
vying  upon  each  other  continued  till 
one  party  lost  courage  and  gave  up  the 
whole,  or  obtained,  for  a  stipulated 
sum,  a  discovery  of   his   antagonist's 


cards,  when  the  best  hand  swept  the 
table."    Shr.  II,  1,  311. 
viewless.    Invisible.    Meas.  Ill,  1,  124. 
vigitant.    Evidently  a  blunder  of  Dog- 
berry for  vigilant.     Ado.  Ill,  3,  100. 
villagery.    Either  a  district  of  villages  or 
simply  a  village  and  its  outlying  houses. 
Mids.  II,  1,  35.     This  is  the  only  known 
instance  of  the  occurrence  of  this  word. 
villain.    1.   Originally  this  word  signified 
merely  a  feudal  serf  who  belonged  to 
the  land  and  whose  rights  as  regards 
property,  real  or  personal,  were  quite 
limited.     Contrary    to    the    definition 
given    by  many    authors    (Schm.   and 
others),  "the  villain  was  not  a  slave, 
but  a  freeman  minus  the  very  important 
rights  of  his  lord."     {E.  A.  Freeman, 
"Norman    Conquest.")    For   full    dis- 
cussion  see    Cent.    Diet.,  s.v.  villain. 
Hence,  a  base-born  person  ;  a  peasant ; 
a  clown.    Lucr.  1338  ;  As.  I,  1,  59 ;  Tit. 
IV,  3,  73;  Lr.  111,7,78. 
2.  A  rascal ;  a  scoundrel.    Tp.  I,  2,  309; 
Hml.  I,  5, 106  i  do.  I,  5, 108 ;  Oth.  1, 1, 118. 
On  the   passage   in  Hml,   I,  5,  123, 
There^s  ne^er  a  villain  dwelling  in  all 
Denmark  but  he^s  an  arrant  knave, 
Seymour    remarks:    "Hamlet    begins 
these  words  in  the  ardour  of  sincerity 
and  confidence;  but  suddenly  alarmed 
at  the  magnitude  of  the  disclosure  he  is 
going  to  make,  not  only  to  Horatio,  but 
to  another  besides,  he  breaks  off  hastily : 
*  There's  ne'er  a  villain  in  all  Denmark ' 
that  can  match  (perhaps  he  would  have 
said)  my  uncle  in  villainy ;   and  then, 
recollecting  the  danger  of  such  a  declar- 
ation, he  pauses  for  a  moment  and  then 
abruptly  concludes :  '  but  he's  an  arrant 
knave.'  " 

3,  Sometimes  used  as  a  term  of  endear- 
ment, just  as  we  hear  children  fondly 
called  "  little  rogue"  and  "little  rascal." 
Err.  I,  2,  19;  Wint.  I,  2,  136;  Tw.  II,  5, 
16;  Troil.  Ill,  2,35. 
villain,  adj.  Same  as  preceding  (2)  but 
used  adjectively.  Merch.  II,  8,  4;  RIII. 
IV,  4,  144 ;  Cym.  IV,  2,  71. 
villiago.  A  base  coward.  (Italian,  vigli- 
acco.)    2HVL  IV,  8,  49. 


VIH 


362 


VIX 


vinaigre.  Vinegar.  (French;  literally, 
sour  wine.)    See  mort. 

Vincentio,  dr.p.  Duke  of  Vienna.    Meas. 

Vincentio,  dr.p.  An  old  gentleman  of 
Pisa.    Shr. 

vindicative.  Revengeful.  Troil.  IV,  5, 107. 

vinewed'st.  Most  mouldy.  Troil.  II,  1, 15. 

viol.  Said  to  be  a  six-stringed  guitar. 
RII.  I,  8,  163. 

Viola,  dr.p.  In  love  with  the  Duke  of 
lUyria.    Tw. 

viol-de-gamboys.  A  base  viol  or  viol  da 
gamba.  Tw.  I,  3,  27.  "It  appears, 
from  numerous  passages  in  our  old  plays, 
that  a  viol  de  gambo  was  an  indispens- 
able piece  of  furniture  in  every  fashion- 
able house,  where  it  hung  up  in  the 
best  chamber,  much  as  the  guitar  does 
in  Spain  and  the  violin  in  Italy,  to  be 
played  on  at  will  and  to  fill  up  the  void 
of  conversation.  Whoever  pretended 
to  fashion  affected  an  acquaintance  with 
this  instrument. "  Gifford.  It  was  so 
called  because  it  was  held  between  the 
legs,  gamba  being  Italian  for  legs. 

Violenta,  dr.p.  Neighbor  to  Widow  of 
Florence.     All's. 

violentetli.    Is  violent.    Troil,  IV,  4,  4. 

Virgilia,  dr.p.    Wife  to  Coriolanus.    Cor. 

virgin,  v.  To  be  chaste ;  to  keep  uncon- 
taminated.    Cor.  V,  3,  48. 

virginal,  n.  Generally  used  in  the  plural 
and  frequently,  though  erroneously, 
spoken  of  as  a  pair  of  virginals.  It  was 
"  an  instrument  of  the  spinnet  kind,  but 
made  quite  rectangular,  like  a  small 
piano-forte."  Nares.  The  name  was 
probably  derived  from  their  being  used 
by  young  girls.    Kins.  Ill,  3,  34. 

virginal,  v.  To  pat  or  tap  with  the  finger 
as  if  playing  upon  a  virginal.  Wint. 
I,  2,  125. 

virgin  knight.  "  Knight,  in  its  original 
signification,  means  follower  or  pupil, 
and  in  this  sense  may  be  feminine. 
Helena,  in  All's.  [I,  3,  120],  uses  knight 
in  the  same  signification."  Johnson. 
Steevens  explains  the  expression  as 
virgin  hero,  i.e.,  one  who  had  not  yet 
achieved  any  adventure,  and  adds  that 
*'  Hero  had  as  yet  atchieved  no  matri- 


monial one."  Ado.  V,  3, 13.  But  this  in- 
terpretation is  not  only  far-fetched,  but 
clearly  inapplicable  here.  Malone  quotes 
from  The  Two  Noble  Kinsmen  : 

O  sacred,  shadowy,  cold  and  constant 
queen, 
— who  to  thy  female  knights 
Allow'st  no  more  blood  than  will  make 
a  blush. 
Which  is  their  order's  robe — 

Dyce  calls  attention  to  Wiv.  II,  1,  15 
and  16,  where  night  is  made  to  rhyme 
to  knight. 
virtue.  1.  Valor;  bravery.  Among  the 
Romans  the  predominant  signification 
of  virtus.  Cor.  I,  1,  41 ;  flo.  II,  2,  88 ; 
Lr.  V,  3,  103 ;  Kins.  Ill,  6,  82. 

2.  Accomplishments.     Per.  IV,  6,  195. 

3.  Power ;  ability ;  efficiency.  Sonn. 
LXXXI,  13;  Merch.  V,  1,  101 ;  HVIIL 
V,  3,  50 ;  Oth.  I,  3,  320. 

4.  The  essence  ;  the  ultimate  substance. 
Tp.  1,2,27;  Mids.  IV,  1,  174. 

5.  Personification.  2HIV.  II,  4,  51; 
HVIII.  Ill,  1,  103  (with  a  quibble  on 
cardinal  virtues).    Tim.  Ill,  5,  7. 

virtuous.  Powerful;  efficacious.  Meas. 
II,  2,  168;  Mids.  Ill,  2,  367;  Oth.  Ill, 
4,  111. 

Sir  Toby  Belch's  question :  Dost  thou 
think,  because  thou  art  virtuous,  there 
shall  be  no  more  cakes  and  ale  ?  (Tw. 
II,  3,  123)  is  thus  explained  by  Lether- 
land :  "  It  was  the  custom  on  holidays 
and  saints'  days  to  make  cakes  in  honour 
of  the  day.  The  Puritans  called  this 
superstition ;  and  [in  line  151  of  this 
same  act  and  scene]  Maria  says  that 
'  Malvolio  is  sometimes  a  kind  of  puri- 
tan. '  See  Quarlous's  Account  of  Rabbi 
Busy,  Act  I,  Sc.  3,  in  Ben  Jonson's 
Bartholomew  Fair." 

visitating.  Surveying;  viewing.  Kins. 
I,  1,  146.  The  etymological  meaning  of 
the  word. 

visitings.    Fits ;  attacks.    Mcb.  I,  5,  46. 

vixen.  Properly,  a  she-fox;  hence,  ap- 
plied to  an  ill-tempered,  spiteful,  snap- 
pish woman.     Mids.  Ill,  2,  324. 

The  form  of  the  word  is  especially  in- 
teresting as  being  the  only  instance  in 


VIZ 


VUL 


which  the  feminine  termination  en  has 
been  preserved. 
vizaments.    The  Welsh  priest's  corrup- 
tion of  advisements.     Wiv.  I,  1,  39. 
Vllorxa.    See  Ullorxa. 
vlouting    stogs.    The  Welshman's    pro- 
nunciation of  ilouting-stocks,  i.e.,  laugh- 
ing-stocks.    Wiv.  IV,  5,  83. 
voice,  n.     Authority ;    direction.     Mids. 

-I,  1,  54 ;  All's.  II,  3,  60. 
voice,  V.   1.  To  report;  to  proclaim.   Tim. 
IV,  3,  81. 

2.  To  nominate  ;  to  vote  for.    Cor.  II, 
3,242. 
voiding-lobby.    Ante-room.    2HVI.   IV, 

1,61. 
volable.    Quick-witted.    LLL.  Ill,  1,  67. 
Voltimand,  dr.p.     A  courtier.     Hml. 
voluble.     Fickle ;    inconstant.     0th.    II, 

1,  242. 
Volumnia,  dr.p.    Mother  to  Coriolanus. 

Cor. 
Volumnius,  dr.p.    Friend  to  Brutus  and 

Cassius.     Caes. 
voluntary.    A  volunteer.    John  II,  1, 67 ; 

Troil.  II,  1,  106. 
vomit.  The  passage  in  Cym.  I,  6,  44  to 
46,  has  called  forth  explanations  from 
several  corns.  lachimo,  in  his  pretended 
rapture,  makes  a  comparison  between 
Imogen  and  some  "jay  of  Italy,"  and 
declares  that  the  latter  is,  in  comparison, 
so  sluttish  that  to  one  who  has  once 
beheld  Imogen,  she  would  cause  nausea 
in  the  hungry,  i.e.,  in  those  who  are 
empty.  A  common  idea  with  the  poets. 
cf.  Burns's  "Tarn  o'  Shanter" — gazing 
on  the  "  wither'd  beldams,  auld  and 
droll,"  and  the  poet  wondering  why  it 
"did  na  turn  his  stomach." 
votaress.  A  devotee ;  one  consecrated 
by  a  vow  or  solemn  promise.  Mids.  II, 
1,  l;23  and  163 ;  Per.  IV,  Prol.  4.  Also 
spelt  votress. 
votarist.  A  votary ;  one  who  has  taken  a 
vow  ;  masculine  of  votaress.  Tim.  IV, 
8,  27 ;  Meas.  I,  4,  5 ;  0th.  IV,  2,  190. 
Vox,  Latin  for  voice  ;  it  also  means  tone ; 
accent.  When  Feste  tells  Olivia  that 
she  must  allow  Vox,  he  means  that  she 
must  allow  him  to  read  Malvolio's  letter 


with  the  appropriate  tone,  i.e.,  loud  and 
madman-like.  The  meaning  is  obvious, 
though  some  coms.  have  been  puzzled 
over  it.  Heath  says,  "this  word  hath 
absolutely  no  meaning."  Tw.  V,  1,  304. 
Vulcan.  The  Roman  god  of  fire  whose 
worship  was  of  considerable  political 
importance  at  Rome  at  an  early  day. 
The  Roman  poets  transferred  all  the 
stories  relating  to  the  Greek  Hephaestus 
to  their  own  Vulcan,  the  two  divinities 
having,  in  the  course  of  time,  been  com- 
pletely identified.  According  to  the 
Homeric  account,  Hephaestus  or  Vulcan 
was  the  son  of  Zeus  (Jupiter)  and  Hera 
(Juno).  He  is  the  god  of  fire,  especially 
in  so  far  as  it  manifests  itself  as  a  power 
of  physical  nature  in  volcanic  districts, 
and  in  so  far  as  it  is  the  indispensable 
means  in  arts  and  manufactures,  and 
hence  he  is  regarded  as  a  skilful  work- 
man in  all  arts  carried  on  by  fire.  Ado. 
I,  1,  187.  His  workshop  was  at  first  on 
Olympus,  but  later  poets  assign  him 
some  volcanic  isle  with  the  Cyclopes, 
Brontes,  Steropes  and  others  as  his 
workmen  and  assistants.  The  flames 
and  foul  gasses  which  issue  from  these 
places  were  thus  accounted  for,  and 
hence  the  allusion  in  Hml.  Ill,  2,  89. 
His  favorite  workshop  was  on  the  isle 
of  Lemnos. 

He  is  said  to  have  been  quite  lame, 
his  legs  being  very  weak  and  sustained 
by  artificial  supports  skilfully  made  of 
gold.  Sonie  say  he  was  lame  from 
birth;  others,  that  he  was  made  lame 
by  his  fall  when  Jupiter  threw  him  out 
of  heaven  for  taking  the  part  of  his 
mother  in  one  of  her  quarrels  with  his 
father.  But  during  the  best  period  of 
Grecian  art,  he  was  represented  as  a 
vigorous  man,  with  a  beard,  and  was 
characterised  by  his  hammer  or  some 
other  instrument,  his  oval  cap  and  the 
chiton  which  leaves  the  right  shoulder 
and  arm  uncovered.  He  is  among  the 
male  what  Minerva  is  among  the  female 
deities,  for,  like  her,  he  gave  skill  to 
mortal  artists  and,  conjointly  with  her, 
he  was  believed  to  have  taught  men  the 


VTJL 


864 


WAI 


arts  which  embellish  and  adorn  life. 
He  had  the  most  beautiful  of  the  god- 
desses for  his  wife,  but  she  proved  un- 
faithful and  preferred  the  more  showy 
and  handsome  Mars  to  her  brainy  and 
skilful  husband.  Hence,  the  allusion  in 
Tit.  II,  1,  89,  to  FwZcan'.v  badge,  i.e., 
the  cuckold's  horns.     See  Venus. 

vulgar,  n.  1.  The  common  people.  HV. 
IV,  7,  80 ;  Caes.  I,  1,  75  ;  Wint.  II,  1,  94. 
2.  The  common  tongue;  vernacular. 
LLL.  IV,  1,70;  As.  V,  1,  53. 

vulgar,  adj.     Common  ;  ordinary ;  pub- 


lic.   Hml.  I,  3,  99;  Err.  Ill,  1,  100; 
Lr.  IV,  6,  214. 

In  the  time  of  Sh.  this  word  did  not 
convey  the  opprobrious  meaning  that  it 
now  carries.  Thus,  in  Tw.  Ill,  1,  135, 
Viola  says :  for  His  a  vulgar  proof, 
that  is,  a  common,  an  obvious  proof. 
The  vulgar  heart  (2HVI.  I,  3,  90)  =  the 
heart  of  the  people.  A  vulgar  station 
(Cor.  II,  1,  231)  =  a  standing  place  in 
the  crowd. 
vulgarly.  Publicly.  It  does  not  mean 
rudely  or  obscenely.    Meas.  V,  1,  160. 


'AFER-CAKE.  A  very  thin, 
brittle  cake.  For  oaths  are 
straws,  7nen''s  faiths  are 
wafer-cakes.  HV.  II,  3,  53. 
In  the  old  dramatists  the  wafer- woman 
bore  a  somewhat  unenviable  character 
as  a  go-between,  and  perhaps  a  not  very 
trustworthy  one.  See  Nares,  s.v.  wafer- 
woman. 
waft.   To  beckon.    Err.  II,  2,  111 ;  Merch. 

V,  1,  11 ;  Hml.  I,  4,  78. 
waftage.    Passage  by  water.    Err.  IV, 

I,  95 ;  Troil.  Ill,  2,  11. 

wafture.    The  act  of   beckoning.    Caes. 

II,  1,  246. 

wage.    1.   To  bet.    Hml.  V,  2,  154 ;  Lr. 
I,  1,  158. 

2.  To  pay  wages  to.     Cor.  V,  6,  40. 

3.  To  counterpoise  ;  to  be  in  opposition 
to.    Ant.  V,  1,  31 ;  Per.  IV,  2,  34. 

4.  To  contend  against ;  to  fight.    Lr.  II, 
4,  212. 

In  the  passage,  To  wake,  and  wage  a 
danger  profitless  (0th.  I,  3,  30),  the 
word  wage  is  defined  by  Steevens  as  to 
fight,  to  combat.  It  has  generally  been 
explained,  however,  as  to  hazard ;  to 
attempt.  In  other  passages,  as  in  IHIV. 
IV,  4,  20,  To  ivage  an  instant  trial 
with  the  king,  and  John  I,  1,  266,  The 
aweless  lion  could  not  wage  the  fight, 
it  more  probably  means  to  carry  on  the 


fight.  In  both  cases  the  ones  concerned 
did  hazard  the  fight,  but  could  not 
tvage  it. 

waggon.  This  word  as  used  by  Sh.  is 
equivalent  to  chariot  or  other  vehicle 
adapted  to  rapid  motion.  In  England 
the  meaning  has  entirely  changed,  and 
the  word  is  now  used  to  designate  heavy, 
slow-moving  conveyances  adapted  to 
carry  freight.  It  furnishes  another 
instance  of  our  retention  of  the  same 
meaning  that  the  word  had  when  first 
brought  over  to  this  country.  Wint. 
IV,  4,  118 ;  Tit.  V,  2,  51 ;  Rom.  I,  4,  59. 
For  a  full  discussion  of  this  point  see 
White's  1st  ed.,  Vol.  V,  p.  402. 

wagtail.  A  familiar  bird  in  Great  Britain, 
of  which  the  most  noticeable  feature  is 
the  continual  wagging  motion  of  its 
tail.  Generally  known  as  the  "  water 
wagtail,"  Motacilla  lugubris,  from  its 
habit  of  frequenting  streams.  Kent 
applies  the  name  as  a  term  of  opprobrium 
to  the  ducking  and  wagging  Oswald. 
Lr.  II,  2,  73.  cf.  silly-ducking  in  line 
109  of  same  scene. 

wailful.  Mournful;  doleful.  Gent.  Ill, 
2,  69. 

wain.  A  wagon.  Charles''  wain=  Charles^ 
wagon.  See  Charles^  wain.  IHIV.  II, 
1,  2.  Wain-ropes  =  cart- ropes.  Tw. 
Ill,  2,  64. 


WAI 


365 


WAH 


waist.  "That  part  of  a  ship  which  is 
contained  between  the  quarter-deck  and 
forecastle,  being  usually  a  hollow  space, 
with  an  ascent  of  several  steps  to  either 
of  those  places."  Wright.     Tp.  I,  2,  197. 

waiting=women.  The  suggestion,  in  Lr. 
IV,  1,  62,  that  the  fiend  Flibbertigibbet, 
he  of  "mopping  and  mowing,"  pos- 
sesses chainber maids  and  waiting- 
women  was  thought  by  Theobald  to 
be  an  allusion  to  the  three  chamber- 
maids in  the  family  of  Mr.  Edward 
Peckhani  mentioned  in  Harsnet's  "De- 
claration," from  which  Malone  quotes 
to  the  effect  that  if  she  "  hold  her  armes 
and  handes  stiff e,  make  antike  faces, 
grinne,  mow  and  mop  like  an  ape — 
then  no  doubt— the  young  girle  is  owle- 
blasted  and  possessed. ' '  Moberly  thinks 
it  refers  to  chambermaids  who  perform 
antics  before  their  mistresses'  looking- 
glasses. 

wake,  n.  A  nightly  festival,  kept  origin- 
ally on  the  day  of  dedication  of  a  parish 
church ;  vigilia.  LLL.  V,  2, 318 ;  Wint. 
IV,  3,  109;  Lr.  111,6,77. 

Through  the  large  attendance  from 
neighbouring  parishes  at  wakes,  devo- 
tion and  reverence  grad  ually  diminished, 
until  they  ultimately  became  mere  fairs 
or  markets,  characterized  by  merry- 
making and  often  disgraced  by  indulg- 
ence and  riot.  The  wake  or  revel  of 
country  parishes  was  originally  the  day 
of  the  week  on  which  the  church  had 
been  dedicated  ;  afterward,  the  day  of 
the  year.     Braride. 

wake,  V.    To  keep  late  revel.    Hml.  I,  4, 8. 

Wales,  Henry,  Prince  of,  dr.p.  After- 
wards Henry  V.     IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

Wales,  Edward,  Prince  of,  dr.p.  Son  to 
Edward  IV.    RIII. 

wall-eyed.  Having  a  large  portion  of  the 
white  of  the  eye  visible,  which  gives  a 
fierce  look  to  the  eye;  glaring-eyed. 
John  IV,  3,  49 ;  Tit.  V,  1,  44.  Certainly 
not  blear-eyed  in  any  known  dialect. 
Yet  so  stated  in  a  recent  "  Glossary." 

waU=newt.     A  species  of  lizard.     Lr.  Ill, 
4,  133. 
It  is  not  a  newt,  as  the  true  newt  lives 


in  water  and  very  damp  places,  and 
not  on  walls.  Mrs.  Browning,  in  her 
"  Aurora  Leigh,"  thus  alludes  to  these 
"wall-newts": 

Lizards,  the  green  lightnings  of  the 

walls,    *    *    * 
With  such  prodigious  eyes  in   such 

small  heads. 

See  lizard  and  newt. 

walls.  The  passage  in  Lr.  V,  8,  76,  the 
walls  are  thine,  has  been  a  subject 
for  discussion.  Some  think  that  "the 
walls  "  allude  to  Regan's  castle  referred 
to  in  line  245  of  this  scene.  Warburton 
explains  it  as  "a  metaphorical  phrase 
taken  from  the  camp  and  signifjdng, 
to  surrender  at  discretion.  Johnson 
and  Steevens  accept  this,  and  Steevens 
refers  to  Cym.  II,  1, 67,  for  a  parallelism. 
Rolfe  thinks  this  is  the  correct  inter- 
pretation. 

wanned.  Turned  pale  and  wan.  Hml. 
II,  2,  580. 

wannion.  Used  only  in  the  phrase  with 
a  wannion  =  with  a  vengeance.     Per. 

II,  1,  17. 

want.  The  passage  in  Mcb.  Ill,  6,  8,  Who 
cannot  want  the  thought,  has  given 
rise  to  much  discussion.  Malone  makes 
this  remark:  "  The  sense  requires :  Who 
can  want  the  thought.  Yet,  I  believe, 
the  text  is  not  corrupt.  Shakespeare  is 
sometimes  incorrect  in  these  minutiae." 
R.  G.  White,  after  giving  some  pretty 
positive  views  in  his  "  Shakespeare's 
Scholar,"  says  in  his  1st  ed.  :  "A  recol- 
lection of  the  mistakes  that  I  have  made 
myself  and  known  others  to  make  have 
led  me  unwillingly  to  the  belief  that 
Malone  may  be  right";  and  in  his 
"Riverside"  ed.  he  has  this  note: 
"Shakespeare  meant  '  Who  can  want,' 
etc.  ;  an  example  of  heterophemy. " 
{Heterophemy  means  saying  one  thing 
when  another  thing  is  meant.] 

The  word  want  has  two  very  distinct 
meanings  in  Sh.,  with  several  varying 
shades.     In  some  passages,  as  in  RIII. 

III,  1,  6,  /  want  more  uncles  here  to 
welcome  me,  it  signifies  desire,  need  of. 
In  others,  as  in  Tim.  Ill,  2,  43,  it  sigui- 


WAN 


WAR 


fies  to  be  without,  and  in  Lr.  I,  1,  28'i, 
it  seems  to  be  used  in  both  senses.  That 
it  retains  both  senses  even  now  is  a 
matter  of  common  knowledge,  but  that 
in  old  English  or  Scotch  the  second 
meaning  was  more  marked  than  it  is 
to-day  is  also  well  known.  As  an  in- 
stance of  this  we  may  cite  Burns's 
famous  Selkirk  "  Grace  "  : 

Some  hae  meat,  and  canna  eat, 

And  some  wad  eat  that  want  it ; 
But  we  hae  meat,  and  we  can  eat, 
And  sae  the  Lord  be  thankit. 
Here  the  meaning  of  the  second  line  is : 
Some  would  eat  who  have  no  meat. 

In  trying  to  get  at  the  meaning  of 
the  passage  in  Mcb.  we  must  bear  in 
mind  that  the  whole  speech  is  ironical ; 
Lennox  is  saying  exactly  the  opposite 
of  what  he  means. 
wanton.    In  addition  to  the  usual  mean- 
ings,   sometimes    signifies    effeminate ; 
feeble ;    brought  up  in  luxury.    John 
V,  1,  70;  RII.  V,  3,  10;  Hml.  V,  3,  210. 
want-wit.     An  idiot.     Merch.  I,  1,  6. 
wappened.    Over-worn;  stale.    Tim.  IV, 
3,  38.     Other  readings,  such  as  ivained, 
vapid,  woepined,  etc.,  have  been  sug- 
gested,  but    good   authority  has  been 
found  for  the  word  as  it  stands,  though 
it  would  be  impossible    to  discuss  its 
origin  in  these  pages. 
ward.     1.    A  guard  made  in  fencing.    Tp. 
I.  2,  471. 
2.  Prison.     2HVI.  V,  1,  112. 
warden.     A  large,  hard  pear,  chiefly  used 
for  roasting  or  baking.     Warden-pies 
=  pies  made  of  warden  pears.     Wint. 
IV,  3,  48.     "  They  are  now  generally 
baked  or  stewed  without    crust;    and 
coloured  with    cochineal,   not    saffron, 
as  in  old  times. "    Nares. 
warder.    "  A  kind  of  truncheon  or  staff 
of  command  carried  by  a  king  or  by 
any  commander-in-chief,  the  throwing 
down  of  which  seems  to  have  been  a 
solemn  act  of  prohibition,  to  stay  pro- 
ceedings.    I  do  not  know  that  it  was 
called  ivarder  except  on  such  occasions. " 
Nares.    RII,  I,  3,  118;  2HIV.   IV,    1, 
l:J5. 


Ware.  A  town  in  Hertfordshire,  England, 
about  21  miles  north  of  London,  The 
allusion  in  Tw.  Ill,  2,  51,  to  the  bed  of 
Ware  in  England  is  to  a  curious  piece 
of  furniture,  celebrated  by  Sh,  and 
Jonson.  It  is  still  preserved,  and  is 
made  of  oak,  richly  carved,  measuring 
ten  feet,  nine  inches  in  length ;  ten  feet, 
nine  inches  in  width,  and  seven  feet, 
six  inches  in  heighth,  Nares  says  that 
it  was  reported  to  be  "capable  of  hold- 
ing twenty  or  twenty-four  persons ;  but 
in  order  to  accommodate  that  number, 
it  is  evident  that  they  must  lie  at  top 
and  bottom  with  their  feet  meeting  in 
the  middle. "  He  gives  the  size  as  twelve 
feet  square,  but  the  actual  measure- 
ments are  as  given  above.  Nares 
further  tells  us  that  "in  Chauncy's 
'  Hertfordshire  '  there  is  an  account  of 
its  receiving  at  once  twelve  men  and 
their  wives,  who  lay  at  top  and  bottom, 
in  this  mode  of  arrangement :  first,  two 
men,  then  two  women,  and  so  on  alter- 
nately, so  that  no  man  was  near  to  any 
woman  but  his  wife.  For  the  ridiculous 
conclusion  of  the  story,  I  refer  to  that 
book." 

In  regard  to  its  history  Dyce  says : 
"  At  what  inn  in  Ware  it  was  kept 
during  Shakespeare's  days  is  uncertain : 
but,  after  being  for  many  years  at  the 
Saracen's  Head,  it  was  sold  there  by 
auction  in  September,  1864,  and  knocked 
down  at  a  hundred  guineas  (the  news- 
papers erroneously  adding  that  Mr. 
Charles  Dickens  was  the  purchaser)." 
'ware  pencils.  See  B. 
warn.  To  summon.  John  II,  1,  201 ; 
Rom,  V,  3,  207 ;  Caes.  V,  1,  5, 

The  phrase  God  warn  us,  in  As.  IV, 
1,  1,  has  been  thought  by  some  to  be  a 
coiTuption  of  God  ward  us,  i.e.,  guard 
us.  Others  explain  it  as  "  sunnnon  us," 
as  in  RIII.  I,  3,  39.  It  undoubtedly 
means  "  God  protect  us,"  but  the  idiom 
is  unusual. 
warning.    A  summons.     Mids.  V,  1,  211 ; 

Hml,  I,  1,  152, 
warp.    In    the   line,    Though    thou    the 
waters  warp  (As.  II,  7,  187),  the  mean- 


WAR 


367 


WAT 


ing  of  warp  is  not  positively  clear,  but 
the  interpretation  of  Wright  is,  no 
doubt,  the  correct  one.  He  says :  "  We 
may  therefore  understand  by  the  warp- 
ing of  the  waters  either  the  change  pro- 
duced in  them  by  the  action  of  the 
frost  or  the  bending  and  ruffling  of 
their  surface  caused  by  the  wintry 
wind."  Probably  the  latter.  Any  one 
who  has  stood  by  a  pond  on  a  wintry 
day  and  seen  a  sharp,  cold  wind  ruffle  its 
surface,  must  recall  the  intensely  chill- 
ing and  dreary  character  of  the  scene, 
corresponding  exactly  to  the  tenor  of 
the  song — Blow,  blow,  thou  wintry 
wind. 

warrant.  The  usual  explanation  of  the 
phrase  Lord  warrant  us  (As.  Ill,  3,  5), 
is  :  Lord  protect  us  ! 

warrener.    A  gamekeeper.    Wiv.  1,4,  28. 

Wart,  dr.p.  One  of  Falstaff's  recruits. 
2HIV. 

Warwick,  Earl  of,  dr.p.  Known  as  ' '  The 
King-maker."    IHVI.  ;  2HVI. ;  3HVI. 

wary.  The  expression,  hold  their  honours 
in  a  wary  distance  (0th.  II,  3,  58),  is 
explained  by  Rolfe  as  being  sensitive 
with  regard  to  their  honour ;  quick  to 
take  offence  at  a  supposed  insult. 

wash,  n.    The  sea.    Hml.  Ill,  2,  146. 

Grerman  corns,  have  expended  a  great 
deal  of  useless  conjecture  in  regard  to 
this  word,  but  the  meaning  is  so  obvious 
that  it  cannot  give  rise  to  a  doubt  ex- 
cept under  a  cloud  of  useless  learning. 
"The  original  sense  was  probably  'to 
wet, '  hence,  to  flood  with  water. ' '  Skeat. 
The  verb,  by  a  common  transition,  was 
afterwards  used  also  as  a  noun,  and  is 
in  common  use  in  household  parlance. 
It  has  also  been  specifically  applied  to 
an  arm  of  the  North  Sea,  on  the  coast 
of  England,  between  Norfolk  and  Lin- 
colnshire, which  has  been  called  "  The 
Wash." 

wash'd.  Weeping.  Lr.  I,  1,  271.  The 
word  wash  is  often  applied  to  weeping, 
as  in  Ado.  I,  1,  27 ;  Mids.  II,  2,  93 ; 
Rom.  II,  3,  70,  and  elsewhere. 

Washford.  The  old  name  of  Wexford, 
in  Ireland.    IHVL  IV,  7,  63, 


waspish-headed.  Irritable;  petulant.  Tp. 
IV,  1,99. 

wassail.  A  drinking  bout ;  a  carousing. 
LLL.  V,  2,  318;  Mcb.  I,  7,  64;  Hml.  I, 
4,  9.  In  Ant.  I,  4,  56,  some  eds.  read 
vas sails,  others  vassals. 

wassail  candle.  "  A  large  candle  lighted 
up  at  a  feast.  There  is  a  poor  quibble 
upon  the  word  wax,  which  signifies 
increase  as  well  as  the  matter  of  the 
honey-comb."  Johnson.  2HI V.  1, 2, 179. 

wat.  A  name  for  the  hare  used  colloqui- 
ally amongst  sportsmen.     Ven.  697. 

watch.  The  watch  is  referred  to  several 
times  in  Sh.,  as  in  Tp.  II,  1,  12;  LLL. 
Ill,  1,  194;  Tw.  II,  5,  66.  "The  inven- 
tion of  striking  watches  is  ascribed  to 
Peter  Hele,  of  Nuremberg,  about  the 
year  1510."     Wright. 

The  passage  in  Tw.  II,  5,  66,  which  in 
the  Fl.  reads  winde  up  my  watch,  or 
play  with  my  some  I'ich  lewell,  has  a 
dash  after  play  with  my  in  the  g.a. 
text.  This  was  inserted  by  Collier,  who 
says:  "It  is  more  natural  to  suppose 
that  Malvolio,  having  mentioned  his 
watch,  then  rather  a  rarity,  wishes  to 
enumerate  some  other  valuable  in  his 
possession,  and  pauses  after  *  or  play 
with  my,'  following  it  up  with  the 
words  '  some  rich  jewel,'  not  being  able 
on  the  sudden  to  name  any  one  in  par- 
ticular." Nicholson  makes  the  follow- 
ing very  pertinent  suggestion  :  "  There 
is  here  a  true  touch  of  nature  and  a 
most  humourous  one.  While  Sir  Toby 
is  being  fetched  to  the  presence,  the 
Lord  Malvolio  would  frowningly  wind 
up  his  watch  or  play  with — here,  from 
force  of  habit,  he  fingers  [his  badge  of 
office]  and  is  about  to  add  play  with  my 
chain,  but  suddenly  remembering  that 
he  would  be  no  longer  a  steward,  or 
other  gold-chained  attendant,  he  stops 
short,  and  then  confusedly  alters  his 
phrase  to — '  some  rich  jewel.'  "  Apud 
Furness. 

watch-case.  Generally  explained  as  a 
sentry-box.  2HIV.  Ill,  1,  17.  "This 
alludes  to  the  watchman  set  in  garrison 
towns  on  some  eminence  attending  upon 


WAT 


WEA 


an  alarum  bell,  which  was  to  ring  out 
in  case  of  fire  or  any  approaching 
danger."  Hanmer.  On  the  other  hand, 
Holt  White,  followed  by  C.  and  M. 
Clarke  and  some  others  explain  the 
term  as  referring  to  an  alarm  watch  or 
clock.  But  the  fact  that  'larum  bell  is 
mentioned  as  well  as  watch-case  would 
seem  to  be  in  favor  of  Hanmer's  gloss. 
water.  1.  A  well-known  liquid.  The 
expression,  But  what  should  go  by 
water  (0th.  IV,  2,  104)  =  by  weeping. 

The  clown's  saying,  /  ain  for  all 
waters  (Tw.  IV,  2,  68),  is  generally 
supposed  to  mean,  *'  I  can  tummy  hand 
to  anything ;  like  a  fish,  I  can  swim  in 
all  waters." 

To  raise  waters  =  to  excite  tears. 
Merch.  II,  2,  53. 

2.  The  lustre  of  a  diamond.    Tim.  I,  1, 
18 ;  Per.  Ill,  2,  102. 
water,  V.    To  drink.    IHIV.  II,  4, 17.    cf. 
the  expression,  his  steeds   to    water. 
Gym.  II,  3,  23. 
water-colours.    Literally,  colors  mixed 
with  water  instead  of  oil;  hence,  thin 
and  transparent.     In  IHIV.  V,  1,  80,  it 
seems  to  mean  flimsy  excuses.     Others 
define  the  term  as  "  weak  fellows." 
water-gall.  A  secondary  rainbow.   Lucr. 

1588. 
waterish.  Abounding  in  water ;  weak  ; 
thin  ;  insipid.  Lr.  I,  1,  261.  Burgundy 
abounded  in  streams,  and  Burgundians 
boasted  that  it  was  the  best- watered 
district  in  France.  The  expression  is 
here  used  contemptuously,  as  in  Oth. 
Ill,  3,  15. 
water-rugs.    Rough  water  dogs.    Mcb. 

in,  1,  94. 
water -work.    A    painting   executed    in 
water-colors  or    in  distemper.     2HIV. 
II,  1,  158. 
watery.    Eagerly  desirous  (as  when  the 

mouth  waters).  Troil.  Ill,  2,  20. 
wave.  To  fluctuate.  Cor.  II,  2,  19. 
wax.  Tlie  phrase,  a  man  of  wax  (Rom. 
I,  3,  76),  is  generally  explained  as  well- 
made  ;  as  if  he  had  been  modeled  in 
wax.  In  support  of  this  interpretation 
Stwveus  quotes  Hor«vce:  "When  you, 


Lydia,  praise  the  waxen  arms  of  Tele- 
phus;"  and  White  from  "Euphues 
and  his  England":  "So  exquisite, 
that  for  shape  he  must  be  framed  in 
wax." 

The  line  in  John  V,  4,  24,  even  as  a 
form  of  wax  Resolveth  from  his  figure 
Against  the  fire  ?  is,  of  course,  an  allu- 
sion to  the  images  made  by  witches. 
Holinshed  observes  that  it  was  alleged 
against  Dame  Eleanor  Cobbam  and  her 
confederates  "  that  they  had  devised 
an  image  of  wax  representing  the  king, 
which,  by  their  sorcerie,  by  little  and 
little  consumed,  intending  thereby,  in 
conclusion,  to  waste  and  destroy  the 
king's  person. "  Steevens. 
waxen,  adj.  Made  of  wax  ;  impressible ; 
soft.     Lucr.  178  ;  RII.  I,  3,  75. 

In  Mids.  Ill,  1,  172,  Sh.  adopts  the 
popular  error  that  the  pollen  with  which 
the  bees  load  their  thighs  is  wax.   Bees- 
wax is  not  a  plant  product,  and  is  not 
found  by  the  bees,  but  is  a  fatty  pro- 
duct secreted    by  the  bees  themselves 
and  formed  out  of  honey. 
waxen,  v.    Mids.  II,  1,  56.     The  only  in- 
stance of  waxen,  as  a  verb,  in  Sh.    The 
explanation  given  by  Johnson  is :  "That 
is,  increases,  as  the  moon  waxes.''^    It 
was   suggested    by    Dr.    Farmer   that 
waxen    is    probably    corrupted    from 
yoxen  or  yexen,  to  hiccup,  and  taken 
in  connection    with    neeze  this  might 
seem  to  be  the  true  meaning.     But  most 
authorities.  Dr.  Furness  included,  agree 
with  Johnson,  and  if  the  language  were 
intentionally  "an  affectation  of  ancient 
phraseology,"    as  Steevens   alleges,   it 
would  probably  have  remained  yaxen, 
or  yexen,  or  yoxen. 
wealsmen.    Statesmen.     Cor.  II,  1,  60. 
wealth.   Welfare;  prosperity.   Merch. V, 

I,  249;  Hml.  IV,  4,  27. 

wear.    Fashion.     Meas.  Ill,  2, 78  ;  As.  II, 

7,  34;  All's.  I,  1,  219;  Wint.  IV,  4,  327. 

weather.  Storm.  John  IV,  2, 109 ;  Merch. 

II,  9,  29. 

To  keep  the  weather  means  to  have 
the  advantage ;  to  keep  on  the  wind- 
ward side.    Troil.  V,  3,  26. 


WE  A 


WES 


weather  -  fend.     To    defend   from    the 

weather.  Tp.  V,  1,  10. 
weaver.  It  seems  that  weavers  were 
noted  for  tlieir  singing;  thus,  in  IHIV. 
II,  4,  147,  Falstaffisays:  I  would  I  were 
a  weaver  ;  I  could  sing  psalms  or  any- 
thing. Many  of  the  weavers  in  England 
in  Sh.  time  were  Calviuistic  refugees 
from  the  Netherlands  and  consequently 
were  very  much  given  to  singing  psalms. 
Their  libertine  neighbors  said  that 
psalm-singing  was  all  their  religion. 
For  the  allusion  in  Tw.  II,  3,  61,  see 
soul. 

web  and  the  pin.  An  old  name  for  catar- 
act in  the  eye.  Lr.  Ill,  4,  122;  Wint. 
I,  2,  291. 

wee.  Small ;  little.  Wiv.  I,  4,  22.  Still 
in  common  use  in  Scotland. 

weed.  A  garment.  Mids.  II,  1 ,  256 ;  T w. 
V,  1,  262 ;  Hml.  IV,  7,  81.  In  Meas.  I, 
3,  20,  the  word  occurs  with  a  peculiar 
meaning  in  the  passage  the  needful  bits 
and  curbs  to  headstrong  weeds.  Collier 
points  out  that  the  term  weed  is  still 
commonly  applied  to  an  ill-conditioned 
horse.  The  readings  steeds  and  wills 
have  been  suggested  as  emendations. 

ween.  To  imagine ;  to  hope.  IHVI.  II, 
5,  88  ;  HVIII.  V,  1,  136.     cf.  overween. 

week.  The  phrase,  in  by  the  week,  is  a 
slang  expression  for  being  a  close  pri- 
soner.    LLL.  V,  2,  61. 

weep.    See  millstones. 

weeping-ripe.  Ready  to  weep.  3HVI. 
I,  4,  172.     See  ripe. 

weet.    To  know.     Ant.  I,  1,  39. 

weird.  Fate  or  destiny.  The  word  is 
used  by  Sh.  as  an  adjective,  but  properly 
it  is  a  noun.  It  is  used  by  Sh.  only  as 
applied  to  the  witches  in  Mcb.  In  this 
connection  it  occurs  six  times,  the  pro- 
nunciation varying  according  to  the 
requirements  of  the  metre.  Sh.  took 
the  word  from  Holinshed,  who,  after 
describing  "  three  women  in  strange 
and  wild  apparell,  resembling  creatures 
of  the  elder  world,"  says  :  "Afterwards 
the  common  opinion  was,  that  these 
women  were  either  the  weird  sisters, 
that  is  (as  ye  would  say),  the  goddesses 


of  destinie,   or  else  some   nymphs   or 
fairies."    Mcb.  I,  3,  32,  and  elsewhere. 

weikin,  n.  The  sky.  Yen.  921 ;  Tp.  I,  2, 
4.  In  LLL.  Ill,  1,  68,  By  thy  favor 
sweet  welkin,  Armado,  with  the  false 
dignity  of  a  Spaniard,  makes  an  apology 
for  sighing  in  its  face.     Johnson. 

The  passage  in  Tw.  II,  3,  59,  shall  we 
make  the  welkin  dance?  is  explained 
by  Johnson  as  "drink  till  the  sky  seems 
to  turn  round." 

In  Tw.  Ill,  1,  65,  Feste  uses  welkin  as 
synonymous  with  "  element, "  which  is 
sometimes  used  for  sky,  for  the  purpose 
of  avoiding  the  more  familiar  word.  In 
his  Satiro-m,astix,  Dekker  had  ridiculed 
this  word,  element,  putting  it  in  the 
mouth  of  Horace,  who  was  a  caricature 
of  Ben  Jonson. 

welkin,  adj.  Sky-blue ;  according  to  some, 
heavenly.     Wint.  I,  2,  136. 

well-a-day.  Alas !  Wiv.  Ill,  3,  106 ; 
Tw.  IV,  2,  116. 

weil=a-near.    Alas  !    Per.  Ill,  Prol.  51. 

well-graced.  Graceful;  popular.  RII. 
V,  2,  24. 

well-liking.  In  good  condition.  LLL.  V, 
2,  268. 

well-said.  Well  done.  As.  II,  6,  14 ; 
IHIV.  V,  4,  75;  2HIV.  V,  3,  10. 

In  some  passages,  however,  it  un- 
doubtedly has  the  meaning  which  we 
now  give  to  "well-said." 

well=seen.    Skilful.    Shr.  I,  2,  136. 

well-wished.     Popular.     Meas.  II,  4,  28. 

Welsh-hook.  An  old  military  weapon  of 
the  bill  kind,  but  having,  in  addition  to 
a  cutting  blade,  a  hook  at  the  back. 
IHIV.  II,  4,  372. 

went.  The  phrase.  Wherein  went  he  ? 
(in  As.  Ill,  2,  234),  means,  "  How  was 
he  dressed  ?" 

wench.  This  word  occurs  many  times  in 
Sh.,  but  never  with  a  depreciatory 
meaning,  except  whei-e  such  meaning 
is  conveyed  by  some  accompanying 
word.  Prospero  twice  calls  his  daughter 
wench  in  Tp.  I,  2, 139  and  412 ;  the  nurse 
calls  Juliet  wench  in  Rom.  II,  5, 45,  and 
Othello  addresses  Desdemona  as  wench, 
not  in  his  insane  jealousy,  but  lovingly, 


WES 


370 


WHE 


after  he  has  fully  realized  how  innocent 
she  was  and  how  her  look  "  would  hurl 
his  soul  from  heaven  "  (Olh.  V,  2,  272)  ; 
and  in  William,  of  Palerne  (Early 
English  Text  Society's  ed.  I,  1901)  the 
writer  speaks  of  "  William  and  his 
worthie  wenche,"  the  wench  being  a 
princess.  Furness  thinks  that  *' there 
was,  nevertheless,  a  faint  sub-audition 
of  inferiority  of  some  kind,"  but  this 
seems  to  have  been  always  indicated  by 
the  coiftext.  The  original  word  meant 
a  child,  and  hence  indicated  physical 
weakness,  but  physical  ideas  were  very 
apt  to  run  into  the  mental  and  moral, 
as  we  see  in  the  case  of  silly,  q.v.  Thus, 
in  Chaucer's  MerchanV s  Tale  (I,  958), 
we  read :  "  I  am  a  gentil  woniman,  and 
no  wenche."  That  the  idea  of  a  depre- 
ciatory sense  attaching  to  the  word  was 
quite  common  actually  led  one  com.  to 
suggest  an  emendation  of  Othello's  apos- 
trophe to  Desdemona,  the  word  wench 
being  changed  to  wretch  ! 

wesand.    See  wezand. 

Westminster,  Abbott  of,  dr. p.    RII. 

Westmoreland,  Earl  of,  dr. p.  IHIV.  ; 
2HIV. ;  HV. 

Westmoreland,  Earl  of,  dr.p.    3HVI. 

Westward  Ho  1  The  cry  of  the  watermen 
on  the  river  Thames.     Tw.  Ill,  1,  146. 

wezand.    The  wind-pipe.     Tp.  Ill,  2,  99. 

what  is  he  for  a  fool?  An  idiomatic  form 
of  "  what  manner  of  fool  is  he  ?"  Ado. 
I,  3,  49. 

wheat,  white.  Wheat  that  is  ripe — ' '  white 
unto  the  harvest."     Lr.  Ill,  4,  133. 

wheaten  garland.  An  emblem  of  fertility; 
also  of  peace  and  plenty.  Kins.  I,  1, 
in  stage  direction,  and  also  line  64. 

wheel,  n.  The  burden  or  refrain  of  a 
song,  or  else  a  spinning-wheel  at  which 
it  was  sung.     Hml.  IV,  5,  171. 

The  wheel  is  come  full  circle  (Lr.  V, 
3, 174),  that  is,  the  wheel  of  fortune,  cf. 
Caes.  V,  3,  25,  and  the  clown's  "  whirli- 
gig," Tw.  V,  1,  385.  Also  Lr.  II,  2, 
180.  See  also  Enid's  song  in  "The 
Idyls  of  the  King":  "Turn,  fortune, 
turn  thy  wheel." 
The  passage  in  Err.  Ill,  2,  151,  and 


made  ine  turn  V  the  wheel,  is  an  allu- 
sion to  the  old  practice  of  training  dogs 
to  turn  a  wheel  so  as  to  cause  the  spit, 
which  carried  the  meat,  to  revolve 
before  the  fire.  In  those  days  the 
method  generally  used  for  roasting  meat 
and  game  was  to  hang  them  on  a  spit 
before  the  fire  and  cook  them  by  means 
of  the  radiated  heat.  Various  devices 
were  employed  for  turning  the  spit  so 
as  to  have  the  meat  roast  evenly,  and 
as  the  amount  of  power  required  was 
very  small,  young  children  and  dogs 
were  sometimes  employed.  So  common 
was  this  practice  in  Great  Britain,  until 
quite  recent  times,  that  the  mention  of 
it  in  this  passage  does  not  call  forth  a 
single  word  of  comment  or  explanation 
in  the  3rd  Var.  of  1831.  In  "  The  Henry 
Irving  Shakespeare,"  we  find  this  note 
on  line  151 :  "  Referring  to  the  turnspit 
dogs,  a  race  lately  come  into  fashion 
again,  but  in  a  less  useful  capacity  than 
that  which  they  fulfilled  in  Sh.  time." 
Halliwell  fills  three  folio  pages  with  a 
description  of  the  various  inventions 
made  for  doing  this  work.  Weights, 
acting  as  they  do  in  clocks,  were  a 
favorite  source  of  power  ;  springs  were 
also  used,  and  in  many  cases  the  current 
of  hot  air  going  up  the  chimney  was 
made  to  turn  the  spit.  But  the  dog 
seems  always  to  have  been  a  favorite 
for  this  purpose,  and  a  breed  specially 
adapted  to  the  work,  and  known  as  the 
turnspit^  was  generally  employed.  Top- 
sell,  in  his  "  History  of  Four-Footed 
Beasts"  (1007),  thus  describes  it:  "There 
is  comprehended  under  the  curres  of 
the  coursest  kinde,  a  certain  dogge  in 
kitchen  service  excellent :  for  when  any 
meat  is  to  be  roasted,  they  go  into  a 
wheel,  which  they  turning  about  with 
the  weight  of  their  bodies,  so  diligently 
looke  to  their  businesse,  that  no  drudge 
nor  scullion  can  do  the  feate  more 
cunningly." 
wheel,  V.  1.  To  roam.  Troil.  V,  7,  2 ; 
0th.  I,  1,  137. 
2.  To  make  a  circuit ;  to  go  round.  Cor. 
I,  6,  19. 


WHE 


371 


WSI 


wheeling.  As  this  word  occurs  in  0th.  I, 
1, 137,  it  evidently  means  circling  about, 
and  corresponds  to  extravagant,  which 
here  means  wandering.  Collier's  MS. 
suggested  wheedling,  and  Staunton 
whirling,  but  wheeling  is  no  doubt  the 
true  word. 
Wheeson  week.    The  hostess's  blunder 

for  Whitsun  week.     2HIV.  II,  1,  96. 
whelk.    A  swelling;  a  pustule;  a  ridge. 

HY.  Ill,  6,  108. 
whelked.    Having    wavy  ridges    like    a 

ram's  horn.     Lr.  IV,  6,  71. 
whenas,    )    When.    Sonn.  XLIX,  3 ;  Err. 
when  as.  f     IV,  4,  140;  3HVI.  I,  2,  75. 

Printed  as  one  word  in  some  eds. 
where,  n.    A  place.    Lr.  I,  1,  264.    On 
this  passage  Johnson  remarks  :  "  Here 
and  where  have  the  power  of  nouns. 
where,  adv.     Whereas.     LLL.  II,  1,  103; 

Merch.  IV,  1,  22 ;  IHVI.  V,  5,  47. 
whey-face.  A  face  white  or  pale  from 
fear  or  any  other  cause.  Mcb.  V,  3, 17 ; 
Wiv.  I,  4,  22. 
whiffler.  One  who  goes  before  in  a  pro- 
cession and  clears  the  way.  HV.  V, 
Chor.  12. 

The  word  "  is  by  no  means,  as  Han- 
mer  had  conceived,  a  corruption  from 
the  French /iwisstej'.  He  was  apparently 
misled  by  the  resemblance  which  the 
office  of  a  whiffler  bore  in  modern  times 
to  that  of  an  usher.  The  term  is  un- 
doubtedly borrowed  from  whiffle,  an- 
other name  for  a  fife  or  small  flute ;  for 
whifflers  were  originally  those  who  pre- 
ceded armies  or  processions  as  fif  ers  or 
pipers.  *  *  *  In  process  of  time  the 
term  ivhiffler,  which  had  always  been 
used  in  the  sense  of  a  fifer,  came  to 
signify  any  person  who  went  before  in 
a  procession.  Minsheu,  in  his  "  Dic- 
tionary" (1617),  defines  him  to  be  'a 
club  or  staff- bearer.'  Sometimes  the 
whifflers  carried  white  staves. ' '  Donee. 
while.    Until.    RII.  I,  3,  132 ;  Mcb.  Ill, 

1,  44. 
whiie-ere.    Erewhile ;  not  long  ago.    Tp. 

Ill,  2,  127. 
whiles.    Until.    Tw.  IV,  3,  29.    cf.  tvhile. 
whip.    In    Cor.    I,    8,    12,   the    passage: 


Hector,  That  was  the  whip  of  your 
bragged  j^rogeny,  is  a  little  awkward. 
It  was  the  Trojans,  not  the  Greeks, 
from  whom  the  Romans  claimed  to  be 
descended ;  the  of,  therefore,  must  mean 
belonging  to  ;  i.e..  Hector  was  the  whip 
belonging  to  the  Trojans,  who  whipped 
his  enemies. 
whipping-cheer.  A  flogging;  chastise- 
ment. 2HIV.  V,  4,  5. 
whipster.  A  whipper-snapper ;  a  nimble, 
restless  little  fellow  ;  one  who  suddenly 
seizes  or  whips  up  anything.  0th.  V, 
2,  244. 
whipstock.  The  handle  of  a  whip.  Tw. 
II,  3,  28 ;  Per.  II,  2,  51 ;  Kins.  I,  2,  86. 

One  of  the  words  in  common  use  in 
England  in  the  16th  century  and  still 
retained  in  this  country  and  in  many 
parts  of  England,  though  it  would  seem 
to  have  fallen  somewhat  into  disuse, 
the  "Globe"  and  other  glossaries  find- 
ing it  necessary  to  explain  it. 

The  clown's  expression  in  Tw.  II,  3, 
28,  Malvolio^s  nose  is  no  whipstock,  is 
not  easily  understood.  It  is  easy  en  ough 
to  imagine  plausible  meanings  for  it, 
but  that  is  not  the  problem.  Hutson 
explains  it  as  follows:  "This  reply  of 
the  Clown  is  apparently  a  whimsical 
series  of  inconsecutive  ideas ;  but,  ex- 
amined closely,  it  will  be  found  not  to 
lack  continuity; — '  I  pocketed  thy  trifling 
gratuity  (for  he  seems  to  me  to  mean  a 
hidden  sneer  by  his  diminutive),  because 
Malvolio  would  soon  nose  me  out  if  I 
abstracted  wine  from  the  steward's 
stores ;  my  lady  (not  Olivia,  but  the 
girl  Sir  Andrew  sent  him  the  sixpence 
for)  has  too  white  a  hand  to  condescend 
to  common  tipple,  and  the  tavern  called 
the  Myrmidons,  where  I  would  regale 
her,  is  no  place  for  cheap  drink."  This 
is  certainly  interesting,  even  if  a  little 
far-fetched  and  imaginative,  but  it  does 
not  explain  the  connection  between 
Malvolio's  nose  and  a  whipstock. 

Perhaps  it  may  have  been  because 
this  feature  of  Malvolio's  countenance 
was  somewhat  large  and  prominent,  a 
whipstock  being  usually  quite  slender. 


WHI 


3T: 


WHI 


whir.    To  hurry  away.     Per.  IV,  1,  21. 
Some  eds.  hurrying. 

whist.  The  lines  in  Ariel's  song  (Tp.  I, 
2,  378)  : 

Curtsied  when  you  have,  and  kiss'd 
The  wild  waves  whist, 
are  thus  explained  by  Wright :  "If  we 
take  '  kiss'd '  to  refer  to  the  fairies,  who, 
before  beginning  their  dance,  courtsy 
to  and  kiss  their  partners,  the  words 
'  The  wild  waves  whist '  must  be  read 
parenthetically,  '  the  wild  waves  being 
silent,'  and  as  it  is  Ariel's  music  that 
stills  the  waves,  and  not  the  fairies,  this 
seems  to  be  the  better  reading. "  Prof. 
Allen,  as  quoted  by  Furness,  regards  the 
waves  as  spectators  who  are  hushed  into 
silent  attention  by  the  signal  of  the  fairies 
taking  hands,  courtesy ing  and  kissing. 
But  this  does  not  seem  quite  as  fully  in 
accordance  with  the  general  action  of 
the  play  as  Wright's  interpretation. 

Hudson's  explanation  is  that  the  fairies 
kissed  the  wild  waves  into  silence,  "a 
delicate  touch  of  poetry  that  is  quite 
lost  as  the  passage  is  usually  printed, 
the  line,  The  wild  waves  whist,  being 
made  parenthetical,  an'd  that,  too,  with- 
out any  authority  from  the  original." 
This  has  been  adopted  by  Rolfe. 

whistle.  Groneril's  remark  :  /  have  been 
worth  the  whistle,  is  explained  by 
Moberly  as  meaning:  "There  was  a 
time  when  you  would  not  have  waited 
so  long  without  coming  to  meet  me." 
There  is  an  old  proverb :  "  It  is  a  poor 
dog  that  is  not  worth  the  whistling," 
and  to  this  Goneril  refers.  Lr.  IV, 
2,29. 

The  phi'ase,  Fid  whistle  her  off 
and  let  her  down  the  wind,  is  taken 
from  falconry,  and  means  to  dismiss  a 
hawk  from  the  fist.  0th.  Ill,  2,  29. 
"The  falconers  always  let  the  hawk  fly 
against  the  wind;  if  she  flies  with  the 
wind  behind  her,  she  seldom  returns. 
If,  therefore,  a  hawk  was,  for  any 
reason,  to  be  dismissed,  she  was  let 
down  the  wind,  and  from  that  time 
shifted  for  herself  and  preyed  at  for- 
tune.   Johnson. 


white.  The  center  of  an  archery  butt. 
Shr.  V,  2,  186.  There  is  here  a  pun 
on  the  name  Bianca,  which  signifies 
white. 

The  term  white  wench,  as  it  occurs  in 
Rom.  II,  4,  14,  is  supposed  to  be  a  term 
of  endearment,  like  "  white  boy,"  which 
is  used  in  The  Knight  of  the  Burning 
Pestle  by  Mrs.  Merrythought  to  her 
darling  son,  Michael:  "What  says  my 
white  boy  ? "  and  in  the  ^^  Eeturne  from 
Parnassus,  II,  6,  the  Page  says :  "  When 
he  returns,  I'll  tell  twenty  admirable 
lies  of  his  hawk ;  and  then  I  shall  be  his 
little  rogue  and  his  white  villain  for  a 
whole  week  after."  See  Nares,  s.  v. 
white  boy. 

The  meaning  of  white  herring,  in  Lr. 
Ill,  6,  33,  has  not  been  satisfactorily 
settled.  The  term  has  been  applied  to 
salt  or  pickled  herring  as  opposed  to  red 
herring,  and  also  to  fresh  herring.  A 
writer  in  the  Gentleman's  Magazine, 
as  quoted  by  Furness,  says  that  "  there 
is  no  occasion  to  pickle  the  herring," 
but  it  was  done,  nevertheless,  and 
pickled  herring  were  called  white  her- 
ring. In  the  "  Glossary  of  Mauley  and 
Corringham,"  Lincolnshire,  as  pub- 
lished by  the  English  Dialect  Society, 
white  herring  is  given  as  ineaning  fresh 
herring,  so  that  the  authorities  seem  to 
be  equally  divided. 

white-fac'd  shore.  England  is  supposed 
to  be  called  Albion  from  the  white 
rocks  facing  France.  Johnson.  John 
II,  1,  23. 

white-livered.  Cowardly;  having  no  blood 
in  the  liver.  H  V.  Ill,  2,  34 ;  RIII.  IV, 
4,  46.5;  and  cf.  Tw.  Ill,  2,  66. 

whiting-time.  Bleaching  time.  Wiv.  Ill, 
3,  140. 

Whitley.  Pale-faced.  LLL.  Ill,  1,  198. 
A  doubtful  word;  some  defined  it  as 
faded.  It  is  whitley  in  the  Fl. ;  whitely 
in  the  F3.  and  F4.  and  the  Cambridge 
ed.  ;  wightly  in  the  1st  Cambridge  ed. 
and  in  the  Globe.     See  wightly. 

Whitmore,  Walter,  dr. p.    2HVI. 

whitster.  A  bleacher ;  literally,  one  who 
makes  things  white.     Wiv.  Ill,  3,  14. 


WHI 


373 


WIL 


whittle.  A  large  kuife,  especially  one 
carried  in  the  belt.  Still  a  good  Ameri- 
can word,  though  with  our  cousins  it 
seems  to  have  dropped  out  of  common 
use,  Tim.  V,  1,  183.  The  Scotch  still 
retain  it.  See  Burns's  "  Death  and  Dr. 
Hornbook,"  Tenth  Stanza. 

whole.  Solid;  sound.  Mids.  Ill,  3,  53; 
Mcb.  Ill,  4,  22. 

whoo-bub.  Outcry;  clamor;  hubbub. 
Wint.  IV,  4,  629. 

whoop.  An  interjection,  or,  rather,  an 
exclamation.  Wint.  IV",  4,  199 ;  Lr.  I, 
4,  245.  Sometimes  "hoop,"  as  in  As. 
Ill,  2,  203,  out  of  all  hooping  =  beyond 
all  exclamation  of  wonder. 

Writing  of  the  servant's  speech  in 
Wint.  IV,  4,  Dr.  Purness  says  :  "A 
Bibliography  of  this  old  song  is  given 
by  Chappell  on  pp.  208,  774,  together 
with  the  music.  A  song  with  this 
bui'den  is  to  be  found  in  Fry's  Ancient 
Poetry,  'but,'  adds  Chappell,  'it  would 
not  be  desirable  for  republication.' 
Indeed,  the  humour  in  the  whole  of  this 
speech  by  the  Clown  [Servant,  not 
Clown]  would  be  relished  by  an  Eliza- 
bethan audience,  to  whom  the  praises 
bestowed  by  the  Clown  [?]  on  the 
decency  of  the  ballads,  would  be  at 
once  recognised  as  one  of  the  jokes." 

wicked.  Mischievous  ;  baneful ;  poison- 
ous.    Tp.  I,  2,  321. 

wide.  Distracted ;  astray.  Ado.  IV,  1, 
60  ;  Lr.  IV,  7,  50. 

widow,  V.  1.  To  give  a  jointure  to  ;  to 
endow  with  a  widow's  rights.  Meas.  V, 
1,  429. 

2.  To  become  a  widow  to;  to  survive  a 
husband.     Ant.  I,  2,  27. 

widow-hood.  A  widow's  right  in  the 
estate  of  her  deceased  husband.  Shr.  II, 
1,  125. 

wife.  lago's  speech  in  0th.  I,  1,  21,  A 
fellow  almost  damn'd  in  a  fair  wife, 
has  puzzled  not  only  the  corns.,  but 
most  readers  of  Sh.  Dr.  Furness  gives 
five  solid  pages  of  fine  type  to  the  ex- 
planations and  emendations  that  have 
been  offered.  Johnson  says  :  "This  is 
one  of  the  passages  which  must  for  the 


present  be  resigned  to  corruption  and 
obscurity.  I  have  nothing  that  I  can, 
with  any  approach  to  confidence,  pro- 
pose. "  Furness  can  only  say,  "  I  merely 
re-echo  Dr.  Johnson's  words. " 

Various  emendations  have  been  pro- 
posed, but  none  that  is  in  any  way 
satisfactory. 

wight.  A  person.  Troil.  IV,  2, 12 ;  Wiv. 
I,  3,  23 ;  0th.  II,  1,  159. 

wightly.  Nitnble.  LLL.  Ill,  1,  198. 
Whitly,  q.v.,  in  the  Fl.  As  Rosaline 
was  dark,  it  may  very  well  be  that  the 
reading  of  the  Folios  is  a  printer's  error. 

wild.     Weald.     IHIV.  II,  1,  60. 

The  Weald  was  originally  partly 
covered  with  forests  and  partly  desti- 
tute of  them.  Topley  tells  us  that  even 
as  late  as  Elizabeth's  time,  swine  are 
said  to  have  run  wild  there. 

wilderness.     Wildness.     Meas.  Ill,  1,142. 

wild-goose  chase.  Holt  White  describes 
this  as  a  race  of  two  horses ;  the  rider  who 
could  get  the  lead  might  choose  what 
ground  he  pleased  and  the  other  was 
obliged  to  follow.  That  horse  which 
could  distance  the  other  won  the  race. 
This  barbarous  sport  is  enumerated  by 
Burton,  in  his  "  Anatomy  of  Melan- 
choly," as  a  recreation  much  in  vogue 
in  his  time  among  gentlemen. 

This  account  explains  the  pleasantry 
kept  up  between  Romeo  and  his 
gay  companion:  "My  wits  fail,"  says 
Mercutio.  Romeo  exclaims,  briskly, 
"  Switch  and  spurs,  switch  and  spurs." 
To  which  Mercutio  rejoins,  "  Nay,  if 
thy  wits  run  the  wild-goose  chase,"  etc. 
3rd  Var.,  Vol.  VI,  p.  103. 

wilful-blame.  IHIV.  Ill,  1,  177.  This 
word  has  given  the  coms.  a  world  of 
trouble.  It  is  not  hyphenated  in  the 
FJ .  "  The  present  compound  is  peculiar, 
as  the  second  part  is  not  an  adjective." 
Rolfe.  Johnson  suggested  "  wilful- 
blunt,"  "wilful-bent;"  Keightley  sug- 
gests "  wilful- blamable. "  Schm.  defines 
it  as  "blameable  on  purpose,  on  prin- 
ciple ;  indulging  your  faults,  though 
conscious  that  they  are  faults."  None 
of  these  seem  to  me  to  give  the  meaning 


WIL 


374 


WIN 


of  the  passage.  Careful  reading  of  the 
context  seems  to  show  that  the  meaning 
is  :  "  You  are  too  wilful  or  obstinate  in 
blaming  or  finding  fault  with  him." 

William,  dr.p.     A  rustic.     As. 

William  Longsword,  dr. p.  Earl  of  Salis- 
bury.   John. 

William  Mareschal,  dr.p.  Earl  of  Pem- 
broke.    John. 

William  Page,  dr.p.  Son  to  Mrs.  Page. 
Wiv. 

Williams,  dr.p.  A  soldier  in  the  army  of 
Henry  V.     HV. 

Willoughby,  Lord,  dr.p.     RII, 

wimpled.  Hooded  ;  veiled ;  blindfolded. 
LLL.  Ill,  1,  181. 

win  me  and  wear  me.  An  old  proverb 
found  in  Ray's  collection  and  in  other 
works  of  the  time.     Ado.  V,  1,  83. 

Winchester,  Bishop  of,  dr.p.  Stephen 
Gardiner.     HVIII. 

The  public  stews  were  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Bishop  of  Winchester,  and 
a  strumpet  was  called  a  "Winchester 
goose."  Winchester  goose  was  also  a 
cant  term  for  certain  venereal  sores. 

wind.    1.  To  scent;  to  nose.    Tit.  IV,  1,97. 
2.  To  blow  as  on  a  bugle  or  horn.     Ado. 
I,  1,  243. 

Wind  me  into   him  (Lr.   I,   2,   106) 
means  make  cautious,  indirect  advances 
and  find  out  his  intentions. 
Let  her  down  the  wind.     See  whistle. 

windlace,  )  A  circuit;  an  indirect  method; 

windlass.}     a  shift.    Hml.  II,  1,  65. 

window.  In  HVIII.  V,  2,  a  stage  direc- 
tion says:  Enter  at  a  window  ahove^ 
upon  which  Steevens  has  the  following 
note  :  "  The  suspicious  vigilance  of  our 
ancestors  contrived  windows  which  over- 
looked the  insides  of  chapels,  halls, 
kitchens,  passages,  etc.  Some  of  these 
convenient  peep-holes  may  still  be  found 
in  colleges  and  such  ancient  houses  as 
have  not  suffered  from  the  reformations 
of  modern  architecture.  Among  An- 
drew Borde's  instructions  of  building  a 
house  (see  his  "Dietarie  of  Health  ")  is 
the  following  :  "Many  of  the  chambers 
to  have  a  view  into  the  chapel."  He 
then  gives  several  instances  of  the  use 


of  these  devices,  and  concludes  that 
without  a  knowledge  of  these  facts,  the 
stage  arrangements  of  Shakespeare's 
time  would  in  many  cases  be  unintelli- 
gible. 

window-bars.  A  sort  of  embroidery  in 
the  form  of  lattice- work,  worn  by  women 
across  the  bosom.     Tim.  IV,  3,  116. 

Staunton  explains  it  as  "  the  cross-bars 
or  lattice- work,  worn  as  we  see  it  in  the 
Swiss  women's  dress,  across  the  breasts. 
In  modern  times  these  bars  have  al- 
ways a  bodice  of  satin,  muslin  or  other 
material  beneath  them ;  at  one  period 
they  crossed  the  nude  bosom. 

windowed.   1.  Full  of  holes.   Lr.  Ill,  4,  31. 
2.  Placed  in  a  window.     Ant.  IV,  14,  73. 

wind-galls.  Swellings  consisting  of  small 
bags  or  sacs  on  the  legs  of  horses  and 
supposed  erroneously  to  contain  wind. 
Shr.  Ill,  2,  54. 

windring.  Said  to  be  a  misprint  in  Tp. 
IV,  1,  138,  for  either  winding  or  wan- 
dring.  Schni.  calls  it  an  "  unintelligible 
lection."  For  myself,  I  do  not  regard 
it  as  either  a  misprint  or  unintelligible. 
Sh.  would  make  a  word  at  any  time  if 
he  wanted  one  to  suit,  and  would  have 
no  hesitation-  about  adding  an  r  for 
alliteration  or  if  he  thought  it  sounded 
better. 

wine.  In  Shr.  Ill,  3,  173,  we  read  that 
after  7nany  ceremonies  done,  He  calls 
for  wine.  Upon  this  there  is  a  series 
of  notes  in  the  3rd  Var.,  Vol.  V,  p.  450. 
A  quotation  from  Lelaud  reads :  "  The 
fashion  of  introducing  a  bowl  of  wine 
into  the  church  at  a  wedding,  to  be 
drank  by  the  bride  and  bridegroom,  and 
persons  present,  was  very  anciently  a 
constant  ceremony ;  and,  as  appears 
from  this  passage,  not  abolished  in  our 
author's  age.  We  find  it  practised  at 
the  magnificent  marriage  of  Queen  Mary 
and  Philip,  in  Winchester  Cathedral, 
1554 :  '  The  trumpets  sounded,  and  they 
both  returned  to  their  traverses  in  the 
quire,  and  their  remayned  untill  masse 
was  done  :  at  which  tyme,  wyne  and 
sopes  were  hallowed  and  delyvered  to 
them  both.'  "    The  wine  generally  used 


WIK 


375 


WIT 


was  muscadel  or  muscadiue,  and  we 
fiiid  in  Ben  Jonson's  Magnetic  Lady 
that  the  wine  drank  on  this  occasion  is 
called  the  knitting  cup.  Middletou,  in 
No  Wit  Like  a  Woman''s,  calls  it  the 
contracting  cup.  Steevens  saj'S  there 
was  a  flower  called  "sops  in  wine,"  the 
name  of  which  was  borrowed  from  this 
ceremony.  We  have  now  an  apple  called 
"sops  in  wine,"  but  I  believe  the  name 
is  derived  from  its  color. 
winking.  The  usual  definition  is  half- 
closed.  This  suits  very  well  for  the 
passage  in  Cym.  II,  4,  89,  though  Col- 
lier's MS.  corrected  to  winged  Cupids, 
which  makes  fair  sense.  But  Cupid  is 
generally  represented  as  blind  ;  this  does 
not  mean  eyes  "  half -closed  "  ;  and  half- 
closed  does  not  give  good  sense  in  Rom. 
Ill,  2,  6,  that  runaway'' s  eyes  may 
wink.  Juliet  wanted  to  have  them  en- 
tirely closed. 

So,  too,  the  passage  in  John  II,  1,  215, 

winking  gates,  can  hardly  mean  half 

shut ;    rather,    entirely   shut.     Malone 

explains  this  expression  as  ' '  gates  hastily 

closed  from  an  apprehension  of  danger. ' ' 

It  is  probable  that  winking  has  slightly 

changed  its  meaning  since  Sh.  time. 

winnowed.   Wise ;  sifted.    Hml.  V,  2, 201. 

Winnowed  opinions=trmsvas.  Schni. 

winter,  adj.     Old.    2HVI.  V,  3,  2. 

winter,  n.     Old  age.     Troil.   IV,   5,   24. 

(The  kiss  of  Nestor,  the  old  man.) 
winter-ground.  To  cover  over  so  as  to 
protect  from  the  effects  of  frost  during 
winter.  Cym.  IV,  2,  2:^.  This  word 
seems  to  be  found  nowhere  else  than  in 
this  passage,  and  has  puzzled  the  coms. 
Warburton,  followed  by  Johnson,  main- 
tained that  to  winter-ground  with  moss 
was  an  absurdity,  and  suggested  winter- 
gown.  Collier's  MS.  suggests  lointer- 
guard,  but  it  may  have  been  a  technical 
term  in  the  horticulture  of  the  day. 
The  meaning  is  obvious. 
winter's  sisterhood.  A  sisterhood  de- 
voted to  perpetual  chastity ;  hence,  cold, 
barren.  As.  Ill,  4,  17. 
wipe.  A  brand ;  a  mark  of  infamy.  Lucr. 
537. 


wis.     See  Iwis. 

wise  woman.     A  witch ;  a  fortune-teller. 

Wiv.  IV,  5,  59  ;  Tw.  Ill,  4,  116. 
wisli  to.  To  recommend  to.  Shr.  I,  1, 113. 
wisp  of  straw.    The  badge  of    a  scold. 

3HVI.  II,  2,  144.     See  strata. 
wistly.      1.    Attentively;    scrutinisingly. 
Ven.  343 ;  Lucr.  1355. 
2.  Wishingly ;  wistfully.     RII.  V,  4,  7. 
wit,  11.     Mind  ;  intellect ;  wisdom.     Wiv. 
V,  5,  134 ;  Merch.  II,  1,  18  ;  Caes.  Ill, 
2,  225. 

By  the  early  writers,  the  "five  wits" 
were  used  synonymously  with  the  five 
senses,  as  in  Ado.  I,  1,  66.  The  passage 
in  LLL.  I,  2,  94,  she  had  a  green  wit, 
is  a  very  obvious  allusion  to  Judges  xvi, 
7  and  8,  and  the  story  of  Samson  and 
Delilah  and  how  she  had  him  bound 
with  green  withes.  Withe  was  probably 
pronounced  wit  in  Sh.  time. 
wit,  V.  To  know.  IHVI.  II,  5,  16 ;  Per. 
IV,  4,  31.  "A  preterit-present  verb 
whose  forms  have  been  much  confused 
and  misused  in  modern  English.  Cent. 
Diet. 
Witclies,  The  Three,  dr. p.    Mcb. 

In  the  Fl.,  after  line  34  of  IV,  1,  of 
Mcb.  the  stage  direction  is :  Enter  Hecat 
and  the  other  three  Witches.     As  there 
is  no  evidence  that  there  were  more  than 
three    witches   present,  this  has    been 
changed  to,  Enter  Hecate  to  the  other 
three  Witches  in  the  g.  a.   text.     Sh. 
has  been  criticised  for  describing  Hecate 
as  a  witch,  but  in  this  he  seems  to  have 
conformed  to  the  opinions  of  the  times 
and  the  description  of  Holinshed.     See 
weird.     Lamb,  in  a  note  on  Middleton's 
Witch,  in  his  "  Specimens  of  English 
Dramatic  Poets,"  points  out  the  differ- 
ence between  the   "weird   sisters"  of 
Sh.  and  the  ordinary  witch  as :  "  Though 
some  resemblance  may  be  traced  be- 
tween the  Charms  in  Macbeth  and  the 
Incantations  in  this  play,  which  is  sup- 
posed [probably  erroneously]  to  have 
preceded  it,  this  coincidence  will  not 
detract  much  from  the  originality  of 
Shakespeare.     His  Witches  are  distin- 
guished from  the  Witches  of  Middleton 


WIT 


876 


WOL 


by  essential  differences.  Tliese  are 
creatures  to  whom  man  or  woman, 
plotting  some  dire  mischief,  might  re- 
sort for  occasional  consultation.  Those 
originate  deeds  of  blood  and  begin  bad 
impulses  to  men.  From  the  moment 
that  their  eyes  first  met  Macbeth 's  he 
is  spell-bound.  That  meeting  sways  his 
destiny.  He  can  never  break  the  fasci- 
nation. These  Witches  can  hurt  the 
body ;  those  have  power  over  the  soul. 
Hecate,  in  Middleton,  has  a  Son,  a  low 
buffoon ;  the  hags  of  Shakespeare  have 
neither  child  of  their  own,  nor  seem  to 
be  descended  from  any  parent.  They 
are  foul  Anomalies,  of  whom  we  know 
not  whence  they  are  sprung,  nor  whether 
they  have  beginning  or  ending.  As 
they  are  without  human  passions,  so 
they  seem  to  be  without  human  relations. 
They  come  with  thunder  and  lightning, 
and  vanish  to  airy  music.  This  is  all 
we  know  of  them.  Except  Hecate,  they 
have  no  names ;  which  heightens  their 
mystei'iousness."  Edition  of  Grollancz 
(1893),  Vol.  I,  p.  271. 

And  in  his  note  on  The  Witch 
of  Edmonton,  by  Rowley,  he  says : 
"  Mother  Sawyer  differs  from  the  hags 
of  Middleton  or  Shakespeare.  She  is 
the  plain  traditional  old  woman  Witch 
of  our  ancestors ;  poor,  deformed  and 
ignorant ;  the  terror  of  villages,  herself 
amenable  to  a  justice.  That  should  be 
a  hardy  sheriff,  with  the  power  of  a 
county  at  his  heels,  that  would  lay 
hands  on  the  Weird  Sisters.  They  are 
of  another  jurisdiction."  The  same 
work.  Vol.  II,  p.  17. 

The  passage  in  IHVI.  I,  5,  6,  Blood 
will  I  draw  on  thee,  thou  art  a  witch, 
refers  to  the  current  superstition  of 
those  times  which  taught  that  he  that 
could  draw  the  witch's  blood  was  free 
from  her  power.     Johnson. 

In  the  time  of  Sh.  the  word  was 
applied  to  persons  of  either  sex.  Thus, 
it  is  applied  to  males  in  Err,  IV,  4,  160  ; 
Ant.  I,  2,  40 ;  Cym.  I,  6,  166.  The  word 
wizard  also  occurs  four  times  in  the 
plays.    See  tail  in  Supplement. 


withering.    Slowly  wasting  away.    Mids. 

1,  1,  6. 

This  phrase  is  quite  apt  and  expres- 
sive, though  Warburton  asserted  that  it 
is  not  good  English  and  emended  by 
changing  to  wintering  on. 

withers.  The  highest  pait  of  the  back  of  a 
horse,  between  the  shoulder-blades  and 
the  root  of  the  neck ;  it  literally  means 
the  resisting  part.  IHIV.  II,  1,  8; 
Hml.  Ill,  2,  253. 

wit-old.  A  pun  upon  wittol,  q.v. ,  of  which 
horns,  two  lines  lower  down,  are  the 
"figure."    LLL.  V,  1,  66. 

without.  1.  Beyond.  Tp.  V,  1,  271; 
Mids.  IV,  1,  158. 
2.  Except.  Gent.  II,  1 ,  38 ;  Wint.  IV,  2, 16. 
Macbeth's  speech,  Tts  better  thee 
without  than  he  within  (Mcb.  Ill,  4, 
14)  has  received  several  interpreta- 
tions. Johnson  paraphrases  thus:  "It 
is  better  that  his  blood  were  on  thy 
face  than  he  in  this  room."  Others: 
"  Better  on  thy  face  than  in  his  body." 
Hunter  has  a  long  note  on  the  passage 
in  which  he  tries  to  show  that  Macbeth's 
speeches  are  asides,  not  addressed  to 
the  murderer,  and  concludes  thus  :  "In 
what  follows,  we  cannot  suppose  that 
Macbeth  speaks  so  as  to  be  heard  by  the 
murderer,  much  less  speaks  to  him,  re- 
vealing the  secret  purpose  and  thoughts 
of  his  mind."  "New  Illustrations," 
Vol.  II,  p.  191.  I  think  a  careful  reading 
of  the  whole  passage  will  fail  to  uphold 
this  view. 

wits.  Senses.  Ado.  I,  1,  66;  Tw.  IV,  2, 
93.     See  wit,  n. 

wittol.    A  contented  cuckold.     Wiv,  II, 

2,  317. 

wittolly.    Wittol-like.    Wiv.  II,  2,  288. 

wolf.  In  regard  to  Edgar's  comparisons 
in  Lr.  Ill,  4,  95,  et  seq.,  Prof.  Skeat 
remarks  that  in  "The  AncrenRiwle" 
the  seven  deadly  sins  are  figured  under 
the  names  of  various  animals.  Steevens 
points  out  that  Harsnet,  in  his  "De- 
claration," says  that  "the  Jesuits  pre- 
tended to  cast  the  seven  deadly  sins  out 
of  Mainy  in  the  shape  of  those  animals 
that  represented  them ;  and  before  each 


WOL 


377 


WOO 


was  cast  out,  Mainy,  by  gestures,  acted 
that  particular  sin  ;  curling  his  hair  to 
show    pride,    vomiting    for    gluttony, 
gaping  and  snoring  for  sloth,  etc. "    Sh. 
was  no  doubt  familiar  with  Harsnet's 
book, 
Wolsey,  Cardinal,  dr.p.     HVIII. 
woman.    The  passage  in  Tw,  II,  4,  30, 
still  let  the  woman  take  An  elder  than 
herself,  has    given    rise    to    the   most 
diverse  comments.    I  think  the  majority 
of  coms.  feel  that  in  this  line  Sh.  gives 
expression  to  his  feelings  over  the  result 
of  a  violation  of  the  precept  in  his  own 
case.      "Anne    Hathaway,    whom    Sh. 
married  in  June  or  July,  1582,  was  then 
in  her  twenty-sixth  year,  that  is  seven 
years  and  a  half  older  than  her  husband  : 
a  disproportion   of  age  which  seldom 
fails,   at   a  subsequent  period  of   life, 
to  be  productive  of  unhappiness,  and 
which,   perhaps,   about    thirteen  years 
afterwards,    gave    rise    to    a    part    of 
the  following  beautiful  verses  on  the 
subject  of  marriage,  which  no  man  who 
ever  felt  the  passion  of  love,  can  read 
without  emotion."    Malone,   "Life  of 
William  Shakspeare."    3rd  Var.,  Vol. 
II,  p.  1 12.     The  lines  quoted  are  Mids. 
I,  1,   132,  et  seq.,  particular  attention 
being  called  to  line   137,  or  else  mis- 
graffed  in  respect  of  years ;   and    he 
adds  :  "  Perhaps,  indeed,  the  same  feel- 
ing suggested   the  following  judicious 
precept,  at  a  still  later  period,  when  our 
poet  was  in  his  forty-third  year. "    And 
he  then  quotes  Tw.  II,  4,  29,  et  seq. 

After  giving  two  pages  of  quotations, 
the  majority  of  which  agree  with  Malone, 
Dr.  Furness  adds  this  note:  "Notonlj^ 
do  I  not  believe  that  Shakespeare  was 
here  referring  to  his  own  experience, 
but  I  do  not  believe  that  Orsino's 
assertion  itself  is  true.  The  record  of 
marriages  where  the  woman  is  the  elder 
will  prove,  I  think,  that,  as  a  rule,  such 
unions,  founded  as  they  are,  not  on  the 
fleeting  attractions  of  youth,  which  is 
'a  stuff  will  not  endure,'  but  on  the 
abiding  elements  of  intellectual  con- 
geniality, have  beeu  unusually  happy." 


I  think  most  men  will  agree  with  Sh. 
and  hold  that  such  happy  marriages  are 
the  exception,  and  not  "the  rule  "  ;  and, 
besides,  a  mere  intellectual  partnership 
is  not  marriage  in  the  highest  sense. 

For  women  as  actors,  see  female 
actors. 
womb.  Belly  ;  paunch.  2HIV.  IV,  3, 24. 
This  is  the  original  meaning  of  the  word 
which  still  survives  in  the  Scotch  wame. 
Thus,  in  Wiclif 's  version  of  St.  Luke  we 
find  (xv.  16) :  "  And  he  coveitide  to  fille 
his  wombe  of  the  coddis  that  the  hoggis 
eeten,  and  no  man  gaf  hym  " ;  and  in 
"The  Canterbury  Tales,"  by  Chaucer  : 

Of  this  matere,  o  Poule,  well  canst 

thou  trete  ; 
Mete   unto   wombe  and  wombe   eke 

unto  mete. 

Rolfe   thinks  that  Falstaff  uses    the 

word  "jocosely,"   but  it  seems  to  me 

that  the  joke  did  not  consist  in  the  mere 

use  of  this  word ;  it  lay  far  deeper. 

wonder'd.     Able    to    perform    wonders. 

Wright.     Tp.  IV,  1,  123. 
woodbine.     A  plant  of  this  name  is  i-e- 
ferred  to  three  times  in  the  plays,  but 
it  is  not  quite  certain   which  plant  is 
meant.     In  Mids.  IV,  1,  48,  honeysuckle 
and  woodbine  are  both  mentioned,  while 
several  authors    claim    that    they  are 
really  the  same  plant.     Johnson  thought 
that  woodbine  was  the  plant  and  honey- 
suckle the  flower,   and    Baret,   in    his 
"  Alvearie,"  makes  the  same  distinction 
and  speaks  of  "  Woodbin  that  beareth 
the  Honiesuckle. "  Some,  however,  have 
concluded  from  this  that  woodbine  was 
a  name  for  any  climbing  plant.     Thus, 
Steevens  claims  that  it  is  even  applied 
to  the  ivy.     Various  species  of  Lonicera 
and  convolvulus  have  been  claimed  as 
the  true  plants.     The  difficulty  arises 
from  the  uncertainty  which  affects  all 
the  popular  names  of  plants  and  animals 
and    which    vary  with    each    locality. 
White,  in  discussing  this  subject,  mixes 
up  American  and  English  names  some- 
what confusedly.     Upon  this  point,  see 
ante  article  on  robin.     The  general  idea 
that  Sh,  wishes  to  convey,  one  plant 


woo 


378 


WOR 


twining  about  another,  is  clear  enough. 
The  other  references  to  this  plant  are 
Ado.  Ill,  1,  30,  and  Mids.  II,  1,  251. 

woodcock.  A  highly-esteemed  game-bird, 
the  Scolopax  rusticula  (sometimes, 
erroneously,  rusticola,  as  by  Schm.) 
or  European  woodcock,  the  American 
woodcock  being  a  smaller  bird  of  a 
different  species.  In  former  times  the 
woodcock  was  caught  in  large  numbers 
in  snares  or  springes,  and  it  was  so 
easily  deceived  that  the  term  woodcock 
became  a  synonym  for  a  foolish  person. 
Someone  who  evidently  had  no  practical 
knowledge  of  the  bird  attempted  to 
explain  this  by  the  assertion  that  "the 
bird  was  supposed  to  have  no  brains," 
and  this  erroneous  statement  has  found 
a  place  in  many  respectable  Shake- 
spearean commentaries.  The  truth  is 
that  the  woodcock's  brain  is  quite  large 
in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird 
and  it  is  regarded  as  quite  a  delicious 
morsel.  Ado.  V,  1,  158 ;  All's.  IV,  1, 
100;  Tw.  II,  5,  93;  Hral.  I,  3,  115. 

woodman.  A  hunter;  one  skilled  in 
tracking  game.  Hence,  a  pursuer  of 
deer  (dears).     Wiv.  V,  5,  29. 

Woodville,  d7\p.  Lieutenant  of  the  Tower. 
IHVI. 

woollen.  Made  of  wool.  To  lie  in  the 
woollen  (Ado.  II,  1,  33)  is  supposed  by 
Steevens  to  mean  between  blankets, 
without  sheets,  cf.  LLL.  V,  2,  717, 
/  have  no  shirt;  I  go  woolward  for 
penance.  The  wearing  of  woollen  next 
the  skin  was  often  enjoined  by  the 
Church  of  Rome  as  a  penance.  There 
are  numerous  allusions  to  this  in  the 
literature  of  Sh.  tiixie.  In  "Exchange 
Ware  at  the  Second  Hand"  (1615)  we 
find: 

*    *    *    make 
Their  enemies,  like  Friers,  woolward 
to  lie. 

Some  explain  the  phrase  as  being  buried, 
as  it  was  at  one  time  the  custom  to  bury, 
in  woollen  grave-clothes. 

In  Merch.  IV,  1,  56,  this  term,  as  used 
by  Shylock,  evidently  has  reference  to 
some  special  couditiou  coimected  with 


"singing  in  the  nose."  It  is  very 
doubtful  if  any  of  the  glosses  that  have 
been  given  are  correct.  The  proper  place 
to  look  for  a  solution  of  this  crux  is 
amongst  skilled  bag-pipe  players. 

woolward.  Having  wool  next  the  skin. 
LLL.  V,  2,  717.    See  woollen. 

Worcester,  Earl  of,  dr. p.  Thomas  Percy. 
IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

word.  As  a  general  rule  this  term  oc- 
casions no  difficulty.  In  John  III,  4, 
110,  the  reading  in  the  g.  a.  text  is :  the 
sweet  world'' s  taste;  it  is  word'' s  taste 
in  the  Fl.  As  it  occurs  in  Hml.  IV,  5, 
105,  The  ratifiers  and  props  of  every 
word,  it  has  been  emended  to  "  ward," 
"weal,"  "work,"  "worth,"  etc.,  but 
the  best  coms.  think  that  no  emendation 
is  required.  Antiquity  and  custom  are 
the  ratifiers  and  props  of  every  title 
and  of  every  law,  both  of  which  depend 
upon  "a  form  of  sound  words."  Or, 
perhaps,  as  Schm.  explains  it:  "Of 
everything  that  is  to  serve  for  a  watch- 
word and  shibboleth  to  the  multitude." 
Caldecott  says:  ^^Word  is  term,  and 
means  appellation  or  title ;  as  lord  used 
before  and  king  afterwards  ;  and  in  its 
most  extended  sense  must  import '  every 
human  establishment.'  The  sense  of 
the  passage  is — As  far  as  antiquity 
ratifies,  and  custom  makes  every  term, 
denomination,  or  title  known,  they  run 
counter  to  them,  by  talking,  when  they 
mention  kings,  of  their  right  of  chusing 
and  of  saying  who  shall  be  king  or 
sovereign." 

Of  the  passage  in  Tw.  Ill,  1,  24,  words 
are  very  rascals  since  bonds  disgraced 
them,  Furness  says:  "I  have  given 
every  explanation  that  I  can  find  of  this 
dark  passage;  and  I  confess  that  none 
of  them  affords  me  a  ray  of  light. ' '  The 
chief  explanations  are:  (1)  The  restric- 
tions laid  on  the  Poet's  art  by  an  order 
in  Privy  Council,  June,  1000.  These 
restrictions  may  be  said  to  have  placed 
words  under  bonds  and  so  disgraced 
them.  (2)  Words  are  put  into  bonds 
(i.e.,  money  bonds)  and  hence  may  be 
said  tp  be  in  confinement  (in  bonds  or 


WOE 


379 


WOE 


shackles)  and  so  disgraced.  (3)  Bonds 
have  disgraced  words  by  using  them  in 
the  trickeries  of  business.  To  these 
Furness  adds:  "Words  are  placed  in 
bonds  when  they  are  accurately  defined. 
To  have  strict,  unalterable  meanings 
attached  to  words  could  not  but  have 
been  offensive  to  Feste,  whose  delight, 
and  even  profession,  it  was  to  be  a 
'corrupter  of  words.'"  But  may  not 
the  meaning  be  :  In  the  golden  age  a 
man's  word  was  a  sufficient  obligation 
and  was  always  accepted  as  such,  but 
now  mere  words  are  discredited  or  dis- 
graced because  written  bonds  are  always 
required. 

The  expression,  I  moralize  two  mean- 
ings in  one  word  (RIII.  Ill,  1,  83), 
"  signifies  either  '  extract  the  double 
and  latent  meaning  of  one  word  or 
sentence  '  or  '  couch  two  meanings 
under  one  word  or  sentence. ' "  Malone. 
Word  here  means  a  saying,  a  short 
sentence,  a  proverb,  as  motto  does  in 
Italian  and  bon-mot  in  French.  Mason. 
I  am  at  a  word  (Wiv.  I,  3,  15)  =  I 
am  as  good  as  my  word. 

He  words  me  girls  (Ant.  V,  2,  191) 
means  :  He  puts  me  off  with  words. 

work.  A  military  term  signifying  a 
fortification.  HVIII.  V,  4,  61  ;  Oth. 
Ill,  2,  3. 

workings.  Labours  of  thought.  Steevens. 
2HIV.  IV,  2,  23. 

Mock  your  workings  in  a  second 
body  (2HI V.  V,  2,  90)  means :  Treat 
with  contempt  your  acts  executed  by  a 
representative.    Johnson. 

world.  In  regard  to  the  saying  of  Beat- 
rice in  Ado.  II,  1,  331,  thus  goes  every- 
one to  the  world  but  J,  Hunter  remarks 
that  there  are  few  phrases  which  are 
more  decidedly  unsophisticated  English. 
It  signifies  "tying  oneself  to  the  world," 
and  expresses  entering  on  the  cares  and 
duties  of  the  married  life,  just  as  the 
nun,  betaking  herself  to  the  cloister,  is 
said  "to  forsake  the  world."  See  sun- 
burned. 

worm.  This  word  is  frequently  used  by 
Sh.  as  synonymous  with  snake,  as  in 


Meas.  Ill,  1,  17;  Mids.  Ill,  2,  71  ;  Ant. 
V,  2,  243.  In  Meas.  Ill,  1,  16,  the  Duke 
makes  the  popular  mistake  of  supposing 
that  the  "  fork  "  or  tongue  of  the  snake 
is  its  weapon  of  offence. 

In  Ado.  V,  2,  86,  and  RIII.  I,  3,  222, 
the  worm  is  taken  as  the  emblem  of 
conscience,  the  suggestion  being,  no 
doubt,  taken  from  Mark  ix,  48 :  "  Where 
their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is 
not  quenched."  In  the  old  Mysteries 
or  Moralities  the  conscience  was  repre- 
sented under  the  figure  of  a  worm  or 
a  serpent.  Halliwell  tells  us  that  in  the 
entry  of  payments  for  expenses  incurred 
in  representing  the  Coventry  Mysteries 
is  the  following  for  dresses :  "  Item  payd 
to  ij  wormes  of  conscience,  xvj.  d." 

wormwood.  A  plant  proverbial  for  its 
bitterness.  The  true  wormwood,  Ar- 
temisia Absinthium,  is  a  perennial. 
The  common  name,  wormwood,  is  a 
modified  form  of  ivermode.  ' '  The  com- 
pound wer-mod  unquestionably  means 
ware-mood  or  'mind  preserver'  and 
points  back  to  some  primitive  belief  as 
to  the  curative  properties  of  the  plant 
in  mental  affections. "  Skeat.  LLL.  V, 
2,  857 ;  Hml.  Ill,  2, 191.  It  has  long  been 
in  use  amongst  the  common  people  in 
weaning  children.  Rom.  I,  3,  26.  See 
rue. 

worst.  Of  the  passage  in  Tim.  IV,  3, 
275,  If  thou  hadst  not  been  born  the 
worst  of  men.  Thou  hadst  been  a  knave 
and  flatterer,  Johnson  says:  "Shake- 
speare has  here  given  a  specimen  [of  his 
power  of  satire]  by  a  line,  bitter  beyond 
all  bitterness,  in  which  Timon  tells 
Apemantus  that  he  had  not  virtue 
enough  for  the  vices  which  he  con- 
demns." 

wort.  1.  The  sweet  solution  of  malt  which, 
when  fermented,  becomes  beer  or  ale. 
LLL.  V,  2,  233. 

2.  A  plant  of  any  kind,  but  usually 
applied  to  the  cabbage  or  col  wort,  and 
used  by  Falstaff  to  ridicule  Sir  Hugh's 
pronunciation  of  words.  Wiv.  I,  1, 124. 
Frequently  appended  to  the  names  of 
plants  as   in    mugwort.     Orchard   is 


won 


880 


WRE 


from  the  same  root  and  means  a  plant- 
yard  or  garden,  in  which  sense  the  word 
is  generally  used  in  fSh. 

worth.    Wealth.     Tw.  Ill,  3,  17. 

His  worth  Of  contradiction  (Cor.  Ill, 
3,  26)  =  his  full  share  or  proportion  of 
contradiction. 

worthied.  Rendered  worthy  or  deserving. 
Lr.  II,  2,  128. 

worthies.  The  "  nine  worthies  "  alluded 
to  in  LLL.  V,  1,  488,  were :  Joshua, 
David  and  Judas  Maccabseus ;  Hector, 
Alexander  and  Julius  Caesar ;  and 
Arthur,  Charlemagne  and  Godfrey  of 
Bouillon.  Thus,  there  were  three  Jews, 
three  Pagans  and  three  Christian 
Knights. 

woundless.  Invulnerable.  Hml.  IV,  1,  44. 

wounds.  The  passage  in  RIII.  I,  2,  55, 
dead  Henry''s  wounds  open  their  con- 
geaVd  mouths  and  bleed  afresh  !  refers 
to  a  superstition  very  common  in  the 
time  of  Sh.  Johnson  tells  us  that  "it 
is  a  tradition,  very  generally  received, 
that  the  murdered  body  bleeds  on  the 
touch  of  the  murderer.  This  was  so 
much  believed  by  Sir  Kenelm  Digby 
that  he  has  endeavoured  to  explain  the 
reason."  To  this  Steevens  adds  several 
quotations,  amongst  others,  one  from 
TheWidoiv's  Tears,  by  Chapman  (1612) : 
"  The  captain  will  assay  an  old  con- 
clusion often  approved ;  that  at  the 
murderer's  sight  the  blood  revives  again 
and  boils  afresh  ;  and  every  wound  has 
a  condemning  voice  to  cry  out  guilty 
against  the  murderer."  And  Drayton, 
in  the  46th  Idea,  has  : 

If  the  vile  actors  of  the  heinous  deed 
Near  the  dead  body  happily  be  brought, 
Oft 't  hath  been  proved  that  breathless 
corps  will  bleed. 
Toilet  observes  that  "  this  opinion  seems 
to  be  derived  from  the  ancient  Swedes 
or  Northern  nations,  frojn  whom  we 
descend  ;  for  they  practised  this  method 
of  trial  in  dubious  cases."    Those  who 
haveread  Scott's  "Fair  Maid  of  Perth  " 
cannot  fail  to  remember  the  vain  at- 
tempt to  bring  Bonthron,  the  brutal 
murderer  of    Oliver    Proudfute,   the 


Bonnet-maker,  to  touch  the  corpse  of 
his  victim. 

wrack.  Wreck  ;  destruction ;  ruin.  Tp. 
I,  2,  26  ;  Mcb.  V,  5,  51.  The  modern 
word  wreck  was  always  spelled  and 
pronounced  wrack  in  the  time  of  Sh. 
The  "Globe"  and  many  modern  eds. 
change  the  spelling  in  some  cases  to 
wreck. 

wrangler.  An  adversary ;  a  term  in 
tennis.     HV.  I,  2,  264. 

wreak.  Revenge.  Cor.  IV,  5,  91 ;  Tit. 
IV,  3,  33. 

wreakful.  Revengeful.  Tit.  V,  2,  32; 
Tim.  IV,  3,  229. 

wreckful.    Destructive.    Sonn,  LXV,  6. 

wren.  This  little  bird  is  mentioned  nine 
times  in  the  plays,  and  in  nearly  all 
cases  the  feature  that  is  most  noted  is 
its  diminutive  size.  The  only  passage, 
however,  in  which  the  wren  is  spoken 
of  and  which  requires  comment  is  that 
in  Tw.  Ill,  2,  70,  where  Sir  Toby  says 
of  Maria,  Look  where  the  youngest 
wren  of  mine  comes.  The  word  mine 
of  the  FP.  in  this  line,  was  changed  to 
nine  by  Theobald,  and  this  emendation 
has  been  adopted  by  the  "  Cambridge," 
the  "Globe,"  Warburton,  Johnson, 
3rd  Var. ,  Dyce,  Knight,  White,  Hudson, 
Rolfe,  "The  Henry  Irving  Sh.,"  "The 
Leopold  Sh."  (Delius  and  Furnivall), 
and  almost  all  the  eds.,  though,  I  think, 
without  good  grounds.  Furness,  of 
course,  follows  the  Fl.,  and  Halliwell  is 
one  of  the  very  few  who  retain  mine. 
The  reason  for  the  change,  as  given  by 
Hanmer,  is:  "The  wren  is  remai'kable 
for  laying  many  eggs  at  a  time  [she 
really  lays  but  one  at  a  time,  but  let 
that  pass],  nine  or  ten,  and  sometimes 
more ;  and  as  she  is  the  smallest  of 
birds,  the  last  of  so  large  a  brood  may 
be  supposed  to  be  little  indeed,  which 
is  the  image  intended  here  to  be  given 
of  Maria  " ;  and  Warburton  adds :  "  The 
women's  parts  were  then  acted  by  boys, 
sometimes  so  low  in  stature  that  there 
was  occasion  to  obviate  the  impropriety 
by  such  kind  of  oblique  apologies." 
(this  does  not  quite  agree  with  Jordan's 


WEE 


381 


WRE 


account.  See  female  actors.)  White, 
in  his  "Riverside  ed.,"  actually  saj^s : 
"The  "wren  lays  nine  eggs,"  though,  as 
a  well-known  matter  of  fact,  the  num- 
ber varies  within  wiJe  limits  ;  and  these 
arguments  seem  to  have  been  adopted 
by  all  subsequent  coms. 

To  me  these  reasons  do  not  seem  at 
all  forcible.  Why  nmel  If  a  large 
luimber  be  needed,  why  not  make  it 
twelve  or  fifteen  ?  Every  Old  Country 
boy-naturalist  knows  that  the  wren 
often  lays  more  than  nine  or  ten  eggs. 
To  me  the  speech  of  Sir  Toby  carries  a 
very  diflferent  meaning.  Sir  Toby  was 
a  roysterer  and,  no  doubt,  like  all  men 
of  his  kidney,  loved  to  boast  of  his 
success  with  the  fair  sex.  Now,  the 
wren,  whether  the  first  or  the  ninth  of 
the  brood,  is  small,  and  we  know  that 
Maria  was  small.  Sir  Toby  calls  her 
"the  little  villain,"  and  Viola  speaks 
of  her  ironically  as  "your  giant." 
Moreover,  the  wren  is  a  notoriously 
amorous  bird  (Lr.  IV,  6,  114),  and  we 
know  that  Maria  was  so  in  love  with 
Sir  Toby  that  it  had  not  escaped  the 
observation  of  the  Clown,  cf.  Tw.  I, 
5,  29  to  32,  where  she  half  acknowledges 
it;  and  we  are  told  in  V,  1,  372,  that  he 
marries  her.  Therefore  he  had  a  right 
to  say:  "Look  where  the  youngest 
wren  of  mine  comes ;  my  youngest 
[latest]  conquest."  "In  contempt  of 
question,"  the  reading  of  the  Folio  is 
right  and  gives  the  best  sense,  and  the 
rule  is  imperative  that  no  change  should 
be  made  unless  absolutely  necessary. 

The  wren  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
differs  materially  in  appearance  and 
habits  from  any  of  the  wrens  found 
on  the  American  continent.  It  is  the 
Troglodytes  parviilus  of  the  ornitholo- 
gist, and  while  it  does  not  live  in  caves, 
it  generally  builds  its  nest  under  cover 
of  some  kind,  most  frequently  in  out- 
houses. The  nest  is  always  covered 
with  a  dome,  dome  and  nest  forming 
one  structure,  and  entrance  being  gained 
through  a  hole  in  the  side.  In  this  nest 
the  bird  lays  its  eggs,  varying  in  number 


from  seven  or  eight  to  sixteen  and  even 
as  many  as  eighteen. 

There  is  no  bird  more  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  folk-lore  of  Europe  than 
the  wren,  and  the  number  of  names 
that  have  been  applied  to  it,  is  remark- 
able—the French  alone  giving  it  139 
local  names.  In  English  also  the  num- 
ber is  quite  large.  It  is  sometimes 
called  "Our  Lady  of  Heaven's  hen," 
and  Kitty-wren  and  Jenny-wren  are 
common  terms.  The  last  name  will 
recall  that  of  the  DolPs  Dressmaker  in 
"  Our  Mutual  Friend." 

In  the  old  folk-lore  the  wren  is  called 
the  "  King  of  Birds,"  and  the  following 
legend  is  related  as  accounting  for  the 
title :  The  birds  having  determined  to 
choose  a  king,  it  was  finally  decided 
that  the  bird  which  could  mount  highest 
should  have  that  honor.  Of  course, 
the  eagle  rose  higher  than  any  one  ejse, 
and  the  assembly  were  about  to  pro- 
claim him  king,  when  a  loud  burst  of 
song  was  heard,  and  out  of  the  feathers 
on  his  back  rose  the  triumphant  little 
wren  which,  unseen  and  unfelt,  had 
been  borne  aloft  on  the  back  of  the 
giant.  So  the  wren  became  the  king  of 
birds. 

In  Ireland,  in  South  Wales  and  in  the 
South  of  France  it  is  customary  to 
"hunt  the  wren  "  on  St.  Stephen's  day 
— the  26th  of  December.  The  origin  of 
this  cruel  and  barbarous  orgie  has  never 
yet  been  satisfactorily  explained.  Men 
and  boys  go  round  to  the  farm  houses 
with  the  wren  in  a  little  box,  which  is 
called  its  coffin,  and  money  is  collected 
for  the  purpose  of  giving  it  "  a  decent 
burial."  That  any  excuse  is  good 
enough  for  collecting  money  for  a  spree 
requires  no  argument,  but  the  connection 
of  the  wren  with  such  a  frolic  or  with 
the  Feast  of  the  Three  Kings  is  not 
quite  so  evident. 
wrest,  n.  A  tuning  key ;  an  instrument 
for  adjusting  the  tightness  of  the  strings 
of  the  harp.  Troil.  Ill,  3,  23.  Johnson 
explained  the  word  here  as  meaning 
distortion,  i.e..  the  loss  of  Antenor  was 


WEE 


88^ 


XAK 


such  a  violent  distortion  of  their  affairs. 
Theobald  suggested  rest,  drawing  the 
simile  from  the  use  of  a  rest  for  sup- 
porting a  musket.  But  the  expression 
"must  slack"  shows  that  the  explana- 
tion of  Steevens  and  Douce  (which  we 
adopt)  is  the  correct  one. 

wrested  pomp.  Greatness  obtained  by 
violence.  Johnson.  Malone  remarks : 
*'  Rather  greatness  wrested  from  its 
possessor.  But  they  both  come  to  the 
same  thing,  Faulconbridge  had  just 
left  the  mangled  remains  of  Prince 
Arthur,  and  it  was  this  that  inspired 
his  speech.  Schm.  suggests  "  wretched  " 
as  an  emendment,  but  the  original 
obviously  gives  the  best  sense. 

wretched.  Hateful;  vile;  utterly  bad. 
RIII.  V,  2,  7;  Lucr.  999. 

wring.    To  writhe.     Ado,  V,  1,  28. 

wringing.    Torture.     HV.  IV,  1,  253. 

wrjt.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Hml.  II, 
2, 431,  has  given  trouble  to  some.  Walker 
insists  that  it  should  be  wit,  claim- 
ing that  writ  for  composition  is  not 
English.  Not  modern  English  certainly, 
but  old  English  or  Scotch,  very  surely. 
"  Hand  o'  writ"  for  hand-writing  is  a 
common  Scotch  expression,  found,  I 
think,  in  Scott.    The  expression;   the 


laiv  of  writ  and  the  liberty  probably 
means,  "for  observing  the  parts  set 
down  for  them  and  for  freedom  of  im- 
provising." Caldecott  explains  it  as: 
"  For  the  observance  of  the  rules  of  the 
drama,  while  they  take  such  liberties  as 
are  allowable,  they  are  the  only  men." 

write.  To  claim ;  to  style  oneself.  All's. 
II,  3,  67,  and  II,  3,  208;  2HIV.  I,  2,  30; 
Lr.  V,  3,  35. 

writhled.    Wrinkled.     IHVI.  II,  3,  23. 
Some  have  supposed  that  this  word 
is  a  mere  misspelling  of  wrinkled,  but 
we  find  it  in  Sir  J.  Harrington's  version 
of  the  "  Orlando  Furioso  "  : 
To  scorne  her  writheld  skin  and  evill 
favour.  —Book  XX,  Stanza  76. 

wrong.  Prospero's  words :  /  fear  you 
have  done  yourself  some  wrong  (Tp. 
1, 2,  443),  are  thus  explained  by  Steevens : 
"  I  fear  that  in  asserting  yourself  to  be 
King  of  Naples,  you  have  uttered  a 
falsehood  which  is  below  your  character 
and,  consequently,  injurious  to  your 
honour." 

wrotli.  Calamity;  misery;  sorrow.  Merch. 
II,  9,  78. 

wrung,  p.p.  of  wring.  Hurt;  galled; 
chafed  ;  strained.     IHIV.  II,  1,  7. 

wry,  V.    To  swerve,     Cym.  V,  1,  5. 


ANTHIPPE.  The  wife  of  Socrates, 
the  famous  philosopher.  Her 
alleged  shrewish  temper  is  pro- 
verbial, and  her  name  has  be- 
come the  synonym  for  a  scold.  Shr. 
I,  2,  71, 

As  an  illustration  of  her  shrewishness 
and  the  mild  temper  of  her  husband  we 
are  told  that  on  one  occasion,  after  she 
had  scolded  him  unmercifully  until  her 
tongue  gave  out  and  yet  without  draw- 
ing forth  the  slightest  remonstrance  or 
exciting  the  least  anger  on  his  part, 
she  emptied  a  vessel  of  dirty  water  over 
bim.    His  only  remark  was  that  "after 


thunder    we    must    naturally    expect 
rain." 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  claimed 
that  Xanthippe  had  good  cause  for  her 
shrewishness.  Socrates  and  his  wife  had 
several  children,  and  z'eport  saj^s  that  he 
did  not  provide  very  libei'ally  for  their 
wants.  Dr.  Jackson,  of  Cambridge 
(Eng.),  in  his  account  of  Socrates,  tells 
us  that  "the  eccentricity  of  Socrates' 
life  was  not  less  remarkable  than  the 
oddity  of  his  appearance  and  the  irony 
of  his  conversation.  His  whole  time  • 
was  spent  in  public — in  the  market- 
place, the  streets,  the  gymnasia.   *  *  * 


XAN 


383 


TEA 


He  talked  to  all  comers — to  the  crafts- 
man and  the  artist  as  willingly  as  to 
the  poet  or  the  politician.  *  *  *  His 
meat  and  drink  were  of  the  poorest ; 
summer  and  winter  his  coat  was  the 
same ;  he  was  shoeless  and  shirtless.  '  A 
slave  whose  master  made  him  live  as 
you  do, '  says  a  sophist  in  the  Meinora- 
bilia,  'would  run  away.'"  Now,  it 
stands  to  reason  that  if  most  of  his 
time  w^as  spent  in  wandering  about  the 
streets  or  sitting  on  a  soap-box  in  some 
corner   grocery  holding   forth  to   the 


assembled  •  idlers  of  the  neighborhood, 
his  wife  and  family  must  have  fared 
but  poorly.  We  have  no  doubt  that 
many  a  time  his  wife  had  to  pick  up 
material  for  a  dinner  for  herself  and 
children  as  best  she  could,  and  we  can 
readily  suppose  that  when  her  lord  and 
juaster,  impelled  by  hunger,  came  home 
at  noon  and  wanted  something  to  eat, 
neither  his  dinner  nor  his  welcome  would 
be  very  warm. 

So,  perhaps,  after  all,  there  may  be  a 
good  deal  to  be  said  for  Mrs.  Socrates. 


[^^^^    *'  The   participial   prefix  y-  is 

[irjS|^^B|    only  two  or  three  times  used  in 

^jj3kal\    ^^'   plays:   'y-clept,'   '3-clad,' 

^^^'<^»    '  y-slaked. '    In    early    English 

y-  is  prefixed  to  other  forms  of  speech 

besides  participles,  like  the  German  ge-. 

But  in  Elizabethan  English  the  y-  was 

wholly  disused  except  as  a  participial 

prefix,  and  even  the  latter  was  archaic. " 

^6&o«,  Sh.  Gram.,  §345. 

yare.    Readv ;  nimble  ;  quick.     Tp.  I,  1, 

7;  Meas.   IV,  2,   61;   Tw.  Ill,   4,   244; 

Ant.  Ill,  7,  39. 

yarely.    Readily ;  actively.     Tp.  I,  1,  4 ; 

Ant.  II,  2,  216. 
Yaughan.  It  is  generally  supposed  that 
this  was  the  name  of  a  tavern-keeper 
near  the  theatre — one  who  was  well 
known  to  the  frequenters  of  the  Globe 
and  whose  name,  like  all  local  allusions, 
would  bring  down  the  house.  Elze,  with 
German  subtlety,  supposes  that  it  is  an 
allusion  to  the  name  Johan  in  the  sneer- 
ing "Johannes  factotum"  that  Greene 
applies  to  Sh,  Hml.  V,  1,  68.  Like 
many  German  comments  this  is  de- 
cidedly faifetched  as  well  as  improb- 
able. 
yaw.  To  move  unsteadily  as  a  ship  which 
does  not  answer  the  helm.  Hml.  V,  2, 
130.  This  word  has  given  rise  to  a  good 
deal  of  discussion.  Johnson  suggested 
that  yaw  was  a  misprint  for  raw.     The 


whole  passage  is  designedly  stilted  and 
affected  and  intended  to  ridicule  Osric. 

yclad.    Clad.     2HVI.  I,  1,  33. 

ycleped,   ]^   Named;   called.     LLL.   I,   1, 

ycllpped.  \     242 ;  do.  V,  2,  602. 

Yead.  Same  as  Ed.,  which  is  a  contrac- 
tion for  Edward.  Wiv.  I,  1,  160.  cf. 
Yedivard. 

Yedward.  Same  as  Edward.  IHIV.  I, 
2,  149.  Some  claim  that  the  Y  is  here  a 
contraction  of  my.  It  is  more  than  prob- 
able that  it  is  the  old  English  addition 
to  many  words  ;  this  addition  still  sur- 
vives in  some  parts  of  Scotland  in  the 
words,  ale,  once,  one,  oats,  etc.,  of  which 
the  Scotch  form  is,  in  some  localities, 
yill,  yin,  yince,  etc.  ^See  the  "  Glossary  " 
appended  to  the  editions  of  Burns's 
works  issued  under  his  own  supervision 
where  yill  =  ale.  It  is  also  heard  in 
Lancashire,  and  in  Shadwell's  "Lanca- 
shire Witches,"  Clod,  who  speaks  the 
Lancashire  dialect,  says:  "Why,  'tis 
Sir  Yedard  Hartf ort 's. ' '    See  F. 

yea=forsooth.  A  "  yea-forsooth  knave  " 
was  one  who  used  mild  forms  of  oatk 
instead  of  the  "red- lattice  phrases  and 
bold-beating  oaths"  of  such  men  as 
Falstaff,  Pistol  and  others.  2HIY.  I, 
2,  41.  Probably  equivalent  to  rascally 
Puritan. 
yean.  See  ean. 
yeanling.    See  eanling. 


YEA 


384 


YIE 


year.  The  expression,  thou  heap'st  a 
year's  age  on  me  (Cym.  I,  1,  133),  has 
given  much  needless  trouble  to  the 
corns.  Rolfe  says:  "As  the  passage 
stands,  this  seems  an  impotent  con- 
clusion, and  the  defective  measure  of 
the  preceding  line  suggests  that  some- 
thing may  have  been  lost."  Hanmer 
emended  to  heapest  many;  Capell, 
heap'st  instead ;  Theobald,  heap'st  a 
yare age;  Johnson,  heap'' st years,  ages, 
etc.,  etc.  The  difficulty  that  seems  to 
strike  these  eds.  is  that  an  extra  year's 
age  would  be  such  a  trifling  matter  that 
it  would  not  be  worth  mentioning.  But 
to  the  aged,  a  year's  age,  with  its  in- 
creasing infirmities,  is  no  such  trifling 
matter,  and  Cymbeline  could  not  have 
said  "many  years"  with  propriety  for 
his  hair  had  not  whitened  ;  his  step  did 
not  falter,  but  he  felt  that  his  hopes  had 
gone,  and  whether  the  effect  of  one  year 
or  of  twenty,  was  a  matter  of  trifling 
importance. 

yearn.  To  grieve ;  to  vex.  Wiv.  Ill,  5, 
45  ;  HV.  IV,  3,  26. 

yellow.  The  emblem  of  jealousy.  Wint. 
II,  3,  107. 

yellowness.    Jealousy.     Wiv.  I,  3,  111. 

yellows.  The  jaundice.  Shr.  Ill,  2,  54, 
Youatt,  speaking  of  jaundice  in  horses, 
says  :  "  Jaundice,  commonly  called  the 
yellows,  is  the  introduction  of  bile  into 
general  circulation.  *  *  *  The  yellow- 
ness of  the  eyes  and  mouth  and  of  the 
skin,  where  it  is  not  covered  with  hair, 
mark  it  sufficiently  plainly." 

yeoman.  1.  A  freeholder ;  one  owning  a 
.small  landed  property,  but  not  entitled  to 
wear  a  crest  and,  consequently,  not  rank- 
ing as  a  gentleman  in  the  higher  sense  of 
that  word.  IHIV.  IV,  2,  16 ;  IHVI.  II, 
4,  81  and  85.    cf.  Lr.  Ill,  6,  11,  et  seq. 

2.  An  under-bailiff  ;  an  attendant  or  as- 
sistant.    2HIV.  II,  1,4. 

3.  A  gentleman  attendant  in  a  royal 
or  noble  household,  ranking  between  a 
sergeant  and  a  groom.     Tw.  II,  5,  45. 

Yeoman's  service  means  "that  which 
is  as  good  service  as  a  yeoman  per- 
formed for  his  feudal  lord. ' '    Caldecott. 


"The  ancient  yeomen  were  famous  for 

their  military  valor. "    Steevens.    Hml. 

V,  2,  36. 
yerk.    To  make  a  sudden  push  or  motion. 

0th.  I,  2,  5.    A  mere  phonetic  variation 

of  jerk. 
yest.  The  foam  on  troubled  water.  Wint. 

III,  3,  94. 

yesty.    Foamy;  frothy;  frivolous.    Mcb. 

IV,  1,  53  ;  Hml.  V,  2,  199. 

yew.  A  tree  of  slow  growth  frequently 
planted  in  churchyards.  The  wood  of 
the  yew  is  a  favorite  for  making  bows. 
It  is  "called  double-fatal  becau.se  its 
leaves  are  poisonous  and  the  wood  is 
employed  for  instruments  of  death." 
Warburton.    RII.  Ill,  2,  117. 

The  poisonous  character  of  the  leaves 
and  seeds  gave  the  yew  a  reputation 
for  evil  which  caused  it  to  be  used  in 
the  incantations  of  witches,  as  in  Mcb. 
IV,  1,  29.  But  it  was  also  regarded  as 
the  symbol  of  immortality  and  of  the 
future  life,  and  sprigs  of  yew  were 
employed  in  funeral  ceremonies,  a  cus- 
tom noted  in  Tw.  II,  4, 56.  See  hebenon. 

yield.  To  reward;  to  bless.  Ant.  IV,  2, 
33.     cf.  GodHld. 

As  the  word  occurs  in  Lr.  IV,  1,  12, 
Life  would  not  yield  to  age^  it  has 
occasioned  some  comment.  Craig  calls 
this  a  difficult  passage,  and  undoubtedly 
so  it  is,  though  here,  as  frequently  else- 
where, the  general  meaning  is  very 
obvious.  Malone's  explanation  is  prob- 
ably correct.  It  is:  "O  world  1  if  re- 
verses of  fortune  and  changes  such  as  I 
now  see  and  feel,  from  ease  and  affluence 
to  poverty  and  misery,  did  not  show  us 
the  little  value  of  life,  we  should  never 
submit  with  any  kind  of  resignation  to 
the  weight  of  years,  and  its  necessary 
consequence,  infirmity  and  death." 

The  word  yield  seems  to  be  used  here 
in  some  unusual  sense.  Is  it  possible 
that  it  is  a  verb  formed  from  the  old 
word  eld  or  eild  with  prefixed  y,  as  in 
Yedward,  q.v.^  and  signifying  to  age 
or  grow  old  ?  The  meaning  then  would 
be  that  we  would  not  keep  on  aging 
until  we   were   very   old;   we   would 


tox 


385 


YOV 


rather  die  by  our  own  band.  The  word 
yeild  (or  yeelde  as  it  is  spelled  in  the 
Fl.)  being  substituted  for  age  (verb)  to 
avoid  tautology. 

On  turning  to  the  Scottish  diction- 
aries, and  especially  to  the  Glossary 
appended  to  Sibbald's  "Chronicle  of 
Scottish  Poetry,"  I  find  yeild  [sic]  {n) 
=  old  age.  The  word  is  also  given  as 
an  adjective,  so  that  its  use  as  a  verb  in 
this  sense  does  not  seem  to  be  very  far- 
fetched. If  so  used,  the  word  should  be 
spelled  yeild  and  not  yield. 

Some  conjectural  emendations  have 
been  proposed,  but  if  my  gloss  is  correct 
they  are  unnecessary. 

yoked.  Yoked  with  his  that  did-betray 
the  Best  (Wint.  I,  2,  419),  that  is,  with 
Judas  who  betrayed  Christ.  The  capital 
B  in  Best  shows  this.  Douce  points  out 
that  in  the  sentence  against  excom- 
municated persons  there  was  a  clause : 
"  Let  them  have  part  with  Judas  that 
betrayed  Christ.  Amen  "  ;  and  he  sug- 
gests that  "this  is  here  imitated." 

yoke-devils.  Two  devils  yoked  together. 
HV.  II,  2,  106. 

yokes.  In  the  g.  a.  text  the  passage 
in  Wiv.  V,  5,  111,  reads :  do  not 
these  fair  yokes  Become  the  forest 
better  than  the  town  f  In  the  Fi.  it 
is  yoaks;  in  the  F2.  and  F3.,  okes^ 
and  in  Fi.,  oakeSy  and  there  has 
been  a  good  deal  of  discussion  as  to 
which  is  correct.  The  allusion  is  ob- 
viously to  the  horns,  the  emblems  of 
cuckoldom,  with  which  Falstaff's  head 
was  adorned,  but  whether  the  true  sense 
is  yokes  or  oaks  is  not  so  easily  deter- 
mined. Most  eds.  read  yo/ces.  M.Mason 
says :  "  I  am  confident  that  oaks  is  the 
right  reading.  I  ^gree  with  Theobald 
that  the  words, '  See  you  these,  husband  V 
relate  to  the  buck's  horns;  but  what 
resemblance  is  there  between  the  horns 
of  a  buck  and  a  y  oak  ?  W  hat  connection 
is  there  between  a  yoak  and  a  forest  ? 
[Oxen,  with  their  yokes,  are  frequently 
employed  in  forests.  J.  P.]  Wh}%  none ; 
whereas,  on  the  other  hand,  the  con- 
nection between  a  forest  and  an  oak  is 


evident;  nor  is  the  resemblance  less 
evident  between  a  tree  and  the  branches 
of  a  buck's  horns ;  they  are,  indeed, 
called  branches  from  that  very  re- 
semblance ;  and  the  horns  of  a  deer  are 
called,  in  French,  les  bois.  Though 
horns  are  types  of  cuckoldom,  yoaks 
are  not ;  and  surely  the  types  of  cuck- 
oldom, whatever  they  may  he,  are  more 
proper  for  a  town  than  for  a  forest.  I 
am  surprised  that  the  subsequent  editors 
should  have  adopted  an  amendment 
which  makes  the  passage  nonsense." 

To  this  note  Steevens  adds  the  re- 
mark :  "  Perhaps,  however  (as  Dr. 
Farmer  observes  to  me),  he  was  not 
aware  that  the  extremities  of  yokes  for 
cattle,  as  still  used  in  several  counties 
of  England,  bend  upwards,  and  rising 
very  high,  in  shape  resemble  horns.'''* 
But  are  not  yokes  generally  attached  to 
the  neck  while  the  emblems  of  cuckoldom 
ornament  the  head  ?  It  seems  to  me 
that  oaks  is  the  true  reading. 

yond.  Yonder.  Hml.  I,  1,  36 ;  0th.  Ill, 
3,460. 

York,  Archbishop  of,  dr. p.  Scroop. 
IHIV.  and  2HIV. 

York,  Archbishop  of,  dr.p.  Thomas 
Rotherham.     Kill. 

York,  Duchess  of,  dr.p.    RII. 

York,  Duchess  of,  dr.p.  Mother  to  Ed- 
ward IV.    RIII. 

York,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Cousin  to  Henry 
V.    HV. 

York,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Uncle  to  Richard 
II.    RII. 

York,  Duke  of,  dr.p.  Son  to  Edward  IV. 
RIII. 

Yorick.  Various  surmises  have  been  made 
as  to  the  origin  of  this  name.  Some 
think  it  is  the  Danish  Georg  or  Jorg ; 
Magnusson  suggests  that  it  may  be  a 
corruption  of  Rorick ;  Furness  points 
out  that  Jerick  is  the  name  of  a  Dutch 
Bowr  in  Chapman's  Alphonsiis.  Hml. 
V,  1,  198. 

young.  Recent.  HVIII.  Ill,  2, 47.  y(mng 
bones  =  unborn  progeny.    Lr.  II,  4, 165. 

Young  Cato,  dr.p.  Fi-iend  to  Brutus  and 
Cassius.    CaBS. 


YOU 


ZOU 


Young  Clifford,  dr.p.  Son  to  Lord  Clif- 
ford.   2HVI. 

Young  Marcius,  dr.p.  Son  to  Coriolanus. 
Cor. 

Young  Siward,  dr.p.  Son  to  Si  ward.  Mcb. 

your.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Mids. 
Ill,  1,  33;  Hml.  IV,  3,  24;  Ant.  II,  7, 
29,  is  used  colloquially,  but  is  regarded 
as  vulgar.  Howell,  in  his  "  Instructions 
for  Forraine  Travel "  (1642),  says : 
"  There  is  an  odd  kind  of  Anglicism, 
wherein  some   do   fi'equently   express 


themselves,  as  to  say, — Your  Boores  of 
Holland,  sir ;  Your  Jesuits  of  Spain, 
sir ;  Your  Courtesans  of  Venice,  sir ; 
whereunto  one  answered  (not  impertin- 
ently) :  My  Courtesans,  sir  ?  Pox  on 
them  all  for  me !  they  are  none  of  my 
Courtesans."  c/.  Shr.  1,2,  31,  and  see 
me.     Also  cf.  Sh.  Gram.,  §  221. 

yravish.  To  ravish ;  to  delight.  Per.  Ill, 
Prol.  35. 

yslaked.  To  slake ;  to  abate ;  to  silence. 
Per.  Ill,  Prol.  1. 


ANI,  or  ZANY.  A  subordinate 
buffoon  whose  office  was  to 
make  awkward  attempts  at 
mimicking  the  tricks  of  the 
professional  clown.  LLL.  V,  2,  463 ; 
Tw.  I,  5,  96. 

Douce  explains  zany  as  the  fool's 
bauble,  but,  as  Hunter  points  out, 
not  so  used  by  Sh.,  and  he  tells  us 
that:  "A  Zani  is  explained  by  old 
Cole  [undoubtedly  Elisha  Coles  whose 
"English  Dictionary  "  is  before  me]  to 
mean  '  a  tumbler  who  procures  laughter 
by  his  mimic  gestures ;  a  jack-pudding ;" 
and  a  writer  in  the  Edinburgh  Review 
for  July,  1869,  tells  us  that  "The  zany 
in  Shakespeare's  day  was  not  so  much 
a  buffoon  and  mimic  as  the  obsequious 
follower  of  a  buffoon  and  the  attenuated 
mime  of  a  mimic."  Wright  says  that 
"the  Italian  Zaimi  (our  zany)  is  aeon- 
traction  for  Giovanni  in  the  dialect  of 
Bergamo,  and  is  the  nickname  for  a 
peasant  of  that  place. ' '  See  bergom,a.sk. 
Zantippe.     So  spelt  in  the  later  Folios. 

See  Xanthippe. 
zed.  The  name  of  the  letter  Z.  Lr.  II, 
2,  69.  "  Zed  is  here  probably  used  as  a 
term  of  contempt,  because  it  is  the  last 
letter  in  the  English  alphabet,  and  as 
its  place  may  be  supplied  by  S  ;  and  the 
Roman  alphabet  has  It  not;  neither  is 
it  read  in  any  word  originally  Teu- 
tonick."  Steevens. 
Ben  Jonson,  in  his  "English  Gram- 


mar," says :  "  Z  is  a  letter  often  heard 
amongst  us,  but  seldom  seen." 

Zenelophon.  So  given  in  most  eds.  in 
LLL.  IV,  1,  67.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
about  her  identity,  as  the  name  of 
Cophetua  settles  that.  It  is  evident, 
therefore,  that  Zenelophon  is  a  mere 
misprint  for  Penelophon,  and  there  is 
no  reason  why  the  blame  should  be  laid 
on  Armado.  The  ballad  is  found  in 
Richard  Johnson's  "  Crown  Garland  of 
Goulden  Roses"  (1612),  12mo.,  where  it 
is  entitled  simply,  "  A  Song  of  a  Beggar 
and  a  King."  It  is  given  by  Percy  in 
his  "  Reliques,"  First  Series,  Book  II, 
No.  6. 

Zentippe.  So  spelt  in  the  Fl.  See 
Xanthippe. 

zenith.  A  term  borrowed  from  astrology 
and  signifying  the  highest  point  of  one's 
fortune.     Tp.  I,  2,  181. 

zodiac.  The  twelve  signs  through  which 
the  sun  passes ;  hence,  a  year.  Meas.  I, 
2,  172.  "There  can  be  little  doubt  that 
either  '  nineteen  '  in  this  passage  should 
be  '  fourteen,'  or  that  'fourteen  years  ' 
in  the  next  scene  and  page  should  be 
'  nineteen  i/ea?'s. '  "     Dyce. 

zounds.  A  common  oath  in  former  times. 
It  is  a  variant  of  's wounds,  which  is  a 
a  mincing  contraction  of  God's  wounds, 
referring  to  Christ's  sufferings  on  the 
cross.  The  word  is  frequently  omitted 
in  the  Fl.,  as  in  0th.  II,  3,  163,  where 
it  occurs  in  the  g.  a.  text.    See  Ood. 


ADDENDA. 


N  order  to  facilitate  reference  to  various  passages  which  are  the  subject 
of  annotation,  I  have  added  a  large  number  of  cross-references  that 
really  serve  the  same  purpose  as  an  index.  Where  the  required  ex- 
planation is  merely  that  of  some  obsolete  word,  it  is  readily  found,  but 
where  the  reference  is  to  a  line  or  passage  it  is  not  always  easy  to  select  the  word 
under  which  it  is  given.  At  the  same  time  I  have  taken  advantage  of  the 
opportunity  to  add  a  few  additional  comments  and  glosses. 


ADDRESSED.  Ready;  prepared.  Mids. 
V,   1,   106 ;  2HIV.   IV,   4,   5 ;  Cses. 
Ill,  1,  29. 
ad  manes  fratrum.  (Latin.)  To  the  shades 

of  the  brothers.     Tit.  I,  1,  98. 
admiration.    Something  to  be  wondered 

at.     All's.  II,  1,  91. 
Adrian,  dr. p.    A  lord  of  Naples.    Tp. 
Adriana,   dr.p.     Wife  of  Antipholus  of 

Ephesus.     Err. 
adulterate.    To  commit  adultery.     John 

III,  1,  56. 
advertise.  To  counsel;  to  instruct.   Meas. 

V,  1,  388. 
^geon,  dr.p.    A  merchant  of  Syracuse. 

Err. 
iCgle.    A  nymph,  the  daughter  of  Pan- 
opeus.     She  was    beloved   by  Theseus, 
and  for  her  he  forsook  Ariadne.     Mids. 
II,  1,  79.     See  Theseus. 
iCmilius,  dr.jj.     A  noble  Roman.     Tit. 
>Emiiius  Lepidus,  dr.p.  A  Roman  Trium- 
vir.    Caes. 
affection.    Sympathy ;  correspondence  of 
feeling.     Merch.  IV,  1,  50. 

This  passage  has  called  forth  a  good 
deal  of  comment.     In  the  Fl .  the  lines 
read : 
Cannot  containe  their  Vrine  for  aflfec- 

tion. 
Masters  of  passion  swayes  it  to  the 

moode. 
Of  what  it  hkes  or  loathes. 

Thirlby  suggested    a  semi-colon    after 


urine  and  no  period  after  affection, 
and  this  has  been  adopted  in  the  "  Cam- 
bridge," the  "Globe"  and  most  eds. 
With  this  change  the  sense  is  obvious. 
See  phssion. 

Agrippa,  dr.p.  A  friend  to  Octavius 
Caesar.     Ant. 

Agrippa,  Menenius,  dr.p.  A  friend  to 
Coriolanus.     Cor. 

ale.     See  pugging. 

Alengon,  Duke  of,  dr.p.    IHVI. 

all.  This  word  is  frequently  used  ad- 
verbially by  Sh.  RII.  II,  2,  126 ;  Tim. 
I,  I,  139.     See  Sh.  Gram.,  §  28. 

alliance.  The  passage  in  Ado.  II,  1,  830, 
Good  Lord,  for  alliance,  has  received 
several  interpretations.  Capell  thinks 
it  means  "  Good  Lord,  here  have  I  got 
a  new  cousin!"  Boswell  explains  it: 
"Good  Lord,  how  many  alliances  are 
forming,"  and  Furness  seems  to  favor 
this  interpretation. 

allottery.  That  which  is  allotted ;  a  por- 
tion or  inheritance.     As.  I,  1,  76. 

Amurath.  "Anmrath  the  Third  (the 
sixth  Emperor  of  the  Turks)  died  on 
January  the  18th,  1596.  The  people 
being  generally  disaffected  to  Mahomet, 
his  eldest  son,  and  inclined  to  Amurath, 
one  of  his  younger  children,  the  Em- 
peror's death  was  concealed  for  ten  daj'S 
by  the  Janizaries,  till  Mahomet  came 
from  Amasia  to  Constantinople.  On 
his   arrival   he  was  saluted   Emperor 


(387) 


ANC 


ARI 


by  the  great  Bassas,  and  others  his 
favourers ;  '  which  done '  (saysKiiolles), 
'  he  presently  after  caused  all  his  breth- 
ren to  be  invited  to  a  solemn  feast  in 
the  court ;  whereuntothey,  yet  ignorant 
of  their  father's  death,  came  chearfully, 
as  men  fearing  no  harm  :  but,  being 
come,  we7-e  there  all  most  miserably 
strangled.''  It  is  highly  probable  that 
Shakespeare  here  alludes  to  this  trans- 
action. 

"  This  circumstance,  therefore,  may 
fix  the  date  of  this  play  subsequently  to 
the  beginning  of  the  year  1596;  and 
perhaps  it  vfas  written  while  this  fact 
was  yet  recent."  Malone.  2HIV.  V, 
2,  48. 

ancient.  Old.  T?ie  ancient  of  war  (Lr. 
V,  1,  32)  =  the  elders  ;  old  soldiers 
skilled  in  the  art  of  war.  # 

answer,  n.  Encounter;  contest.  Hml. 
V,  2,  176. 

answer,  v.  To  encounter ;  to  resist.  Lr, 
III,  4,  106. 

Anthony,  {   In  the  Fl.,  Ant.  Y,  2,  86-88, 

Antony.     S      Cleopatra  says  of  Antony  : 
For  his  Bounty 
There  was  no  winter  in't.  An  Anthony 

it  was 
That  grew  the  more  by  reaping  : 

The  g.a.  text,  including  the  "Cam- 
bridge "  and  the  "  Globe,"  read  autumn 
for  Anthony,  the  emendation  being 
Theobald's.  In  the  Fl.  the  name  An- 
tony is  uniformly  spelt  Anthony. 

Prof.  Corson,  in  his  "Introduction 
to  the  Study  of  Shakespeare,"  claims 
that  the  Folio  is  right.  He  gives  good 
rea.sons  for  the  opinion  that  "autumn  " 
makes  nonsense  of  the  passage,  and 
concludes  as  follows  :  "Now,  could  not 
the  '  less  Greek '  which,  Ben  Jonson 
tells  us,  Shakespeare  -possessed,  have 
led  him  to  see  in  '  Anthony  '  the  word 
anthos?  [Greek  for  a  young  bud  or 
sprout]  and  to  quibble  on  the  word  as 
meaning  a  flower  garden  ?  His  bounty 
had  no  winter  in  it ;  it  was  a  luxuriant, 
ever- blooming  flower  garden."  This  is 
certainly  admirable  and  not  only  does 
away  with  all  necessity  for  emendation, 


but  gives  real  sense  to  the  passage, 
which  Theobald's  "correction"  cer- 
tainly does  not  give.  Strange  to  say, 
however,  the  new  editions  all  keep  in 
the  old  track.  See  note  on  she  and 
wren,  ante. 

Antiopa.  An  Amazon,  the  sister  of  Hip- 
polyta,  who  married  Theseus.  Mids. 
II,  1,  80.  When  Attica  was  invaded  by 
the  Amazons,  Antiopa  fought  with 
Theseus  against  them  and  died  the  death 
of  a  heroine  by  his  side. 

ape.  "  '  Ape  of  nature '  is  a  title  accorded 
to  more  than  one  painter  by  his  flatterers; 
it  was  given,  among  others,  to  Giotto's 
disciple,  Stefano. "  Sijmons.  Wint.  V, 
2,  108. 

argument.  This  word  in  As.  Ill,  1,  3, 
evidently  means  subject  and  not  "cause, 
reason,''  as  Schni.  defines  it  in  this 
passage.  If  argument  =  reason,  it  cer- 
tainly could  not  be  absent.  Johnson 
says :  "  An  argument  is  used  for  the 
content&of  a  book  ;  thence,  Shakespeare 
considered  it  as  meaning  the  subject 
and  then  used  it  for  subject  in  another 
sense."  cf.  IHIV.  II,  4,  810,  and  Lr. 
I,  1,  218. 

Ariadne.  A  daughter  of  Minos  and  Pasi- 
phae,  of  Crete.  When  Theseus  arrived 
in  Crete  with  the  tribute  sent  by  the 
Athenians  to  Minos,  Ariadne  fell  in  love 
with  him  and  furnished  him  with  the 
sword  with  which  he  killed  the  Mino- 
taur, and  the  clew  of  thread  by  which 
he  found  his  way  out  of  the  labyrinth. 
Theseus,  in  return,  promised  to  marry 
her,  and  she  accordingly  left  Crete  with 
him,  but  when  he  arrived  in  Naxos  he 
forsook  her  for  the  nymph  -lEgle,  the 
daughter  of  Panopeus.  Mids.  II,  1,  79. 
Various  accounts  are  given  of  her  fate. 
Some  say  that  she  put  an  end  to  her 
own  life  in  despair,  while  other  tradi^ 
tions  relate  that  Dionysus  saved  her 
and,  in  amazement  at  her  beauty,  made 
her  his  wife.  There  are  several  cir- 
cumstances in  the  story  of  Ariadne 
which  offered  the  happiest  subjects  for 
works  of  art,  and  some  of  the  finest 
ancient  work  on  gems,  as  well  as  paint- 


ABI 


BAD 


ings,  of  which  Ariadne  is  the  subject, 
are  still  extant.  Gent.  IV,  4,  172.  See 
Theseus. 

arithmetician.  A  book-keeper;  a  busi- 
ness clerk,  and  not  a  military  man. 
0th.  I,  1,  19. 

Steevens  explains  it  as  one  "that 
fights  b}^  the  book  of  arithmetic."  cf. 
Rom.  Ill,  1,  106. 

arms.  The  expression,  /  must  change 
arms  at  home  (Lr.  IV,  2,  17),  is  thus 
explained  b}^  Craig  :  "  '  I  must  take  the 
sword  out  of  my  weak  husband's  hands, 
resigning  to  him  the  distaff.'  Compare 
the  old  terms  for  husband  and  wife, 
'  the  spear  side '  and  '  the  spindle  side ' ; 
and  see  Cym.  V,  3,  83-84." 

article.  Importance ;  moment.  Hml.  V, 
2,  132. 

as.  Upon  this  word,  as  it  occurs  in  the 
expression,  That  he  should  hither  come 
as  this  dire  night  (Rom.  V,  8,  247), 
Dowden  remarks:  "This  as  used  with 
adverbs  and  adverbial  phrases  of  time 
is  still  conunon  dialectically,  but  literary 
English  retains  only,  as  yet  (N.  E.  D). 
I  have  noticed  it  frequently  in  Richard- 
son's novels,  used  as  in  the  following 
from  Mrs.  Delany 's  ^w^o&togr..  Ill,  608 
(quoted  in  N.  E.  D.) :  'To  carry  us  off 
to  Longleat  as  next  Thursday.'  Its 
force  was  restrictive ;  now  we  regard 
it  as  redundant.  Compare  Meas.  V,  1, 
74  :  As  then  the  messenger.''^ 

Asmath.  The  spirit  raised  in  2HVI.  I,  4. 
The  name  occurs  nowhere  else.  Some 
have  supposed  it  to  be  a  corruption  of 
Asmodeus. 

aspic.  This  is  the  archaic  form  of  asp, 
the  name  of  a  very  venomous  serpent 
of  Egypt.  Aspicke  is  the  spelling  of 
the  Fl.  The  word  occurs  four  times  in 
the  plays,  viz.,  Oth.  Ill,  3,  450;  Ant.  V, 
2,  296,  354  and  355.  The  asp  has  become 
celebrated  as  the  means  by  which  Cleo- 
patra conunitted  suicide,  the  particular 
serpent  being  in  all  probability  the 
horned  viper,  which  is  a  snake  about 
fifteen  inches  long,  though  the  name 
has  also  been  applied  to  another  species, 
the Naja  haje,which.  attains  a  length  of 


three  or  four  feet.  The  color  of  the 
horned  viper  is  a  mottled  green  and 
brown,  and  the  skin  of  the  neck  is 
dilatable,  though  less  so  than  that  of  the 
true  cobra.  It  is  of  frequent  occurrence 
along  the  Nile,  and  is  the  sacred  serpent 
of  ancient  Egypt,  represented  commonly 
in  art  as  a  part  of  the  head-dress  of 
kings  and  divinities  and  often  connected 
w  ith  their  emblems  as  a  symbol  of  royal 
power.     Cent.  Diet. 

ass.  A  well-known  animal.  While  it  is 
more  than  doubtful  that  there  is  any 
pun  between  ass  and  as  in  Hml.  V,  2, 
48,  it  is  quite  obvious  that  Maria  puns 
upon  these  two  words  in  Tw.  II,  3,  185. 
See  ases. 

Athens.  This  city  was  named  after 
Athena,  one  of  the  great  divinities  of 
the  Greeks.  By  the  Romans  she  was 
identified  with  Minerva.  See  Minerva 
and  Theseus.  The  scene  of  Mids.  is 
laid  in  Athens  and  the  surrounding 
country. 

attest.    To  stand  for.     HV.,  Prol.  16. 

avaunt.  Used  as  a  noun  in  HVIII.  II,  3, 
10,  meaning  dismissal.  To  give  her  the 
avaunt  =  to  send  her  away  contemptu- 
ously.    Johnson. 

autumn.     See  Anthony. 


BACKED.  It  has  been  suggested  that 
this  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Hml.  Ill, 
2, 397,  should  be  becked,  i.e.,  snouted. 
Hollinshed,  in  his  "Description  of 
England,"  has,  "if  hebe  wesell-becked," 
and  Quarles  uses  the  word  as  a  term  of 
reproach  in  his  Virgi7i  Widow:  "Go, 
you  weazel-snouted,  addle-pated,  etc." 
Steevens.  The  Q4.  and  Q5.  have  black 
instead  of  backed,  but  as  weasels  are 
not  black,  this  is  probably  a  typo- 
graphical error,  though  it  has  been 
adopted  by  Pope,  Theobald  and  others, 
Theobald  suggested  ouzle  instead  of 
weasel  since  ouzles  are  black,  cf.  2HIV. 
Ill,  2,  9. 
badge.  Douce,  in  a  note  on  Shr.  IV,  1, 
93,  says :  "In  [the  reign  of]  Edward  the 
Fourth  the   terms    livery   and    badge 


BAK 


BIS 


appear  to  have  been  synonymous,  the 
former  having  no  doubt  been  borrowed 
from  the  French  language,  and  signify- 
ing a  thing  delivered.  The  badge  con- 
sisted of  the  master's  device,  crest  or 
arms,  on  a  separate  piece  of  cloth,  or 
sometimes  silver,  in  the  form  of  a  shield, 
fastened  to  the  left  sleeve  "  ;  and  a  little 
further  on  he  gives  a  cut  of  men  wear- 
ing badges.  Wright  says:  "A  badge 
was  a  mark  of  service;  hence,  appro- 
priately used  for  a  mark  of  inferiority, 
and  as  such  an  expression  of  modesty." 
This  explains  the  use  of  the  word  in 
Ado.  I,  1,  23. 

baker's  daughter.    See  owl. 

bandy.  To  toss  from  side  to  side.  A  term 
in  tennis.     LLL.  V,  2,  29 ;  Lr.  I,  4,  92. 

barber-monger.  A  fop  who  deals  much 
with  barbers,  to  adjust  his  hair  and 
beard.     Lr.  II,  2,  36. 

barren.  Stupid  ;  unintellectual ;  witless. 
Mids.  Ill,  2,  13 ;  Tw.  I,  5,  90 ;  Hml.  Ill, 

2,  45. 

bass,  V.  To  utter  a  deep  bass  sound  ;  to 
proclaim  with  a  bass  voice.  Tp.  Ill,  3, 99. 

bauble.  A  trifle  ;  a  thing  of  no  account. 
Cym.  Ill,  1,  27.  Sometimes  defined  as 
"a  small  boat  " ;  surely  not  so  ;  a  ship 
may  be  "a  bauble,"  a  trifle;  but  a 
trifle  or  bauble  does  not  signify  a  ship. 

Baucis.    See  Philemon. 

bawbling.  Trifling ;  insignificant.  Tw. 
V,  1,  57. 

beast.  An  animal  of  the  ox  kind.  Lr. 
Ill,  4, 109.  A  special,  but  very  common 
application  of  the  word. 

becomed  love.  "  Becomed  for  becoming: 
one  participle  for  the  other ;  a  frequent 
practice  with  our  author."  Steevens. 
Rom.  IV,  2,  26.    See  Sh.  Gram.,  §374. 

becoming,  n.  Grace.  Ant.  I,  3,  96; 
Sonn.  CL,  5. 

bell,  as  sound  as  a.  A  very  old  proverb, 
still  in  common  use,  found  in  Ado.  Ill, 

3,  13.  As  is  well  known  to  every  old 
woman  who  buys  crockery  and  tests  its 
soundness  by  tapping  it  and  causing  it 
to  ring,  a  bell  which  has  the  slightest 
crack  no  longer  gives  a  true  ringing 
sound.     Steevens,    followed    by    most   I 


corns.,  thinks  that  "there  is  a  covert 
allusion  to  the  old  proverb:  'As  the 
fool  thinketh.  So  the  bell  clinketh.'" 
Wright  thinks  that  the  allusion  is  so 
covert  as  to  be  doubtful,  and  most 
sensible  readers  must  agree  with  him. 

bend.  To  direct.  RIII.  I,  2,  95 ;  Lr.  IV, 
2,  74. 

beshrew.  To  blame  severely.  Rom.  Ill, 
2,  26. 

Best,  The.  Jesus  Christ.  Wint.  I,  2, 
419.     ^ee  yoked. 

bestow.  To  carry ;  to  show.  As.  IV,  3, 
85  ;  2HIV.  II,  2,  84. 

betray.    See  yoked. 

bias.     1.  Awry.     Troil.  I,  3,  15. 
2.  Swollen  out  of  shape  "as  the  bowl  on 
the   biassed   side."     Johnson.    Troil. 
IV,  5,  8. 

biggen.  The  origin  of  this  word  is  thus 
given  by  Boucher  in  his  "Glossary  of 
Arch,  and  Prov.  Words":  "A  cap, 
quoif,  or  dress  for  the  head,  formerly 
worn  by  men,  but  now  limited,  I  believe, 
almost  entirely  to  some  particular  cap 
or  bonnet  for  young  children.  *  *  * 
Caps  or  coifs  were  probably  first  called 
beguins  or  biggins,  from  their  resem- 
blance to  the  caps  or  head-dress  worn 
by  those  Societies  of  young  women  who 
were  called  Beguines  in  France  and 
who  led  a  middle  kind  of  life  between 
the  secular  and  religious,  made  no  vows, 
but  maintained  themselves  by  the  work 
of  their  own  hands. "    Apud  Dyce. 

bird.  Hamlet's  speech  (Hml.  I,  5,  116), 
Hillo,  ho,  ho,  boy!  come,  bird,  come^ 
"is  the  call  which  falconers  use  to  their 
hawk  in  the  air,  when  they  would  have 
him  come  down  to  them."    Hanm,er. 

biscuit.  Thus  defined  by  Skeat :  "  A 
kind  of  cake  baked  hard."  It  was  so 
called  because  it  was  twice  baked  {bis 
coctus)  so  as  to  dry  it  thoroughly  in 
order  that  it  might  keep.  In  Great 
Britain  the  term  is  always  applied  to 
what  we  call  crackers  or  hard  tack. 
We  use  it  to  designate  a  small  loaf, 
usually  prepared  without  fermentation 
and  used  in  a  fresh  and  soft  state.  Even 
Achilles  could  not  "pun"  one  of  our 


BIT 


BBA 


biscuits  iuto  shivers ;  a  blow  would  oiily 
flatten  it.     As.  II,  7,  39 ;  Troil.  II,  1,  43. 

bitumed.  Smeared  with  bitumen.  Per. 
Ill,  1,  72. 

blaze.  To  publish;  to  proclaim.  Rom. 
Ill,  3,  151.     cf.  blazon. 

blood.    1.  A    high-spirited   young  man. 
John  II,  1,  278  and  461 ;  Cses.  I,  3,  151. 
2.  See  witch. 

bloody  flag.  The  signal  of  war.  HV.  I, 
2,  101 ;  Cor.  II,  1,  84. 

blue  coats.  The  common  dress  of  serving- 
men  in  Sh.  time  and  long  before.  Dyce. 
Shr.  IV,  1,  93. 

boar.    See  Catesby. 

bold-beating.  Brow-beating.  Wiv.  II, 
2,  28. 

bonds.    See  word. 

bonny.  Bonnie  in  the  Fl.  in  As.  II,  3, 
8.  This  word  is  generally  defined  as 
handsome ;  fair ;  beautiful.  But  it  is 
also  considered  synonymous  with  pretty; 
now,  a  "pretty"  man  in  Scotch  does 
not  mean  beautiful,  but  strong,  and  it 
is  quite  probable  that  bonnie  has  that 
meaning  in  the  passage  quoted  (the 
bonnie  priser  of  the  humorous  duke), 
just  as  "merry"  men,  in  the  old 
English  ballads,  did  not  mean  jolly 
fellows,  but  strong,  stout  fighters. 

The  word  has  given  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  to  the  coins.,  as  may  be  seen  in 
the  3rd  Var.,  Furness,  Rolfe  and  others. 
Emendations  have  been  suggested,  but 
to  me  it  seems  certain  that  Sh.  used 
the  word  in  the  old  Scottish  sense  of 
"  pretty  "  or  strong. 

book.  Learning ;  scholarship.  2HVI.  IV, 
7, 76.  This  is  the  meaning  usually  given 
to  this  word  in  this  passage,  but  its 
accuracy  is  doubtful.     See  quarrel. 

boot.  The  expression,  Grace  to  boot 
(As.  I,  2,  80),  evidently  means,  "  Grace 
be  my  help,"  as  in  the  saying,  "St. 
George  to  boot,"  i.e.,  St.  George  be  our 
help. 

boot -hose.  Stocking  -  hose  or  spatter- 
dashes.    Shr.  Ill,  2,  68. 

bosom.    Love ;  affection.    Lr.  I,  1,  275. 

box=tree.  The  box-tree  mentioned  by 
Maria  in  Tw.  II,  5,  18,  was  evidently  a 


piece  of  topiaiy  work,  an  art  in  which 
European  gardeners  were  very  skilful. 
The  box-tree  lent  itself  very  readily  to 
this  art,  and  no  doubt  one  or  more 
trees,  planted  close  together,  had  been 
so  trained  and  cut  as  to  form  a 
rustic  arbor  or  cabin  in  which  two  or 
three  persons  could  easily  hide.  Dr. 
Furness  (New  Var.,  Twelfth  Night,  p. 
206)  says  that  box-tree  here  "means 
a  hedge,"  but  I  think  this  is  scarcely 
the  proper  term  to  apply  to  it.  Maria 
would  hardly  have  told  the  two  knights 
and  Fabian  to  get  "  into  "  a  hedge ;  if 
the  box-trees  had  formed  a  hedge  she 
would  have  told  them  to  get  behind  it. 

brach.  In  Troil.  II,  1, 126,  the  Folios  and 
Quarto  read  brooch,  which  was  changed 
to  brach  by  Rows  and  to  brock  by 
Malone.  Brach,  that  is,  a  dog  or  hound 
following  at  the  heels  of  Achilles,  seems 
to  be  the  most  natural.  Brock  (a  badger) 
has  no  pertinency,  and  where  Malone 
got  the  meaning  of  "fop"  for  brock  it 
is  diflicult  to  imagine.  Johnson  adopts 
brach  as  the  reading  of  his  text,  but  in 
regard  to  brooch  says:  "Brooch  is  an 
appendant  ornament.  The  meaning  may 
be,  equivalent  to  one  of  Achilles^s 
hangers  on.'''  This  may  satisfy  the 
sticklers  for  "the  original  text." 

bravery.  In  the  g.  a.  text  this  word 
occurs  in  0th.  1, 1, 100.  Upon  malicious 
bravery  dost  thou  come  To  start  my 
quiet.  This  is  the  reading  of  the 
Qq.  The  FP.  read  knavery  instead  of 
bravery,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  this 
makes  better  sense.  The  Clarkes  ex- 
plain it  as :  "  Urged  by  a  malicious 
desire  to  brave  me." 

As  it  occurs  in  Cym.  Ill,  1,  18,  the 
natural  bravery  of  your  isle,  Schm., 
followed,  of  course,  by  most  subsequent 
coms.,  explains  it  as  "a  state  of  defi- 
ance." But  the  usual  meaning  of  the 
expression,  that  is  to  say,  courage, 
gives  a  much  better  sense.  The  defence 
of  the  isle  was  the  courage  of  its  in- 
habitants and  its  natural  advantages. 
Evans  suggests  "  splendour,"  which 
seems  to  me  to  be  a  forced  interpretation. 


BRA 


CAN 


brawn.     A  mass  of  flesh.     The  connection 

of  this  word  with  the  boar's  flesh  is 

merely  accidental.    IHIV.  II,  4,  123; 

2HIV.  I,  1,  19. 

brazed.    Hardened.    Lr.   I,  1,  11;  Hml. 

Ill,  4,  37. 
bred  and  born.  This  expression  occurs 
in  Tvv.  1, 2,  22,  and  has  given  no  trouble, 
though  it  reverses  the  usual  sequence 
"born  and  bred."  But  an  apparently 
corresponding  passage  in  As.  Ill,  5,  7, 
he  that  dies  and  lives  by  bloody  drops, 
has  called  forth  pages  of  annotation. 
See  die  in  these  Addenda. 

breed.  Progeny  ;  offspring.  Used  figur- 
atively for  interest  on  money  in  Merch. 
I,  3,  135. 

broker.  A  go-between,  frequently  in  a 
vile  sense.  Compl.  173  ;  John  II,  1,  568 
and  582.  White  says  that  it  was  not 
until  the  last  ten  years  of  the  seventeenth 
century  that  the  word  was  advanced  to 
the  honor  of  a  connection  with  stock 
operations. 

brooded.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  John 
III,  3,  52,  is  generally  explained  as 
brooding,  that  is,  vigilant  as  a  bird 
with  a  brood  of  young  to  care  for.  For 
the  acti\'e  use  of  passive  participles,  see 
Sh.  Gram.,  §374.  Pope  changed broocied 
to  broad-ey^d,  and  certainly  there  are 
strong  grounds  for  the  emendment,  but 
the  rule  is  imperative  that  no  change 
shall  be  made  where  a  passable  mean- 
ing can  be  derived  from  the  original. 

bucklers.  To  "give  the  bucklers"  was 
to  acknowledge  defeat.  Ado.  V,  2, 17. 
cf.  vice. 

bulk.  This  reading  in  0th,  V,  1,  1,  has 
been  generally  accepted  as  meaning  a 
projecting  part  of  a  building.  In  the 
Fl.  it  reads  barke.  Singer  says:  "I 
feel  assured  that  balke  was  intended, 
and  not  bulk.  Palsgrave  renders  that 
word  by  pouste  [a  variant  of  post?] 
and  Huloet  defines  it,  '  the  chief  beanie 
or piller  ot  a  house.'"  The  word  still 
survives  in  the  Scottish  "bank,"  and 
certainly  is  more  appropriate  here  than 
bulk. 

burthen.    "The  burthen  of  a  song,  in  the 


old  acceptation  of  the  word,  was  the 
base,  foot  or  under-song.    It  was  sung 
throughout,  and  not  merely  at  the  end 
of   a   verse.    *    *    *    Many   of   these 
burthens  were  short,  proverbial  expres- 
sions, such  as  '  27s  merry  in  hall  when 
beards  wag  all.     Other  burthens  were 
mere  nonsense,  words  that  went  glibly 
off  the  tongue,  giving  the  accent  of  the 
music,  such  as  hey  nonny,  nonny  no  ; 
hey derry down.'' ^    Chapell.    "Popular 
Music  of  the  Olden  Time."    Tp.  I,  2, 
381 ;  Wint.  IV,  4,  195. 
burial.    See  funeral. 
but.    "But,  in  the  sense  of  except,  fre- 
quently follows  negative  comparatives, 
where  we  should  use  than. "   Sh.  Gram, , 
§127.    Mcb.  V,  8,  42;  Hml.  I,  1,  108; 
0th.  I,  1,  126. 
button.     The   very   butcher   of  a   silk 
button  (Rom.  II,  4,  24),  that  is  to  say, 
one  who    can  direct  the  point  of  his 
rapier  to  a  button's  breadth.    Staunton 
quotes  Silver,  "Paradoxes  of  Defence" 
(1599):  "Signior  Rocca    *    *    *    thou 
that  takest  upon  thee  to  hit  anie  English- 
man with  a  thrust  upon  anie  button." 
buzz.    Idle,  vague  rumor.    Lr.  I,  4,  348. 
Compare  Hml.  IV,  5,  90 :    buzzers  to 
infect    his  ear;    also  Chapman,    The 
Widow''s  Tears,  II,  1,  Shepherd,  Works, 
1874,  p.  315  (a):   "Think  'twas  but  a 
buzz  devised  by  him  to  set  your  brains 
a- work."     Craig. 
by  and  by.    Immediately;  presently,  as 
often  in  Sh.    Rom.  V,  3,  284.    Dowden. 
Not,  after  a  considerable  time,  as  it  now 
generally  means  with  us. 


CABINET.  This  word  in  Ven.  854  means 
a  nest;  in  Lucr.  442  it  means  the 
heai't. 
cakes  and  ale.    See  virtuous. 
call.    The  expression  in  John  III,  4,  174, 
they  would  be  as  a  call,  is  an  image 
taken  from  the  manner  in  which  birds 
are  sometimes  caught ;  one  being  placed 
for  the  purpose  of  drawing  others  to 
the  net  by  his  note  or  call.     Malone. 
Cancer.    The  crab ;  the  sign  in  the  zodiac 


CAN 


393 


CAT 


which  the  sun  enters  at  the  summer 
solstice.  Hence,  add  more  coals  to 
Cancer  (Troll.  II,  3,  206)  =  increase  the 
heat  of  summer.  The  same  thought  is 
expressed  by  Thomson  in  his  ' '  Seasons ' ' : 
And  Cancer  reddens  with  the  solar 
blaze. 
Hyperion  is  Apollo  or  the  sun-god.  See 
Hyperion. 

Candy.    Candia,  now  Crete.    Tw.  V,  1,  64. 

candles  of  the  night.  The  stars.  Merch. 
V,  ],  220;  Rom.  Ill,  5,  9;  Mcb.  II,  1,  5. 

canis.    Latin  for  dog.     LLL.  V,  2,  593. 

cap.  The  expression,  wear  his  cap  with 
suspicion  (Ado.  I,  1,  2(X))  is  thus  ex- 
plained by  Johnson:  "That  is,  subject 
his  head  to  the  disquiet  of  jealousy." 
But  the  meaning  evidently  is  that  a 
married  man  caimot  wear  his  cap  with- 
out being  suspected  of  using  it  to  cover 
his  horns — the  emblems  of  cuckoldom. 

In  Painter's  "Palace  of  Pleasure," 
p.  233,  we  find:  "All  they  that  weare 
homes  be  pardoned  to  weare  their 
cappes  upon  their  heads."  And  see 
0th.  II,  1,  316 ;  and  3rd  Var.,  Vol.  VII, 
p.  191. 

capable.  In  reference  to  the  passage 
in  Lr.  II,  1,  86,  Fll  work  the  means 
To  make  thee  capable^  Lord  Camp- 
bell says:  "In  forensic  discussions  re- 
specting legitimacy,  the  question  is  put, 
whether  the  individual  whose  status  is 
to  be  determined  is  'capable,'  i.  e., 
capable  of  inheriting ;  but  it  is  only  a 
lawyer  who  would  express  the  idea  of 
legitimising  a  natural  son  by  simply 
saying:  'I'll  work  the  means  to  make 
him  capable.'"  "Shakespeare's  Legal 
Acquirements,"  p.  80. 

Capitol.  In  Hinl.  Ill,  2,  109,  Polonius 
says  :  I  was  killed  V  the  Capitol.  This 
error  as  to  the  place  of  Caesar's  death 
appears  in  Chaucer,  Monkes  Tale,  and 
in  Sh.  Julius  Ccesar.  So  Fletcher,  The 
Noble  Gentleman,  V,  1.  Doivden.  "  It 
may  be  just  noticed,  as  the  historical 
fact,  that  the  meeting  of  the  Senate  at 
which  Caesar  was  assassinated  was  held, 
not,  as  is  here  assumed,  in  the  Capitol, 
but  in  the  Curia  in  which  the  statue  of 


Pompey  stood,  being,  as  Plutarch  tells 
us,  one  of  the  edifices  which  Pompey 
had  built  and  had  given,  along  with  his 
famous  Theatre,  to  the  public. ' '  Craik's 
"English  of  Shakespeare,"  p.  224. 

card.  Various  explanations  have  been 
given  of  the  phrase  we  must  speak  by 
the  card  (Hml.  V,  1,  149),  but  all  seein 
rather  far-fetched.  The  obvious  mean- 
ing is :  We  must  speak  with  precision, 
but  whence  derived  we  know  not. 

carry.    See  coals. 

cart.  The  pun  upon  court  and  cart  in 
Shr.  I,  1,  .5.5,  is  an  allusion  to  a  common 
punishment  for  scolds,  which  consisted 
in  drawing  them  about  the  town  in  a 
rough  cart  and  on  a  very  uncomfortable 
seat. 

careful.  Anxious  ;  full  of  care.  H V,  IV, 
],  248. 

cased.  The  expression,  a  cased  lion,  as 
it  reads  in  the  Fl.,  in  John  III,  1,  2.59, 
was  emended  to  chafed  lion  by  Theo- 
bald, and  this  is  the  reading  in  the  g.  a. 
text,  though  some  eds.  retain  cased. 
The  meaning  of  chafed  is  quite  obvious ; 
cased  has  been  explained  as  concealed, 
but  this  is  not  quite  as  forcible  as  chafed. 

cat.  The  cat  occupies  such  a  prominent 
place  in  the  folk-lore  as  well  as  the 
daily  life  of  most  peoples  that  it  is  no 
wonder  that  frequent  reference  is  made* 
to  it  by  Sh.  Most  of  these  references, 
however,  require  no  comment.  Hang 
me  in  a  bottle  like  a  cat  and  shoot  at 
me  (Ado.  I,  1,  2.59)  has  been  explained 
in  various  ways.  Steevens  tells  us  that 
it  was  once  a  practice  to  enclose  a  cat, 
with  a  quantity  of  soot,  in  a  wooden 
bottle  (such  as  that  in  which  shepherd's 
carry  their  liquor)  and  suspend  it  on  a 
line.  He  who  beat  out  the  bottom  as 
he  ran  under  it,  and  was  nimble  enough 
to  escape  the  contents  was  regarded  as 
the  hero  of  this  inhuman  invention. 
This,  however,  is  one  of  Steevens's  far- 
fetched explanations,  and  it  seems  to 
me  that  it  does  not  quite  meet  the  case. 
That  it  was  a  conmion  practice  to  shoot 
at  cats  and  at  images  of  cats  numerous 
references  in  the  literature  of  the  six- 


CATT 


394 


CHA 


teenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  show, 
but  of  the  details  we  are  ignorant. 

Pur  !  the  cat  is  gray.  Lr.  Ill,  6,  47. 
An  allusion,  no  doubt,  to  the  relation 
of  witches  and  fiends  to  cats.  Malone 
thinks  that  Pxir  may  be  a  fiend ;  it  is 
the  name  of  one  of  the  devils  mentioned 
by  Harsnet.  See  Graymalkin  and  tail. 
A  part  to  tear  a  cat  in  (Mids.  I,  2,  32), 
is  supposed  by  some  to  be  a  burlesque 
upon  the  killing  of  the  lion  by  Hercules. 
See  brinded  and  prince  of  cats. 

cause.  The  passage  in  0th.  V,  2,  1,  It  is 
the  cause,  it  is  the  cause  my  soul,  has 
baffled  all  the  coms.  The  reader  will 
find  the  most  complete  discussion  of  the 
subject  in  "The  Henry  Irving  Shake- 
speare," Vol.  VI,  p.  104,  in  a  note  by 
Marshall,  too  long  to  transfer  to  these 
pages  and  which  it  would  be  difficult  to 
abridge  satisfactorily. 

Centaurs.  The  word  literally  means  bull- 
killers,  and  the  name  was  first  applied 
to  a  rude  and  savage  race  of  men  who 
inhabited  the  mountains  of  Thessaly, 
and  whose  chief  pastime  and  means  of 
subsistence  was  the  hunting  of  wild 
cattle.  In  later  writers  they  are  de- 
scribed as  monsters  whose  bodies  were 
partly  human  and  partly  those  of  horses, 
and  it  has  been  suggested  that  as  they 
spent  the  greater  part  of  their  lives  on 
horse-back  they  may,  at  some  early 
period,  have  made  upon  their  neighbor- 
ing tribes  the  same  impression  as  the 
Spaniards  did  upon  the  Mexicans, 
namely,  that  man  and  horse  were  one 
being.  The  Centaurs  are  particularly 
celebrated  in  ancient  story  for  their 
fight  with  the  Lapithae,  which  arose  at 
the  marriage-feast  of  Pirithous.  Tit. 
V,  2,  204.  On  this  occasion  a  Centaur, 
named  Eurytus,  becoming  heated  with 
wine,  tried  to  carry  off  the  bride,  Hip- 
podamia.  Thereupon,  the  other  Centaurs 
made  similar  attempts  on  other  women, 
and  a  fierce  fight  ensued.  The  Lapithae 
overcame  the  Centaurs,  killed  many  of 
them,  and  drove  the  rest  from  their 
country,  compelling  them  to  take  refuge 
on  Mount  Pindus,  on  the  frontiers  of 


Epeirus.  This  fight  is  sometimes  put  in 
connection  with  a  combat  of  Hercules 
and  the  Centaurs,  and  it  is  to  this  that 
Theseus  alludes  in  Mids.  V,  1,  44,  ef  seq. 
The  two  Centaurs  who  are  best  known 
by  name  are  Cheiron,  famous  for  his 
skill  in  hunting,  medicine,  music  and 
the  art  of  prophecy,  and  Nessus,  who 
was  killed  by  Hercules  for  attemj^ting 
to  carry  off  Deianira,  and  whose  poison- 
ous blood  caused  the  death  of  his  slayer. 
There  were  also  female  Centaurs  who 
are  said  to  have  been  of  great  beauty, 
and  perhaps  it  is  to  this  that  Lear 
alludes  in  Lr.  IV,  6,  126. 

Cerberus.  The  many-headed  dog  that 
guarded  the  entrance  of  Hades,  into 
which  he  admitted  the  shades,  but  never 
let  them  out  again.  Hesiod,  who  is  the 
first  that  gives  his  name  and  origin, 
calls  him  fifty-headed,  but  later  writers 
describe  him  as  a  monster  with  only 
three  heads,  with  the  tail  of  a  serpent 
and  a  mane  consisting  of  the  heads  of 
various  snakes.  The  place  where  he 
kept  watch  was,  according  to  some,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Acheron,  and  accord- 
ing to  others,  at  the  gates  of  Hades. 
Cerberus  is  referred  to  thrice  in  the 
plays,  viz.,  LLL.  V,  2,  593;  Troil.  II,  1, 
37,  and  Tit.  II,  4,  51.  Pistol's  "King 
Cerberus"  (2HIV.  II,  4,  182),  is,  of 
course,  one  of  his  senseless  and  bom- 
bastic utterances. 

chamber.    See  tavern. 

chambermaid.  Referring  to  Maria  in  T w. 
I,  3,  54,  Fumess  says:  "Let  not  the 
modern  humble  duties  of  making  beds, 
airing  rooms,  etc. ,  be  imputed  to  Maria, 
who  stood  in  relation  to  Olivia  as  a 
companion  and  as  an  assistant  at  the 
toilet.  In  I,  5, 172,  Olivia  calls  her  '  my 
Gentlewoman,'  and  Malvolio  immedi- 
ately responds  by  summoning  her  as 
'Gentlewoman.'  *  *  *  In  the  end, 
she  marries  Sir  Toby. " 

Nerissa   also,   Portia's   maid,   is  her 
companion,  and  marries  Gratiano,  the 
companion   of  Portia's  lover  and  hus- 
band.    Merch.  Ill,  2,  200. 
See  waiting-woman. 


CHA 


CIR 


changes.  In  the  g.  a.  text  the  line  Oth. 
I,  1,  73,  reads :  Yet  throw  such  changes 
of  vexation  on^t.  This  is  the  reading 
of  the  Qq.;  the  FF.,  with  Rovve,  Knight, 
Staunton  and  a  few  others,  read  chances 
instead  ot  changes.  Furness  sa5's  :  "I 
think  *  chances '  mean  here  simply  pos- 
sibilities of  vexation,  which  might  dis- 
color Othello's  joy.  To  read  changes 
of  vexation  (with  the  Qq.)  renders  the 
contingency  of  'may  lose '  superfluous. 
A  change  of  vexation  could  hardly  fail 
to  make  his  joy  lose  color." 

charge.  Value  or  importance.  Wint. 
IV,  4,  261  ;  Rom.  V,  2,  18. 

Charlemain.    See  pen. 

Charon.  The  name  of  the  aged  and 
dirty  ferryman  who  conveyed  in  his 
boat  the  shades  of  the  dead  across 
the  rivers  of  the  lower  world.  He 
carried  only  those  whose  bodies  had 
been  properly  buried,  the  others  being 
compelled  to  wait  for  one  hundred  years 
before  they  could  pass  to  their  final 
rest.  For  this  service  he  was  paid  by 
each  shade  with  an  obolus  or  danace, 
which  coin  was  placed  in  the  mouth  of 
every  dead  body  previous  to  its  burial. 
Charon  is  the  ferryman  referred  to  in 
RIII.  I,  4,  46.  His  name  occurs  in 
Troil.  111,2,  n. 

Charybdis.    See  Scylla. 

cheat.    See  silly  cheat. 

cheer.  As  this  word  occurs  in  Hml.  Ill, 
2,  229,  it  is  usually  explained  as  fare  or 
food.  But  Steevens  says:  "I  believe 
we  should  read  .anchor's  chair.  So,  in 
the  second  satire  of  Hall's  fourth  book, 
ed.  1602,  p.  18  : 

Sit  seven  yeres  pining  in  an  anchores 

cheyre. 
To  win  some  parched  shreds  of  mini- 
vere." 
The  word  scope  in  the  context  supports 
this  interpretation. 
child-changed.    Three  explanations  have 
been  given  of  this  word  as  it  occuz's  in 
Lr.  IV,  7,  17 :  (a)  Changed  to  a  child  ; 
made  imbecile.    Steevens,  Henley,  Ab- 
bott,    (b)  Changed  by  the  conduct  of  his 
children.    Malone,  Halliwell.    As  simi- 


larly formed  words,  Malone  cites  care- 
crazed  or  crazed  by  care,  and  wave- 
worn^  i.e.,  worn  by  the  waves,  (c) 
Delius  suggests  that  it  may  mean  that 
he  has  exchanged  children,  i.e.,  he  has 
left  Regan  and  Goneril  and  come  to 
Cordelia.  A  fourth  explanation  might  be 
suggested:  changed  towards  his  child. 
Cordelia  was  at  one  time  his  favorite, 
but  he  had  cast  her  off — was  changed 
towards  her,  his  child.  As  this  was  the 
great  sorrow  of  Cordelia's  life,  it  is 
most  likely  that  it  would  be  this  that 
would  be  present  in  her  thoughts  and 
find  expression  in  her  language  ;  she 
would  pray  that  he  might  be  restored 
to  his  right  senses  and  so  turned  towards 
her  again. 

chop-logic.  "To  chop  is  to  barter,  give 
in  exchange ;  to  chop-logic,  to  exchange 
or  bandy  logic ;  a  chop-logic  is  a  con- 
tentious sophistical  arguer.  Awdelay, 
Fraternitye  of  Vacabondes  (1561),  p. 
15,  New  Sh.  Soc.  reprint :  '  Choplogyke 
is  he  that  when  his  master  rebuketh 
him  of  his  fault  he  wyll  geve  him  xx 
words  for  one. ' "  Dowden.  Rom.  Ill, 
5,  150. 

chough.  The  jack-daw.  Mids.  Ill,  2, 
21.     See  russet-pated. 

Circe.  A  famous  sorceress  or  enchantress 
who  was  a  daughter  of  Helios  or  the 
Sun,  by  the  ocean  ny  mph  Perse.  Having 
murdered  her  husband,  the  prince  of 
Colchis,  she  was  expelled  by  her  subjects 
and  placed  by  her  father  on  the  solitary 
island  of  .^aea,  on  the  coast  of  Italy. 
By  the  power  of  magic  potions  she  was 
able  to  turn  men  into  various  kinds  of 
animals,  and  when  Ulysses  visited  her 
island  she  turned  his  companions  into 
swine,  but  Mercury  came  to  the  aid  of 
the  hero  and  gave  him  an  herb  called 
Moly,  which  not  only  enabled  him  to 
resist  her  spells,  but  to  gain  her  love. 
Having  compelled  her  to  restore  his 
companions  to  their  proper  shapes, 
Ulysses  remained  some  time  on  her 
island,  and  it  is  said  that  she  bore  him 
two  sons,  Agrius  and  Telegonus,  and 
that  in  after  years  he  was  slain  by  the 


CIV 


396 


OOA 


latter.  See  Ulysses.  At  length,  when 
he  wished  to  leave  her,  she  prevailed 
upon  him  to  descend  into  the  lower 
world  to  consult  the  prophet  Teiresias, 
who  warned  him  of  the  dangers  that  he 
would  encounter  and  advised  him  how 
to  meet  them. 

Circe  is  referred  to  twice  in  the  plays, 
viz.,  IHVI.  V,  3,  34,  and  Err.  V,  1,  270. 

civil.  Grave ;  sober.  Tw.  Ill,  4,  5 ;  Rom. 
Ill,  3,  10.     See  orange. 

cliff.    1.  A  clef  or  key.    Troil.  V,  2,  11. 
A  variant  of  clef. 
2.  A  steep  rock;  a  precipice.    Lr.  IV, 
1,76. 

"The  cliff  now  known  as  Shake- 
speare''s  Cliff  is  just  outside  of  the  town 
of  Dover,  to  the  southwest.  It  has  been 
somewhat  diminished  in  height  by  fre- 
quent landslips,  but  is  still  about  350 
feet  high.  The  surge  still  chafes  against 
the  pebbles,  and  the  samphire-gatherer 
is  still  let  down  in  a  basket  to  pursue 
his  perilous  trade ;  but  the  cliff  is  not 
so  perpendicular,  nor  do  objects  below 
seem  so  small  as  one  would  infer  from 
the  poet's  description.  Probably  he  did 
not  mean  to  give  a  picture  of  this  par- 
ticular cliff,  but  delineated  one  '  in  his 
mind's  eye '  and  more  or  less  ideal. 
The  South- Eastern  Railway  now  runs 
through  the  Dover  Cliff  in  a  tunnel 
1,331  yards  long. ' '    Rolfe. 

Edgar,  in  describing  the  cliff  to  his 
father,  evidently  meant  to  create  a  deep 
impression  on  the  old  man ;  it  would  be 
natural  to  expect  that  he  would  ex- 
aggerate a  good  deal. 

cloistress.    A  nun.    Tw.  I,  1,  28. 

close.  To  come  to  an  agreement.  Meas. 
V,  1,  346;  Wint.  IV,  4,  830;  Cses.  Ill, 
1,202;  Hml.  11,1,45. 

"Clubs."  The  cry  formerly  used  to  call 
forth  the  London  apprentices,  who  were 
supposed  to  employ  their  clubs  for  the 
preservation  of  the  public  peace,  al- 
though it  probably  as  often  happened 
that  they  were  used  to  create  a  disturb- 
ance, as  in  HVIII.  V,  4,  53.  Malone 
tells  us  that  it  appears  from  many  of 
our  old  dramas  that  in  Sh.  time  it  was 


a  common  custom  on  the  breaking  out 
of  a  fray  to  cry,  "Clubs,  clubs,"  to 
part  the  combatants.     Rom.  I,  1,  80. 

coals.  The  phrase,  weHl  not  carry  coals 
(Rom.  1, 1, 1),  is  thus  explained  by  Nares: 
"To  put  up  with  insults;  to  submit  to 
any  degradation.  The  origin  of  the 
phrase  is  this :  that  in  every  family  the 
scullions,  the  turnspits,  the  carriers  of 
wood  and  coals,  were  esteemed  the  very 
lowest  of  menials.  The  latter,  in  par- 
ticular, were  the  servi  servorum,  the 
drudges  of  all  the  rest."  Hence,  the 
origin  of  the  term  black-guard,  which 
Nares  says  was  "originally  a  jocular 
name  given  to  the  lowest  menials  of  the 
court. "  Ben  Jonson,  in  his  Every  Man 
out  of  his  Humour,  makes  Puntarvolo 
say:  "See  here  comes  one  that  will 
carry  coals,  ergo  will  hold  my  dog." 

coats.    The  passage  in  Mids.  Ill,  2,  213 : 

So  with  two  seeming  bodies,  but  one 
heart ; 

Two  of  the  first,  like  coats  in  heraldry, 
has  given  rise  to  some  comment.  The 
Fl.  has  the  word  life  instead  of  like; 
this  was  altered  by  Theobald,  at  the 
suggestion  of  Folkes,  and  accepted  by 
most  subsequent  eds.  Wright  explains 
the  passage  as  follows:  "Shakespeare 
borrows  the  language  of  heraldry,  in 
which,  when  a  tincture  has  been  once 
mentioned  in  the  description  of  a  coat 
of  arms,  it  is  always  afterwards  referred 
to  according  to  the  order  in  which  it 
occurs  in  the  description  ;  and  a  charge 
is  accordingly  said  to  be  of  the  'first' 
'of  the  second,'  etc.,  if  its  tincture  be 
the  same  as  that  of  the  field  which  is 
always  mentioned  first,  or  as  that  of 
the  second  or  any  other  that  has  been 
specified.  Hence  Douce's  explanation 
is  the  correct  one  [See  his  '  Illustrations,' 
p.  120,  ed.  of  1839] :  Helen  says,  '  we 
had  two  seeming  bodies  but  only  one 
heart. '  She  then  exemplifies  her  posi- 
tion by  a  simile — '  we  had  two  of  the 
first,  i.e.,  bodies,  like  the  double  coats 
in  heraldry  that  belong  to  man  and 
wife  as  one  person,  but  which,  like  our 
single  heart,  have  but  one  crest.' " 


coc 


89T 


COTJ 


cock.  The  following  additional  notes 
may  be  of  interest  to  some  beginners : 

4.  While  the  word,  when  used  alone,  is 
generally  applied  to  the  male  of  the 
barnyard  fowl,  it  sometimes  means  the 
woodcock,  as  in  Wint.  IV,  3,  36.  See 
woodcock. 

5.  A  pert  young  man.    As.  II,  7,  89. 

6.  The  crowing  of  the  cock  in  the  morn- 
ing.    IHI V.  II,  1,  20 ;  Mcb.  II,  3,  27. 

7.  A  faucet  or  spigot.     Tim.  II,  2,  171. 
PistoVs  cock  is  up  (HV.  II,  1,  55), 

means  that  the  hammer  or  cock  of  his 
fire-lock  is  raised  ready  for  firing.  The 
hammer  was  called  a  cock  because  it 
was  originally  made  in  the  form  of  a 
cock's  head. 

cock-a-hoop.  The  source  of  this  phrase 
is  obscure.  Coles,  in  his  Diet.,  gives 
two  origins:  "At  the  height  of  mirth 
and  jollity;  the  cock  or  spigot  being 
laid  on  the  hoop,  and  the  barrel  of  ale 
stumed,  as  they  say  in  Staffordshire, 
that  is,  drank  out  without  intermission. 
Or  else  coq-a-hupe,  a  cock  with  a  cop, 
crest  or  comb. " 

Colchis,  )    The   country   of   the  golden 

Colchos.  )  fleece.  Merch.  I,  1,  171.  See 
Jason. 

cold.    Chaste;  modest.     Hml.  IV,  7,  172. 

coUeagued.  In  collusion  with ;  allied  to. 
Hml.  I,  2,  21. 

colours.  The  expression,  fear  no  colours 
(Tw.  I,  5,  6),  probably  means  to  fear  no 
enemy. 

colourable  colours.  Specious  appearances. 
LLL.  IV,  2,  156. 

comfortable.  Strengthening ;  supporting. 
Rom.  V,  3,  148.  Used  as  often  in  the 
active  sense,  cf.  All's.  1, 1,  86.  Dowden. 

commodity.  Advantage ;  gain.  John  II, 
1,  573 ;  2HIV.  I,  2,  278;  Lr.  IV,  1,  23. 

companion.  Fellow,  Mids.  I,  1,  15.  The 
words  companion  and  fellow  have  com- 
pletely changed  their  meanings  in  later 
usage.  Companion  is  not  now  used 
contemptuously  as  it  once  was,  and  as 
fellow  frequently  is.   cf.  2HI V.  II,  4, 133. 

conceal.  Simple's  blunder  for  reveal. 
Wiv.  IV,  5,  45. 

COn^^{(l^d  w«Us.  Steevens  explained  this 


phrase,  as  it  occurs  in  John  V,  2,  139, 
as  "  wells  in  concealed  or  obscure  situa- 
tions ;  viz. ,  in  places  secured  from, 
public  notice.''''  Malonesays:  "I  believe 
our  author,  with  his  accustomed  license, 
used  concealed  for  concealing;  wells 
that  afforded  concealment  and  protec- 
tion to  those  who  took  refuge  there." 
Rolfe  accepts  Steevens's  gloss,  but  I 
think  Malone  gives  the  right  meaning. 
Wells  are  not  often  placed  in  concealed 
situations;  there  is  generally  a  pretty 
plain  path  leading  to  them.  For  the 
use  of  concealed  for  concealing  see 
beconied  and  Sh.  Gram.,  §374. 

conduce.  Evidently  used  in  a  peculiar 
sense  in  Troil.  V,  2, 147.  Sometimes  ex- 
plained as  "to  commence" ;  others  para- 
phrase the  passage  as :  A  battle  is  joined ; 
the  opposing  forces  are  brought  together. 

constant-qualified.  In  Cym.  I,  4,  65, 
these  w^ords  appear  as  a  compound  in 
most  modern  eds. — the  "Cambridge," 
the  "Globe,"  Rolfe,  Knight,  W^hite, 
Dyce, etc.  Delius,  Ingleby,  "The Henry 
Irving  Shakespeare,"  and  a  few  others 
follow  the  Folio,  in  which  the  reading  is 
' '  Constant,  Qualified. ' '  In  Capell's  ed. , 
1768,  subsequent  to  Pope,  Warburton, 
Theobald  and  Johnson,  the  comma  was 
changed  to  a  hyphen,  greatly  to  the 
detriment  of  the  passage.  Steevens 
adopted  the  corruption  and  has  been 
followed  by  most  eds.,  the  definition 
' '  faithful ' '  being  given  to  the  compound 
word.  But  "  constant "  of  itself  means 
faithful,  and  "qualified  "  is  an  additional 
praise- word  for  which  Dr.  Ingleby  has 
given  abundant  authority  in  his  edition 
of  Cynibeline.    See  qualified. 

convicted.  Some  corns,  have  thought  that 
this  word,  as  it  occurs  in  John  III,  4,  2, 
is  a  misprint,  but  Malone  shows  that  it 
was  in  use  in  the  time  of  Sh.  in  the 
sense  of  overcome.  See  Minsheu's  Diet. 
(1617) :  "  To  convict  or  convince,  a  Lat. 
co7ivictus,  overcome."  Recent  coms. 
attribute  this  definition  to  Schmidt. 

couragious.  O  most  couragious  day! 
Mids.  IV,  2,  27.  "  It  is  not  worth  while 
to  guess  what  Qiuuc©  intended  to  say. 


COTJ 


398 


ORE 


He  used  the  first  long  word  that  occurred 
to  him  without  reference  to  its  meaning, 
a  practice  which  is  not  yet  altogether 
extinct."     W.  A.  Wright. 

counter-sealed.  Sealed  in  duplicate.  Cor. 
V,  3,  205. 

couplement.  1.  A  pair.  LLL.  V,  %  535. 
2.  A  union.     Sonn.  XXI,  5. 

course.  A  relay  of  dogs  set  on  a  baited 
bear.  Lr.  Ill,  7,  57  ;  Mcb.  V,  7,  2.  So 
in  Brome,  Antipodes :  "  You  shall  see 
two  ten-dog  courses  at  the  great  bear, 
i.e.,  two  successive  attacks  of  ten  dogs. " 
Craig. 

courtesy.  The  phrase,  remember  thy 
courtesy  (hhli.  V,  1, 103),  means  :  "Re- 
member that  you  have  already  complied 
with  the  requirement  of  courtesy;  so 
cover  your  head. "  Dowden.  c/.  Hml. 
V,  2,  108. 

courtship.  As  it  occurs  in  Rom.  Ill,  3, 
34  =  the  state  of  a  courtier  permitted 
to  approach  the  highest  presence.  John- 
son. Or,  familiarity  with  courts,  cf. 
As.  Ill,  2,  364,  where  there  is  a  pun 
upon  the  two  meanings  of  courtship. 

coverture.  Cover  ;  shelter.  Ado.  Ill,  1, 
30.  In  Cor.  I,  9,  46,  the  word  overture 
of  the  FF.  was  changed  by  Tyrwhitt  to 
coverture,  meaning  cover. 

crack,  v.  Usually  defined  as  to  brag ;  to 
boast.  Skeat  gives  ^^  crake,  to  boast, 
an  obsolescent  word."  That  it  implies 
boasting  in  many  cases  is  no  doubt  true, 
but  it  is  probable  that  with  Sh.  it  also 
had  the  modern  Scottish  meaning  of  to 
talk,  as  in  the  old  song : 
Sit  ye  doun  here,  my  cronies,  and  gie 

us  your  crack; 
Let  the  win'  tak'  the  care  o'  this  life 

on  its  back. 
In  Cym.  V,  5,  177,  the  boasting  lies 
in    the    word    brags   rather    than    in 

•'  crack'd  " : 

Our  brags 
Were  crack'd  [or  spoken]  of  kitchen 
trulls. 
And  so  a  cracker,  in  John  II,  1,  147, 
may  mean  simply  a  talker — one  who 
says  much  and  does  little. 

See  the  N.  E.  D.  for  a  very  complete 
discussion  of  this  word. 


craft,  V.  To  make  nice  work.  Cor.  IV, 
6,  118. 

crants.  For  this  word,  as  found  in 
Quartos  2,  3,  4,  5,  in  Hml.  V,  1,  255,  the 
FF.  substituted  Rites,  and  Johnson 
makes  this  attempt  to  explain  the 
change:  "I  have  been  informed  by  an 
anonymous  correspondent  that  crants 
is  the  German  word  for  garlands,  and 
I  suppose  it  was  retained  by  us  from 
the  Saxo7is.  To  carry  garlands  before 
the  bier  of  a  maiden,  and  to  hang  them 
over  her  grave,  is  still  the  practice  in 
rural  parishes. 

"  Crants,  therefore,  was  the  original 
word,  which  the  authour,  discovering  it 
to  be  provincial,  and  perhaps  not  under- 
stood, changed  to  a  term  more  intelligible 
but  less  proper. " 

But  although  the  word  is  generally 
supposed  to  be  a  German  expression,  it 
seems  to  have  been  in  use  by  the  Scot- 
tish writers  and,  therefore,  was  probably 
familiar  to  Sh.  Jamieson,  in  his  "  Ety- 
mological Dictionary  of  the  Scottish 
Language,"  quotes  from  "A  Choice 
Collection  of  Comic  and  Serious  Poems," 
by  James  Watson  (1706),  II,  10 : 
Thair  heids  wer  garnisht  gallandlie 
With  costly  craneis  maid  of  gold. 
Nares  says  the  word  is  German  "  and 
probably  also  Danish,  as  Rosencrantz, 
Rosy-garland,  is  the  name  of  a  character 
in  the  same  play.  *  *  *  But  how 
Shakespeare  came  to  introduce  a  word 
so  very  unusual  in  our  language,  has 
not  yet  been  accounted  for ;  probably 
he  found  it  in  some  legend  of  Hamlet. 
No  other  example  has  been  found." 

Elze,  however,  has  found  two  instances 
of  its  use  in  Chapman's  Alphonsus,  so 
that  whether  its  etymological  origin 
was  old  Dutch  (Skeat)  or  German  it 
seems  to  have  been  a  regularly  natural- 
ized word. 

Cressida  was  a  beggar.  Theobald,  in  a 
note  on  Tw.  Ill,  1,  61,  says:  "The  Poet 
in  this  circumstance  undoubtedly  had 
his  eye  on  Chaucer's  [?]  Testament  of 
Cressid.  Cupid,  to  revenge  her  pro- 
fanation against  his  Deity,  calls  in  the 


CBE 


CRO 


Planetary  gods  to  assist  in  his  vengeance. 
They  instantly  turn  her  mirth  into 
melancholy,  her  health  into  sickness, 
her  beauty  into  deformity  and  in  the 
end  pronounce  this  sentence  upon  her : 
This  sail  thow  go  begging  f ra  hous  to 

hous, 
With  cop  and  clapper  lyke  ane  lazar- 
ous." 
"The  Testament  of    Cresseid,"  which 
was  once  attributed  to  Chaucer,  is  not 
to  be  found  in  recent  editions  of  his 
works.     Wright  says  that  it  really  was 
the  work  of  Robert  Henryson. 

There  is  another  allusion  to  the  same 
tradition  in  HV.  II,  1,  80. 
Cressid's  uncle.    Pandarus.     All's.  II,  1, 

100.    See  Pandarus. 
Crete.    The  "desperate  sire  of   Crete" 
referred  to  in  IHVI.  IV,  6,  54,  is  Daeda- 
lus, father  of  Icarus.    See  Dcedalus. 
crocodile.    The  passage  in  0th.   IV,  1, 
257: 
If  that  the  earth  could   teem  with 

woman's  tears, 
Each  drop  she  falls  would  prove  a 
crocodile, 
refers  to  what  was  known  as  the  doctrine 
of  "equivocal  generation,"  by  which 
was  meant  that  animals  were  produced 
without  any  parentage,  simply  by  the 
generative  power  of  various  kinds  of 
matter  acted  upon  by  heat  and  moisture. 
Thus,  Virgil  tells  us  that  bees  may  be  pro- 
duced from  a  dead  carcass,  and  he  gives 
special  directions  for  doing  it,  though  no 
one  has  ever  succeeded.  Worms,  too, 
were  supposed  to  be  generated  in  dead 
bodies  without  the  access  of  flies.  This 
doctrine  is  alluded  to  in  Ant.  II,  7,  29 : 
Vour'  serpent  of  Egypt  is  bred  noiv  of 
your  mud  by  the  operation  of  your 
sun.  It  is  only  within  a  few  years  that 
this  hypothesis,  more  recently  known 
as  "spontaneous  generation,"  has  been 
entirely  rejected.  Othello  says  that  if 
a  woman's  tears,  acting  on  the  earth, 
could  produce  [teem  or  bring  forth]  any 
animal,  it  would  be  a  crocodile.  It 
seems  that  in  Sh.  time  a  dead  crocodile 
about  nine  feet  long  was  exhibited  in 


London,  and  the  general  idea  in  regard 
to  the  animal,  as  expressed  by  Bullokar 
in  his  "English  Expositor"  (1616),  was 
that  "he  will  weep  over  a  man's  head 
when  he  hath  devoured  the  body,  and 
then  will  eat  up  the  head  too.  Where- 
fore in  Latin  there  is  a  proverbe,  croco- 
dili  lachrymce,  crocodile's  tears,  to 
signify  such  tears  as  are  fained  and 
spent  only  with  intent  to  deceive,  or 
doe  harm, ' '  This  supposed  characteristic 
is  referred  to  in  2HVI.  Ill,  1,  226. 
crop.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Cym.  I, 
6,*  33,  has  received  various  definitions. 
Warburton  says :  He  is  here  speaking 
of  the  covering  of  sea  and  land,  and 
therefore  wrote,  and  the  rich  cope. 
Steevens  derides  this  emendation  and 
says :  "  The  crop  of  sea  and  land  means 
only  the  productions  of  either  element. " 
In  this  he  is  followed  by  most  coms., 
Schm,,  Rolfe,  Gollancz,  etc.  White  has 
the  following  note  (Riverside  Ed.) : 
"This  speech  is  meant  to  be  extrava- 
gant ;  and  Sh.  falls  into  his  most  re- 
motely suggestive  style  ;  the  rich  crop 
of  sea  and  land  =  all  the  products  of 
the  earth." 

None  of  these  explanations  seems  to 
be  entirely  satisfactory.  The  original 
sense  of  crop  seems  to  have  been  that 
which  sticks  up  or  out,  a  protuberance, 
bunch.  Skeat.  Thus  we  speak  of  the 
out-cropping  of  rocks.  It  seems  to  me, 
therefore,  that  Ingleby's  explanation 
comes  most  nearly  to  what  is  meant: 
"  The  crop,  or  out-crop,  is  that  which 
strikes  the  eye.  It  might,  however,  be 
contended  with  some  show  of  probability 
that '  the  rich  crop '  is  that  vast  treasury 
of  pebbles  which  belongs  almost  as  much 
to  the  sea  as  to  the  land.    All  other 

*  This  Scene  is  number  7  in  the  Fl,,  the 
3rd.  Var,  and  several  other  eds.,  in  which 
Scene  1  ends  at  line  69.  Rovve  combined 
Scenes  1  and  2,  and  thus  made  only  six 
Scenes  in  the  First  Act.  In  this  he  has 
been  followed  by  most  modern  eds,,  in- 
cluding the  "Globe,"  "•Cambridge," 
Dyce, White,  Rolfe,  etc.  Dr.  Ingleby,  in 
his  special  ed.  of  this  play  follows  the  Fl, 


CBO 


400 


CYN 


interpretations  may  be  safely  discount- 
enanced. Those  '  spectacles  so  precious, ' 
says  the  Italian,  '  can  do  two  very 
different  things :  can  see  the  whole 
hemisphere  of  the  heavens  above  and 
the  vast  compass  of  the  sea  and  land 
beneath ;  and  also  can  distinguish  be- 
tween any  two  objects,  either  in  the 
heavens  (as  stars)  or  on  the  shore  (as 
stones),  which  are,  to  a  casual  observer, 
so  much  alike  that  they  might  be  taken 
for  twins.  It  is  curious  and  noteworthy 
that  Johnson  expressed  himself  unable 
to  understand  '  twinn'd  stones. ' " 

crow.  The  expression,  the  crying  of  your 
natioiVs  crow  (John  V,  2,  144),  means 
the  crowing  of  a  cock  ;  gallus  meaning 
both  a  cock  and  a  Frenchman.     Douce. 

cry.  The  expression,  cried  in  the  top  of 
mine  (Hml.  II,  2,  459),  means  greatly 
exceeded  mine.  For  the  passage,  cry 
out  071  the  top  of  question,  see  question. 

cruels.    See  subscribe. 

cuckoo-buds.  The  corns,  are  uncertain  as 
to  which  plant  Sh.  refers  by  this  name. 
Some  species  of  ranunculus  or  crow-foot 
is  probably  meant.     LLL.  V,  2,  906. 

cuckoo-flowers.  Probably  the  lady-smock 
or  Cardamine  pratensis.    Lr.  IV.  4,  4. 

cunnings.  In  the  g.  a.  text,  in  Hml.  IV, 
7,  156,  the  FF.  read  commings ;  it  is 
cunniyigs  in  Ql.  Cunnings  is  explained 
as  skill,  as  in  II,  2,  461,  same  play.  So 
Cambridge,  Globe,  Dyce,  Furness,  "The 
Henry  Irving  Sh.,"  Dowden,  etc.  Cal- 
decott,  Knight  and  a  few  others  adopt 
the  reading  of  the  Folios,  commings, 
which  they  explain  as  "meeting  in 
assault,  bout,  or  pass  at  fence. "  "  Com- 
ming.  Gall.  Venue."  Minsheu.  Calde- 
cott  also  quotes  from  Cotgrave :  ' '  Venue 
f.  A  Comming;  also  a  vennie  in  fenc- 
ing. "  But  this  quotation  does  not  apply ; 
Euclid's  first  axiom  does  not  hold  good 
here.  Because  venue  =  comming  (so  in 
Cot.)  and  venue  =  vennie  in  fencing,  it 
does  not  follow  that  comming  =  vennie. 
TheN.  E.  D.  does  not  give  this  definition 
of  comming.  So  that  it  looks  very  nmch 
as  if  the  word  in  the  FF.  was  a  mis- 
print, and  that  the  g.  a.  text  is  right. 


curfew  bell.  The  meaning  and  origin  of 
this  word  is  plain ;  it  was  the  evening 
signal  for  covering  the  fire.  Its  use 
in  Rom.  IV,  4,  4,  has,  however,  given 
rise  to  many  notes,  an  evening  bell 
at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  (foure 
a  clocke  in  Ql.),  having  proved 
puzzling  to  many.  White  says  that, 
to  him,  it  is  "  inexplicable,"  and 
Ulrici  thinks  that  old  Capulet  is  so 
flurried  that  he  does  not  know  what  he 
does  or  hears.  But  Professor  Dowden, 
in  his  excellent  ed.  of  this  play,  has  the 
following  note,  which  seems  to  me  to 
fully  explain  the  matter:  "Strictly, 
this  was  an  evening  bell  (couvre  feu) 
rung  at  eight  or  nine  o'clock.  Shake- 
speare uses  cnrfew  correctly  in  Meas. 
IV,  2,  78.  The  word  came  to  be  used 
of  other  ringings.  Thus,  in  Liverpool 
Municipal  Records  of  1073  and  1704 
(quoted  in  N.  E.  D.)  :  '  Pting  Curphew 
all  the  yeare  long  at  ^  a  clock  in  the 
morning  and  at  eight  at  a  night.' " 

curious.  As  it  occurs  in  Lr.  I,  4,  35,  is 
thus  explained  by  Craig  :  "  Complicated, 
elaborate,  opposed  to  plain.  Schmidt 
explains,  '  elegant,  nice. '  Compare  the 
sense  of  curiosity  in  North's  Plutarch'' s 
Lives  (Tiberius  and  Caius),  ed.  1597, 
p.  865:  'Tiberius'  words  *  *  *  being 
very  proper  and  excellently  applied, 
where  Caius'  words  were  full  of  fine- 
nesse  and  curiosity.'  " 

curious-knotted.  Laid  out  in  fanciful 
plots.     LLL.  I,  1,  249. 

"  The  great  feature  of  the  Elizabethan 
garden  [was]  the  formation  of  the  '  curi- 
ous-knotted garden. '  Each  of  the  large 
compartments  was  divided  into  a  com- 
plication of  '  knots,'  by  which  was  meant 
beds  arranged  in  quaint  patterns,  formed 
by  rule  and  compass  with  mathematical 
precision."    Ellacombe. 

Cynthia's  brow.    In  the  lines  in  Rom. 
Ill,  5,  20 : 
I'll  say  yon  grey  is  not  the  morning's " 

eye, 
'Tis  but  the  pale  reflex  of  Cynthia's 
brow, 

the  word  brow  was  changed  to  bow  in 


BAK 


401 


DAM 


the  Collier  MS.,  and  Singer,  who  was 
bitterly  opposed  to  Collier,  accepted  the 
change  on  the  ground  that  the  correc- 
tion "is  quite  unexceptionable,  as  an 
easy  amendment  of  an  evident  misprint, 
which  I  also  find  so  corrected  in  my 
second  folio."  Singer's  "The  Text  of 
Shakespeare  Vindicated,"  p.  283. 

Johnson  explained  the  pale  reflex 
thus :  "  The  appearance  of  a  cloud 
opposed  to  the  moon."  Rolfe  explains 
it  as  "the  pale  light  of  the  moon  shining 
through  or  reflected  from  the  breaking 
clouds,"  and  adds  :  "  the  passage  would 
seem  to  be  clear  enough  without  ex- 
planation, but  some  of  the  editors  have 
done  their  best  to  obscure  it."  The 
word  is  hrow  in  all  the  old  eds.,  and  the 
Clarkes  explain  it  very  properly  thus  : 
Cynthia,  or  the  moon  (see  Cynthia)  "is 
classically  represented  with  a  crescent 
moon  upon  her  forehead.  It  is  the  pale 
reflection  of  this  ornament  of  Luna's, 
or  Cynthia's,  brow,  therefore,  that  is 
here  beautifully  alluded  to." 

All  discussion  of  the  astronomical  or 
physical  fitness  of  the  expression  or  of 
the  alleged  scientific  facts,  is  entirely 
out  of  place,  because  Romeo  starts  out 
with  the  assertion  that  he  is  "content " 
and  will  say  that  that  which  both  Juliet 
and  he  know  to  be  not  so  is  so. 


DAM'D  COLOUR' D.  This  word,  which 
occurs  in  Tw.  I,  3,  144,  was  changed 
by  Rowe  to  flame-coloured,  and 
this  is  the  reading  in  the  g.  a.  text.  But 
great  doubt  has  been  expressed  as  to  its 
correctness.  Damask-colou  red,  dun-col- 
oured, dove-coloured,  pane-coloured, 
damson-coloured,  claret-coloured,  etc., 
have  all  been  suggested.  Dam'd  colour'd 
has  been  defended  on  the  ground  that 
couleur  d''enfer  was  a  recognised  color 
in  Sh.  time.  Cotgrave  has:  "Couleur 
d'enfer.  as  much  as,  Noir-brun  en- 
fum6,"  which,  being  translated  into 
English,  is:  "  Color  of  hell,  as  much  as 
a  smoky  black-brown."  [Couleur  de 
ciel  (heaven)  was  blue.]    R.  M.  Spence, 


in  "  Notes  and  Queries,"  March  15, 1879, 
says:  "Shakespeare  would  never  have 
made  a  vain  coxcomb  like  Sir  Andrew 
show  the  good  taste  to  choose  so  unpre- 
tending a  color  as  black.  By  a  '  dam'd 
colour'd  stocke '  I  understand  checkered 
hose.  To  this  day  old  people  among  the 
peasantry  of  Scotland  [and  young  ones, 
too]  speak  of  any  checkered  garment 
as  being  of  the  'dam-brod,'  Anglic^^ 
"draught-board'  pattern."  He  might 
have  told  the  story  of  the  London  clerk 
who  was  horrified  when  a  respectable 
old  lady,  with  a  very  decided  Scotch 
accent,  asked  for  some  dress  goods  of 

what  he  understood  to  be  "ad d 

broad  pattern."  Dam,  here,  has  nothing 
to  do  with  color,  nor  is  it  in  the  least  pro- 
fane. It  is  the  French  word  dame  (pro- 
nounced dam)  by  which  the  "men"  or 
pieces  on  the  draught-board  were  known 
in  Scotland;  "dam,"  of  itself,  in  this 
connection,  would  mean  nothing.  So 
that  this  explanation  cannot  be  accepted. 
The  word  "  brod  "  here  is  siinply  board 
with  the  r  transposed,  as  is  frequently 
done  in  Scottish  or  old  English,  See 
third.  That  the  passage  is  corrupt  is 
very  probable.  After  an  elaborate  re- 
cital of  what  has  been  offered  from  time 
to  time.  Dr.  Furness  gives  the  following 
judicious  summing  up :  "Rowe's  emend- 
ation has  the  largest  following;  but 
then  there  are  eminent  critics  who  dis- 
pute it.  There  is  such  a  difference, 
however,  both  to  the  eye  and  to  the  ear, 
between  'dam'd'  and ^awie  that,  until 
some  happier  substitute  be  found,  I 
think  the  text  should  remain  undis- 
turbed ;  and  surely  Sir  Andrew's  char- 
acter is  not  so  exalted  as  to  be  seriously 
lowered  by  a  little  profanity." 

It  would  seem  to  be  very  certain,  how- 
ever, that  dam'd  is  not  the  word  that 
Sh.  wrote.  It  is  true  that  Sir  Andrew 
uses  this  word  in  III,  4,  313,  and  that  in 
III,  4,  211,  he  brags  thus :  Nay,  let  me* 
alone  for  swearing.  But  in  every 
other  passage  his  language  is  of  the 
mildest  kind,  and  his  expletives  scarcely 
rise  to  the  dignity  of  oaths — certainly 


BAN 


402 


BEX 


they  have  not  the  characteristics  and 
flavor  of  those  "g.'X)d  mouth-filling 
oaths  "  which  Hotspur  desired  to  hear 
from  his  wife  (IHIV.  Ill,  1,  259).  Is  it 
possible  that  the  word  could  have  been 
Cain-colour'd  ?  Cain-colour  was  yellow 
(Wiv.  I,  4,  23),  or,  perhaps,  yellow  with 
a  slight  tinge  of  red,  a  most  absurd 
color  for  stockes  or  stockings,  one  ab- 
horred by  Olivia,  laughed  at  by  Maria 
in  the  case  of  Malvolio,  and  therefore  a 
most  appropriate  hue  for  the  "foolish 
knight,"  Sir  Andrew,  upon  whom  Sh, 
so  delighted  to  throw  ridicule. 

Dan.  The  word  "Dan,"  meaning  Lord, 
is  found  several  times  in  Chaucer.  One 
instance  occurs  in  Canterbury  Tales, 
Wif  of  Bathes  Tale  (5617) :  Lo,  here 
the  wise  King  Dan  Solomon.  See  Dan, 
ante. 

Dane.  The  King  of  Denmark  as  repre- 
sentative of  the  Danish  people.     Hinl. 

1,  1,  15,  and  I,  2,  44.     See  Milan. 
date-broke.    Not  paid  when  due.    Tim. 

II,  2,  37. 

death-practised.  Having  his  death  in- 
tended.    Lr.  IV,  6,  284. 

debonair.  Courteous ;  affable ;  of  pleasant 
manners.  It  is  the  French  de  ban  air 
=  of  good  air  or  carriage.  TroU.  I,  3, 
235. 

declension.  Deterioration ;  getting  worse 
and  worse.     RIII.  Ill,  7,  189 ;  Hml.  II, 

2,  149. 

deed.  The  saying  in  Lr.  I,  1,  73,  She 
names  my  very  deed  of  love,  is  ex- 
plained by  Wright  as :  "  she  exactly 
describes  my  love."  Deed  is  sometimes 
equal  to  truth ;  thus,  in  very  deed  ==  in 
very  truth  ;  indeed  =  truly.  Regan's 
speech  may  be  paraphrased :  She  truly 
names  my  love.  Deed  of  saying  =  the 
fulfilment  of  a  promise.    Tim.  V,  1,  28. 

defeat.    Destruction.    Hml.  V,  2,  58. 

definite.  Positive  ;  certain.    Cym.  1, 6,  43. 

delated.  Set  forth  in  detail.  Hml.  I,  2, 
38.     Dilated  in  the  FP. 

descant.  "  Since  Malone's  time,  *  descant' 
in  this  passage  [Gent.  I,  2,  94]  has  been 
most  strangely  interpreted  to  mean 
'  variations,'  as  of  an  air  in  music ; — a 


definition  incorrect  in  itself  and  unsuited 
to  the  context.  The  word  did  come  to 
be  loosely  and  ignorantly  used  some- 
what in  that  sense ;  but  in  Shakespeare's 
time  it  meant  'counterpoint'  or  the 
adding  one  or  more  parts  to  a  theme, 
which  was  called  the  'plain  song.'" 
White,  1st  Ed. 
The  word  is  used  figuratively  in  RIII. 

I,  1,  27. 

descry.  Discovery.  The  main  descry 
Stands  on  the  hourly  thought  =  we 
expect  every  hour  to  see  the  main  body 
approaching.     Lr.  IV,  6,  217. 

Desdemona's  death.    See  So,  so! 

desperate.  Reckless.  Desperate  of  shame 
and  state  =  unattentiveto  his  character 
or  his  condition.  Johnson.  Tw.  V,  1, 
67.  Schm.  makes  s^a^e  =  "danger"  ; 
Deighton  thinks  that  "  the  point  em- 
phasized seems  to  be  his  disreput- 
able character,  not  his  recklessness  of 
danger."  Antonio  himself  has  spoken 
of  the  danger  which  he  ran,  and  said : 
It  "  shall  seem  sport."    Tw.  II,  1,  49. 

detect.    To  expose ;  to  disclose.    3HVI. 

II,  2,  143 ;  RIII.  I,  4,  141. 

The  word  detected,  as  it  occurs  in 
Meas.  Ill,  2,  129,  has  been  explained  as 
suspected,  but  the  meaning  exposed  or 
accused  makes  better  sense.  It  is  used 
in  this  sense  in  Green  way's  translation 
of  "Tacitus"  (1622). 
dexterity.  This  word  occurs  five  times 
in  the  plays  and  in  Lucr.  1389.  The 
meaning  which  it  bears  in  Lucr. ;  Wiv. 
IV,  5,  121 ;  IHIV.  II,  4,  286;  Troil.  V, 
5,  27,  and  Rom.  Ill,  1,  168,  is  evidently 
adroitness  or  skill,  and,  as  it  occurs  in 
Hml.  I,  2,  157,  Dowden  explains  it  as 
' '  adroitness. "  It  strikes  me  that  readi- 
ness gives  a  better  meaning. 

In  every  instance  Schm.  makes  it 
equal  to  "  nimbleness. " 

In  Hml.  I,  2,  157,  "  Walker  suspects 
that  Sh.  wrote  celerity;  but  elsewhere 
the  idea  of  adroitness  in  the  word  seems 
to  have  suggested  to  Sh.  that  of  quick- 
ness." Rolfe.  In  most  of  the  passages 
in  which  "dexterity"  occurs  in  Sh.  the 
idea  of  celerity  is  expressed  by  another 


DRU 


403 


DIE 


word — quick  or  speed.  Thus,  Hamlet's 
speech  is  :  O,  most  wicked  speed  to  post 
With  such  dexterity  to  incestuous 
sheets  !  Dexterity  here  evidently  means 
readiness. 

dies.  The  expression  dies  and  lives  by 
bloody  drops  (As.  Ill,  5,  7)  has  drawn 
forth  many  comments  and  several 
emendations.  If  "  bloody  drops  "  be  the 
means  by  which  the  executioner  lives, 
it  is  difficult  to  see  how  he  "dies"  by 
them,  consequently,  deals  ( Warburton), 
dyes  (Johnson),  dines  (Collier)  thrives 
(Hanmer),  slays  (Kinnear)  and  some 
others  have  been  suggested  as  the  true 
reading.  Caldecott  thinks  dies  here 
means  kills,  that  being  the  means  by 
which  the  executioner  gets  his  living. 
Ingleby,  in  his  "Hermeneutics,"  p.  59, 
adopts  Dr.  Sebastian  Evans's  paraphrase 
of  the  sentence:  "A  man's  profession 
or  calling  by  which  he  lives,  and  failing 
which  he  dies."  Furness  objects  that 
"the  felicitousness  of  the  phrase  blinds 
us  to  the  fact  that  it  does  not  explain 
the  curious  inversion  of  dying  and 
living.'^  But  this  hysteron  proteron 
(putting  the  cart  before  the  horse)  is 
not  unusual  in  Sh.  See  Tw.  I,  2,  22, 
bred  and  born.  It  seems  to  me  that 
the  difficulty  lies  not  in  the  inversion  so 
much  as  in  the  idea  of  a  man's  dying  by 
that  whereby  he  gets  his  living.  Mus- 
grave's  explanation  is:  "To  die  and 
live  by  a  thing  is  to  be  constant  to  it, 
to  persevere  in  it  to  the  end  " — a  slight 
change  in  the  meaning  of  the  word  by. 

diffidence.  Suspicion ;  distrust.  John  I, 
1,  65;  IHVI.  Ill,  3,  10;  Lr.  I,  2,  161. 

digressing.  Varying ;  deviating.  Rom. 
Ill,  3,  127. 

diseases.  This  word,  as  used  in  Lr.  I,  1, 
177,  means  discomforts,  annoyances, 
dis-eases.  It  bears  the  same  meaning 
in  IHVI.  II,  5,  44.  cf.  Tim.  Ill,  1,  56, 
and  Cor.  I,  3,  117.     See  dis-eate. 

disgracious.  Wanting  grace;  not  pleasing. 
RIII.  Ill,  7,  112. 

dishabited.    Dislodged.    John  II,  1,  220. 

disorbed.  Thrown  out  of  its  orbit  or 
sphere.     Troil.  II,  2,  46.     See  sphere. 


dislionest.  The  reverse  of  honest.  Honest 
in  Sh.  is  frequently  used  for  virtuous. 
HV.  I,  2,  49;  Hml.  Ill,  1,  103  and  123. 
So  dishonest  —  indecent.  Wiv.  Ill,  3, 
196  ;  Tw.  I,  5,  46. 

disposer.  A  word  of  which  the  meaning, 
as  it  occurs  in  Troil.  Ill,  1, 95,  has  never 
been  settled.  The  whole  passage  is 
difficult,  and  emendations  do  not  help 
much.  See  3rd  Var.,  Vol.  VIII,  p.  318, 
for  a  lengthened  discussion. 

dispute.  To  discuss ;  to  reason  about ; 
to  consider.  Rom.  Ill,  3,  63 ;  Oth.  I, 
2,  75. 

disquantity.  To  lessen  the  quantity ;  to 
diminish.     Lr.  I,  4,  270. 

ditch-dog.  Generally  defined  as  a  dead 
dog  found  in  a  ditch.  I  very  much 
doubt  this.  More  likely  it  is  some  of 
the  "small  deer"  of  which  we  do  not 
know  the  exact  name.     Lr.  Ill,  4,  138. 

disproperty.  The  expression,  Dispropei-- 
tied  their  freedoms  (Cor.  II,  1,  264), 
means  to  take  away  from  their  freedom 
all  the  properties  which  make  it  really 
freedom. 

division.  Arrangement;  order.  Ado.  V, 
1,  230. 

doctor.  A  learned  man  ;  not  necessarily 
a  physician.  The  etymological  meaning 
of  doctor  is  teacher.     Ado.  V,  1,  206. 

dog.    See  wolf. 

dogged.  Cruel;  unfeeling.  John  IV,  1, 
129 ;  2HVI.  Ill,  1,  158. 

dominical.  By  red  dominical  and  golden 
letter  in  LLL.  V,  2,  44,  Marshall  thinks 
Rosaline  means  to  refer  to  the  "fashion- 
able "  color  of  Katharine's  hair.  A  very 
probable  conclusion. 

door.    See  sweep. 

door-nail.    See  nail. 

dove.    See  sucking. 

dread  bolted.    See  thunder. 

dream,  Althaea's.  Sh.  makes  a  mistake 
here.  Althaea's  fire-brand  was  a  real 
one.  It  was  Hecuba  who,  just  before 
Paris  was  born,  dreamed  that  she  was 
delivered  of  a  fire-brand.  Bardolph's 
red  nose  and  face  leads  the  page  to  call 
him  "Althaea's  dream."  2HIV.  II,  2, 
92.     See  Althaea  and  Paris. 


DEU 


404 


E6L 


drug-damn'd.  The  allusion  in  Cym.  Ill, 
4,  15,  is  to  the  notoriousness  of  Italian 
poisoning.  Johnson,  cf.  Ill,  2,  5,  of 
same  play. 

dry.  Empty ;  a  dry  hand  =  a  hand  with 
no  money  or  present  in  it.  Tw.  I,  3,  77. 
So,  too,  a  dry  fool  =  an  empty  fool. 
Tw.  I,  5,  45. 

Johnson  suggested  that  perhaps  by 
dry  in  the  first  passage  Maria  meant  to 
insinuate  that  it  was  not  a  lover's  hand  ; 
not  the  hand  of  an  amorous  person,  and 
reference  is  made  to  0th.  Ill,  4,  44,  in 
support  of  this  contention.  But  it  is 
not  likely  that  Maria  had  any  thought 
of  Sir  Andrew  as  a  lover.  Sir  Toby 
was  her  bargain.  See  same  Act  and 
Scene,  line  39,  et  seq. 

dry-beat.  A  blow  that  does  not  draw 
blood  is  a  dry  blow.  The  N.  E.  D. 
quotes  Palsgrave,  "  Lesclarcissement, 
etc."  (1530):  "Bio,  blewe  and  grene 
coloured,  as  ones  bodie  is  after  a  dry 
stroke."  LLL.V,  2,  263 ;  Rom.  IV,  5, 126. 

duer.    More  duly.    2HIV.  Ill,  2,  330. 

dust.    See  sweep. 


EAR-KISSING.  Whispered  ;  told  with 
the  speaker's  lips  touching  the 
hearer's  ear.  The  Quartos  read  ear- 
bussing,  and  Collier  suggested  that  there 
might  be  a  pun  upon  buzzing  and  buss- 
ing.    Lr.  II,  1,  9.     See  buz. 

ears.  The  phrase,  Go  shake  your  ears 
(Tw.  II,  3,  134),  is  a  common  expression 
of  contempt  evidently  implying  that 
the  ears  of  the  person  addressed  are  of 
assinine  proportions. 

earth.  1.  The  passage  in  Rom.  I,  2,  15, 
She  is  the  hopeful  lady  of  my  earth, 
has  been  explained  in  various  ways. 
Johnson  suggested  that  the  true  reading 
is :  She  is  the  hope  and  stay  of  my 
full  years  ;  Cartwright  supposed  that 
earth  was  a  misprint  for  hearth,  and 
other  changes  have  been  suggested. 
Steevens  thought  the  expression  a  Gal- 
licism, ^Z^e  de  terre  being  the  French 
phrase  for  an  heiress.  Mason  explained 
earth  as  the  body  (see  2),  and  this  has 


been  accepted  by  several  coms. ;    and 
since  to  ear,  q.v.,  means  to  plough,  it 
has  been  claimed  that  earth  here  means 
ploughing,  and  this  affords  another  in- 
terpretation,    cf.  Ant.  II,  2,  233.    The 
Clarkes  say  :    "  It  is  most  likely  that 
Capulet  intends  to  include  the  sense  of 
'she  is  my  sole  surviving  offspring  in 
whom  I  have  centred  all  my  hopes.'" 
2.  In  several  passages  the  word  means  the 
human  body.     Sonn.  CXLVI,  1 ;  Rom, 
II,  1,  2,  and  III,  2, 59.    In  the  old  church- 
yard of  Melrose  Abbey,  not  far  from 
our  family  burial  plot,  is  a  tombstone 
with  the  following  curious  inscription  : 
THE  EARTH  GOETH 
ON  THE  EARTH 
GLISTRING  LIKE 

GOLD 
THE  EARTH  GOES  TO 
THE  EARTH  SOONER 
THEN  IT  WOLD  ; 
THE  EARTH  BUILDS 
ON  THE  EARTH  CAST- 
LES AND  TOWERS ; 
THE  EARTH  SAYS  TO 
THE  EARTH.     ALL  SHALL 
BE  OURS. 
earthquake.    Tyrwhitt  conjectured  that 
the  earthquake  referred  to  in  Rom.  I, 
3,  23,  was  that  felt  in  England,  April 
6,  1.580,  and  he  inferred  that  the  play, 
or  this  part  of  it,  was  written  in  1591 . 
Malone  pointed  out  that  if  we  suppose 
that  Juliet  was  weaned  at  a  year  old, 
she  would  be  only  twelve;    but  she  is 
j  ust  fourteen.    An  earthquake  happened 
at  Verona  1348  (Knight)  and  at  Verona 
1570  (Hunter) ;  an  account  of  the  Italian 
earthqualies  of  1570  was  printed  in  Lon- 
don (Staunton).     Collier  says:  "In  the 
whole  speech  of  the  Nurse  there  are 
such  discrepancies  as  render  it  impossible 
to  arrive  at  any  definite  conclusion." 
Dowden. 
ecce  signum.    Behold  the  sign  ;  behold 

the  proof.     1  HIV.  II,  4,  187. 
eglantine.    The   sweetbriar.    Noted  for 
the  delicious  fragrance  of   its  leaves, 


£60 


405 


FAL 


especially  when  moistened  with  a  gentle 
shower.  Mids.  II,  1,  252 ;  Cym.  IV,  2, 
223. 

Ego  et  Rex  meus.  Latin  for  I  and  my 
king.  Holinshed  says  :  "  In  all  writings 
which  he  wrote  to  Rome,  or  any  other 
foreign  prince,  he  wrote  Ego  et  Rex 
meus,  I  and  my  king ;  as  who  should 
say  that  the  king  were  his  servant." 
"  But,  as  Wolsey  urged  in  his  defence, 
this  order  was  required  by  the  Latin 
idiom."    Rolfe.     HVIII.  Ill,  2,  314. 

encave.    To  hide.    Oth.  IV,  1,  82. 

ends.  The  expression,  flout  old  ends 
(Ado.  I,  1,  290),  has  called  forth  a  good 
deal  of  comment.  It  was  suggested  by 
Capell  that  "old  ends"  meant  the  old 
and  formal  conclusions  of  letters  as 
quoted  in  line  285.  Deighton  thinks 
that  Benedick  "merely  says,  with  mock 
solemnity  :  '  Be  careful  how  you  ridicule 
things  so  venerable  and  sacred  as  these 
old  ends.'  " 

enseamed.  Soiled  with  grease.  Seam  is 
the  fat  of  the  hog.     Hml.  Ill,  4,  92. 

envious.    Malicious.    Rom.  Ill,  1,  173. 

equinoctial.    See  Queubus. 

equinox.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Oth. 
II,  3,  129,  is  explained  by  Schm.  as 
"the  equal  length  of  the  day  and  the 
night."  This  is  not  exactly  the  mean- 
ing of  the  word  which  is  equal  nighty 
not  equal  day  and  night,  as  is  its  usual 
application.  Cassio's  vice  of  drunken- 
ness was  a  night  or  dark  spot  equal  to 
his  virtue.  Sh.  uses  the  word  here  in 
its  strictly  etymological  sense. 

Erebus.  Tartarus ;  hell.  Merch.  V,  1, 
87 ;  2HIV.  II,  4,  171 ;  Caes.  II,  1,  84. 

erection.  Mrs.  Quickly "s  blunder  for 
direction.    Wiv.  Ill,  5,  41. 

estimation.  1 .  Reputation ;  honor.  Meas. 
IV,  2, 28  ;  Gent.  II,  4,  .56 ;  Err.  Ill,  1, 102. 
2.  Conjecture.     IHIV.  I,  3,  272. 

except,  before  excepted.  Malone  ex- 
plains this  -phrase  as  being  the  usual 
language  of  leases:  "To  have  and  to 
hold  the  said  demised  premises,  etc., 
with  their  and  every  of  their  rights, 
members,  etc.  (except  before  excepted) . ' ' 
Tw.   I,  3,  9.     Lord    Campbell,   in    his 


"  Shakespeare's  Legal  Acquirements," 
does  not  allude  to  this  legal  expression. 
A  great  deal  has  been  written  about  it. 

execution.  Employment ;  exercise.  Oth. 
Ill,  3,  467.     cf.  Troil.  V,  7,  6. 

exposition.  Bottom's  blunder  for  dis- 
position.    Mids.  IV,  1,  43. 

eye  of  Phoebus.  HV.  IV,  1,  290.  Eye 
of  holy  Phoebus.  Kins.  I,  1,  45.  See 
Phoebus  and  cf.  runaway's  eyes. 


FACE.  With  that  face?  LLL.  I,  2, 
145.  Steevens  says  :  "  This  cant 
phrase  has  oddly  lasted  till  the 
present  time ;  and  is  used  by  people  who 
have  no  more  meaning  annexed  to  it 
than  Fielding  had,  who,  putting  it  into 
the  mouth  of  Beau  Didapper,  thinks  it 
necessary  to  apologise  (in  a  note)  for 
its  want  of  sense,  by  adding  that  'it 
was  taken  verbatim  from  very  polite 
conversation.'  " 

fairy.    See  Oberon,  Puck  and  Titania. 

fall.  In  Oth.  I,  1,  66,  the  reading  of  the 
Fl.  is :  What  a  fall  Fortune  do^s  the 
Thick-lips  owe.  This  line  "  is  ordinarily 
printed,  following  the  Quarto  : 

What  a  fvH  fortune  does  the  thick- 
lips  owe. 

"  This  is  simply,  how  fortunate  he  is. 
The  reading  of  the  Folio,  which  we 
adopt,  conveys  a  much  more  Shak- 
sperian  idea.  If  the  Moor  can  carry  it 
thus — appoint  his  own  officer,  in  spite 
of  the  great  ones  of  the  city  who  capp'd 
to  him,  and,  moreover  can  secure  Des- 
demona  as  his  prize — he  is  so  puffed  up 
with  his  own  pride  and  purposes,  and  is 
so  successful,  that  fortuyie  owes  him  a 
heavy  fall.  To  owe  is  used  by  Shak- 
spere  not  only  in  the  ancient  sense  of  to 
own,  to  possess,  but  in  the  modern 
sense  of  to  be  indebted  to,  to  hold  or 
possess  for  another.  Fortune  here 
owes  the  thick-lips  a  fall,  in  the  same 
way  that  we  say,  '  He  owes  him  a  good 
or  an  evil  turn.'  The  reading  which 
we  adopt  is  very  much  in  Shakspere's 
manner  of  throwing  out  a  hint  of  coming 


FAL 


406 


FEA 


calamities.     The  commentators  do  not 
even  notice  this  reading. "    Knight. 

This  is  certainly  an  admirable  mean- 
ing, true  to  Shakespeare,  and  is  another 
instance  of  how  often  the  accepted 
emendations  of  the  Fl.  text  are  really 
mis-readings.  See  Anthony  and  yield, 
both  in  the  body  of  this  "  Cyclopaedia  " 
and  in  the  "  Addenda." 

fall  away.  To  desert.  Ant.  IV,  6,  17; 
HVIII.  II,  1,  139. 

fallen  off.    Revolted.     Cym.  Ill,  7,  6. 

falling  sickness.  Epilepsy.  Caes.  I,  2, 
256.  The  Comitia,  or  general  assembly 
of  the  Roman  people,  was  stopped  if 
any  one  present  was  attacked  by  this 
illness.  Hence  it  was  called  "Morbus 
comitialis." 

fantastical.    See  high-fantastical. 

fastened.  Inveterate ;  hardened.  Lr.  II, 
1,  79,  Perhaps  a  metaphor  from  the 
language  of  Masonry.  In  the  N.  E.  D. 
we  find  an  example  from  Leoni's  trans- 
lation of  Alberti's  "  Architecture  " 
(1726),  I,  366 :  "  buildings  are  taken  with 
the  frost  before  ever  they  have  fast- 
ened. ' '    Craig. 

father.  This  word  was  often  used  as  a 
respectful  mode  of  addressing  an  old 
man.  Gent.  IV,  3,  59  ;  Wint.  IV,  4, 
3,53.  Hence,  in  Merch.  II,  3,  73  and  76, 
Launcelot  calls  old  Gobbo  "father" 
without  being  recognised  as  his  son. 
The  same  occurs  in  Lr.  IV,  6, 233,  where 
Edgar  calls  Gloucester  "father"  and 
is  not  recognised. 

fathom.  Depth  ;  ability  ;  intelligence. 
0th.  I,  1,  153. 

favour.  In  IHIV.  V,  4,  96,  it  means  a 
scarf  or  similar  article  of  wear.  Some- 
thing worn  as  a  token.  In  Tw.  II,  4, 
24  and  25,  the  word  is  used  ambiguously; 
in  the  first  line  it  means  countenance ; 
in  the  second,  permission.  But  Abbott 
notes  that  it  may  have  the  same  mean- 
ing in  both  lines  and  that  the  word  by 
in  the  second  line  may  mean  near. 
Viola  was  in  love  with  the  Duke. 

fear.  1.  In  early  English  and  Scotch  the 
verb  to  fear  had  the  signification  of 
to  frighten.    So  in  3HVI.  Ill,  3,  326  ; 


Merch.  II,  1,  9.  Spenser  has :  "  words 
fearen  babes,"  and  in  Hogg's  Queen''s 
Wake  we  find,  "  It  fears  me  muckle," 
meaning  :  /  am  much  afraid. 
2.  In  Hml.  I,  3,  53,  fear  me  not  =  fear 
not  for  me — the  preposition  being  fre- 
quently omitted  in  the  case  of  some 
verbs.  It  has  this  meaning  also  in  Tit. 
II,  3,  305,  and  Lr.  IV,  3,  31. 
feature.  On  p.  114  (ante)  this  word,  as  it 
occurs  in  Cym.  V,  5,  163,  is  explained  as 
"  beauty,"  the  usual  definition  given  in 
the  glossaries.  A  more  careful  reading 
of  the  passage  shows  that  grace  and 
elegance  of  form  are  more  nearly  what 
is  meant.  Dr.  Furness,  in  his  ed.  of 
Lear  (on  IV,  3,  63,  p.  346),  says :  "See 
Schm.  Lex.  for  proof  that  this  [feature] 
invariably  means  in  Sh.  the  shape,  ex- 
terior, the  whole  turn  or  cast  of  the 
body."  This  is  Schm.  definition;  it  is 
no  doubt  correct  in  many  cases,  but  it 
seems  to  me  that  some  of  the  passages 
that  he  cites  in  support  of  this  conten- 
tion prove  that  his  assertion  is  too 
broad.  For  example :  In  Tw.  Ill,  4, 
387,  Viola  says  to  Antonio  :  Nor  know 
I  you  by  voice  or  a,ny  feature.  Viola 
could  not  have  spoken  of  "  any  feature  " 
if  there  had  not  been  more  than  one 
feature ;  to  make  up  the  whole  turn  or 
cast  of  the  body  there  must  have  been 
several  "  features,"  and  the  word  prob- 
ably bears,  in  some  passages  in  Sh., 
nearly  the  same  meaning  that  we  give 
to  it  now,  though  in  Sh.  it  is  not  alto- 
gether confined  to  the  countenance  as 
is  generally  the  case  at  present.  Even 
in  the  passage  under  consideration  (Lr. 
IV,  3,  63)  it  is  quite  as  probable  that 
Albany  refers  to  Goneril's  countenance, 
which  was  visible  and  would  be  distorted 
with  passion,  as  to  the  general  shape  of 
her  body,  for  the  latter  had  suffered  no 
visible  change ;  and  in  As.  Ill,  3,  3,  it 
is  quite  as  likely  that  Touchstone  refers 
to  his  countenance  as  to  the  turn  or 
cast  of  his  body,  even  though  the  word 
is  in  the  singular. 

Sh.  no  doubt  used  the  word  in  the 
same  sense  that  it  was  used  by  other 


FEC 


407 


FET 


writers  of  the  time,  and  examples  of 
both  meanings  may  be  found.  Thus, 
Du  Bartas  (1598— my  copy  1641),  in  his 
Fifth  Day,  tells  us : 

God  quicken'd  in  the  sea  and  in  the 

rivers, 
So  many  fishes  of  so  many  features, 
That  in  the  waters  we  may  see  all 

creatures. 

Features  here  evidently  means  shapes. 
But  in  Puttenham's  "Arte  of  English 
Poesie"  we  find : 

Those    louely    lookes    that    fauour 

amiable. 
Those  sweet  features,  and  visage  full 

of  grace, 

where  features  evidently  means  the 
lineaments  of  the  face. 

That  the  original  meaning  of  the  word 
was  malce,  shape,  tout-ensemble  is  cer- 
tain, but  the  meaning  seoiis  to  have 
been  changing  about  the  time  of  Sh. 

fecks.  Faith.  Wint.  I,  2,  120.  The 
modern  Scottish  form  of  this  word  is 
faiks.     See  i' fecks, 

feeding.  Pasturage  ;  a  tract  of  land  for 
the  support  of  sheep  and  cattle.  Wint. 
IV,  4,  169. 

feet.  The  passage  in  0th.  V,  2,  286,  / 
look  down  towards  his  feet,  means  : 
"To  see  if,  according  to  the  common 
opinion,  his  feet  be  cloven."    Johnson. 

fennel.  A  plant  which  is  still  occasion- 
ally cultivated  in  gardens,  the  botanical 
name  being  Foeniculum  vulgare.  It  is 
frequently  eaten  boiled  and  in  flavor 
resembles  celery,  but  with  a  sweet  taste 
and  a  more  delicate  odor.  It  was  a 
great  favorite  with  the  Romans  and  so 
much  used  in  their  kitchens  that  there 
were  few  meats  seasoned  or  vinegar 
sauces  served  up  without  it.  The  seeds 
are  aromatic,  carminative  and  stinm- 
lant,  and  the  oil  distilled  from  them 
was  used  in  the  preparation  of  cordials. 
It  is  mentioned  twice  in  Sh.— 2HIV. 
II,  4,  267,  and  Hml.  IV,  5,  180.  In  the 
first  passage  reference  is  no  doubt  made 
to  its  stimulating  and  "provocative" 
properties,  a  quality  which  was   also 


supposed  to  belong  to  fish  and  especially 
to  eels. 

Ophelia's  meaning  in  offering  fennel 
to  the  king  is  not  quite  clear.     Fennel 
was  a  well-known  emblem  of  flattery, 
so  much  so  that  Florio,  in  his  Italian 
Diet.,  translates  Dare  finocchio  by,  to 
give  fennel ;  to  flatter ;  to  dissemble. 
But  this  would  be  a  strange  offering. 
So,  too,  would  it  be  if  given  for  the 
reason  that.  Staunton  suggests,  that  is, 
as  emblematic  of  lust.     Fennel,  how- 
ever, was  supposed  to  have  many  vir- 
tues, as  set  forth  by  Longfellow  in  The 
Goblet  of  Life: 
Above  the  lowly  plants  it  towers. 
The  fennel,  with  its  yellow  flowers. 
And  in  an  earlier  age  than  ours 
Was  gifted  with  the  wondrous  powers 

Lost  vision  to  restore. 
It  gave  new   strength   and   fearless 

mood ; 
And  gladiators  fierce  and  rude. 
Mingled  it  in  their  daily  food; 
And  he  who  battled  and  subdued, 
A  wreath  of  fennel  wore. 

And  these  old  and  well-known  reasons 
were  probably  those  which  Sh.  had  in 
mind  when  he,  through  Ophelia,  made 
fennel  a  fit  offering  for  a  king. 

We  have  also  an  English  word  (ferula) 
interesting  to  schoolboys,  and  derived 
from  the  Latin  name  of  the  giant  fennel 
—ferula  communis — the  stalks  of  which 
were  used  by  the  Roman  schoolmasters 
for  the  same  purpose  as  that  for  which 
some  modern  pedagogues  use  the  cane. 

ferry.    See  Charon. 

ferryman.    See  Charon. 

fetch  in.  As  it  occurs  in  Ado.  I,  1,  225, 
is  defined  by  Schm.  as  "to  take  in,  to 
dupe."  It  is  not  probable  that  it  has 
this  meaning  here.  Upon  this  passage 
White  ("Studies  in  Shakespeare,"  p. 
335)  says:  "  Don  Pedro  was  not  taking 
in  or  duping  his  young  officer.  What 
occasion  had  he  to  do  so  ?  Claudio 
means,  as  we  all  apprehend  without 
conscious  thought,  that  his  superior 
designs,  by  a  gracious  compliment  to 
his  mistress,  to  draw  him  out  of  the 
slightly  antagonistic  attitude  into  wkicb 


FIO 


408 


FOX 


he  has  been  driven    by  the  gibes   of 
Benedick." 

flg*s-end.  Blessed  fig''s-end  (0th.  II,  1, 
256),  an  expression  of  contempt.  For 
its  origin  see  ^gr.  Cotgravehas:  "Trut 
avant.  A  fig''s-end,  no  such  matter.'''* 
The  French  Trut  =  our  tut. 

filly  foal.  A  female  foal,  specially  attrac- 
tive to  a  horse  fed  on  rich  and  stimu- 
lating food.  Mids.  II,  1,  46.  Grose,  in 
his  "Provincial  Glossary,"  tells  us  that 
in  Hampshire  they  give  the  name  of 
Colt-pixey  to  a  supposed  spirit  or  fairy 
which,  in  the  shape  of  a  horse,  neighs 
and  misleads  horses  into  bogs.  It  was, 
no  doubt,  to  this  bit  of  folk-lore  that 
Sh.  referred. 

finder  of  madmen.  Thus  explained  by 
Ritson:  "'Finders  of  madmen'  must 
have  been  those  who  formerly  acted 
under  the  writ  De  Lunatico  inquirendo; 
in  virtue  of  which  they/ou?id  the  man 
mad.''''  This  is  accepted  by  Rolf e  and 
others  on  the  ground  that  for  a  jury  to 
find  a  man  guilty  is  a  common  expres- 
sion. But  were  these  men  ever  known 
as  "finders"?  Dr.  Johnson  explains 
it  as  "an  allusion  to  the  witch-finders." 
A  witch-finder  was  a  well-known  official, 
and  I  think  Dr.  Johnson's  suggestion 
gives  the  true  explanation.  Readers  of 
Scott's  "Kennil worth"  cannot  ha ve  for- 
gotten old  Gaffer  Pinniewinks,  the  trier 
(finder)  of  witches.     Tw.  Ill,  4,  154. 

fine.  The  end.  Ado.  I,  1,  247.  The 
quibble  between  fine.,  the  end,  and 
fine,  well-dressed  and  equipped,  is  ob- 
vious. 

fire.  The  passage,  fire  us  hence  like 
foxes  (Lr.  V,  3,  2o),  refers  to  the  old 
practice  of  driving  foxes  from  their 
earths  by  fire  and  smoke. 

first.    See  coats. 

t\&h.  When  Kent  says  that  he  eats  no 
fish  he  means  that  he  is  a  good  Protest- 
ant. To  eat  fish  on  account  of  religious 
scruples  was,  in  Queen  Elizabeth's  time, 
the  mark  of  a  Papist  and  an  enemy  to 
good  government.  Warburton.  Lr.  I, 
4,  18. 

flame-coloured.    See  darned  colour''d. 


flight.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Merch. 
I,  1,  141,  evidently  means  that  combina- 
tion of  length  and  weight  which  gives 
character  to  an  arrow. 

flowers.  As  given  to  different  ages,  see 
summer,  middle. 

flushing.  Rapid  flowing.  Hml.  I,  2, 155. 
Schm.  makes  it:  "ere  her  tears  had 
had  time  to  redden  her  eyes  "  ?  Wright 
says  "the  verb  'flush'  is  still  used 
transitively,  meaning,  to  fill  with 
water."  Hardly.  To  "flush"  is  not 
to  fill,  but  to  cause  a  rapid  fiow. 

fool.  Fool,  in  Sh.  time,  was  frequently 
used  as  an  expression  of  pity  and  also 
endearment.  Lr.  V,  3,  305.  In  Tw.  V, 
1,  377,  the  word  fool  is  not  addressed  to 
the  clown,  but  to  Malvolio. 

Some  have  supposed  that  "fool"  in 
Lr.  V,  3, 305,  refers  to  the  fool  or  clown, 
but  it  certainly  refers  to  Cordelia. 

Thou  art  Death''s  fool  (Meas.  Ill,  1, 
11),  refers  to  the  introduction  of  Death 
and  a  Fool  in  the  rude  old  plays  and 
dumb  shows ;  the  sport  being  made  by 
Death's  endeavors  to  surprise  the  Fool 
and  the  finally  unsuccessful  efforts  of 
the  latter  to  elude  them. 
Fool-begged,    cf.  beg. 

foot.  1.  To  seize  with  the  foot  or  talons. 
Cym.  V,  4,  116. 

2.  To  effect  a  landing;  to  settle  in  a 
place.    HV.  II,  4,  143  ;  Lr.  Ill,  7,  48. 

forage.    This  word,  as  used  in  John  V, 

1,  59,  has  its  original  sense — to  range 
abroad.     Johnson. 

fork.    See  worm. 

formal  capacity.  Average  intelligence; 
having  a  mind  of  the  usual  form  or 
ability.  Tw.  II,  5, 127.  cf.  Err.  V,  1, 105. 

forslow.    To  delay.    3HVI.  II,  3,  56. 

fortitude.  Strength ;  power  of  resistance. 
0th.  I,  3,  222. 

fortune,    iieefall. 

foundation.  God  save  the  foundation 
was  a  customary  phrase  employed  by 
those  who  received  alms  at  the  gates  of 
religious  houses.  Steevens.  Ado.  V,  1, 
228. 

fox.    Hide  fox,  and  all  after.    Hml.  IV, 

2,  33.     This  is  supposed  to  refer  to  the 


FOX 


409 


GLU 


boyish  game  of  "  All  hid  " ;  and  Sir  T. 
Haniner  expressly  t«lls  us  that  it  was 
sometimes  called,  "Hide  fox,  and  all 
after."     Collier.     See  wolf. 

foxes.    See^r^. 

fraction.  Discord  ;  disagreement ;  liter- 
ally, a  breaking.     Troil.  II,  3,  107. 

from.  Away  from,  not  proceeding  from. 
Caes.  II,  1,  196;  Tw.  I,  5,  201,  and  V, 
1,340. 

fruit.    Dessert.     Hml.  II,  2,  52. 

fruitfully.  Amply;  fully.  All's.  II,  2, 
73 ;  Lr.  IV,  6,  270. 

full.    See  fall. 


GAIN-QIVINQ.  Misgiving;  doubtful 
fear.  Hml,  V,  2,  226.  cf  gainsay. 
Also  gainstand  =  withstand,  and 
gainstrive  —  strive  against. 

gall.  Sh.  refers  clearly  to  both  the  animal 
and  the  vegetable  gall ;  to  the  latter  in 
Tw.  Ill,  2,  52;  Cym.  I,  1,  101.  To  the 
former,  2HIV.  I,  2,  199  ;  Mcb.  I,  5,  49 ; 
0th.  IV,  3,  92.  Both  kinds  of  gall  are 
very  bitter. 

gallant-springing.  Full  of  useful  pro- 
mise.   RIII.  I,  4,  226. 

Galloway.  Referring  to  Galloway  nags 
(p.  122,  ante),  I  may  add  that  Drayton, 
in  the  Polyolbion,  III,  28,  has  : 

And  on  his  match  as  much  the  Western 

horseman  lays 
As  the  rank-riding  Scots  upon  their 

Galloways. 

A  Scot  could  scarcely  be  "  rank-riding," 
i.e.,  hard-riding,  upon  an  inferior  horse. 
gamester.  At  p.  122  (ante)  this  word,  as 
it  occurs  in  As.  I,  1,  170,  is  defined  as  a 
frolicsome,  merry  fellow.  This  inter- 
pretation has  never  quite  satisfied  me. 
Caldecott  defines  it  as  "disposed  to  try 
his  fortune  at  this  game."  Furness 
calls  attention  to  a  passage  in  Painter's 
"  Palace  of  Pleasure,"  where  gladiators 
are  said  to  be  "a  certain  sort  of  gam- 
sters  in  Rome,  which  we  terme  to  bee 
maistei-s  of  defence. ' '  Readers  of  ' '  Tom 
Brown's  School  Days  at  Rugby  "  cannot 
have  forgotten  the  ti'ials  of   skill   at 


"  backswording "  at  the  "Veast"  de- 
scribed in  the  second  chapter.  The 
author  tells  us :  "  The  players  are  called 
'  old  gamesters, ' — why  I  can't  tell  you, — 
and  their  object  is  simply  to  break  one 
another's  heads."  As  here  used,  the 
word  is  undoubtedly  a  survival  from 
the  time  of  Sh. ,  and  fully  explains  the 
expression  in  the  play. 

gaping.    See  pig. 

garb.  Fashion;  manner.  Hml.  11,1,390; 
Lr.  II,  2,  104. 

geminy.    A  pair.     Wiv.  II,  2,  8. 

gentle,  v.    To  ennoble.    HV.  IV,  8,  63. 

gentle,  adj.  Noble;  well-bom.  Wint. 
I,  2,  394 ;  RIII.  I,  3,  73. 

german,  n.     A  kinsman.    Oth.  I,  2,  114. 

german,  adj.  Akin.  Tim.  IV,  3,  344; 
Hml.  V,  2,  165. 

gild.    To  make  drunk.    Tp.  V,  1,  280. 

girdle.  The  expression :  He  knows  how 
to  turn  his  girdle,  has  never  been  satis- 
factorily explained.  Some  make  it  out 
to  be  a  mere  proverbial  phrase  without 
any  reasonable  meaning ;  others  think 
that  it  means :  He  knows  how  to  turn 
his  girdle  so  as  to  bring  the  handle  of 
his  sword  within  reach.  The  latter 
seems  to  be  a  plausible  explanation. 
Ado.  V,  1,  142. 

given.  As  used  in  Wint.  IV,  4,  107,  is  an 
heraldic  term.  See  summer,  m,iddle 
(ante).  For  a  full  explanation,  see 
Hunter's  "New  Illustrations,"  Vol.  I, 
p.  419,  and  Fumess's  ed.  of  TheWinter''s 
Tale,  p.  194. 

glass.  A  "glass"  is  the  time  required 
for  the  sand  to  run  through  the  hour- 
glass, or  one  hour.  Two  glasses  =  two 
hours.     Tp.  I,  2,  240. 

Globe  Theatre.  "  Barclay's  Brewery  has 
long  swallowed  it  up.  Globe  Alley,  too, 
and  Thrale's  house  where  Dr.  Johnson 
worked,  on  the  site  of  the  Globe  Theatre. 
The  Blackf  riars  and  other  theatres  were 
closed  in  1642,  and  put  down  by  the 
Puritans  in  1647.  The  Globe  was  pulled 
down  in  1644."    Furnivall. 

glutton.  The  "glutton"  referred  toby 
Falstaff  (2HIV.  I,  2,  39),  is  Dives,  or 
the  rich  nmn  mentiouod  in  Luke  xvi, 


BOH 


410 


OTV 


gondola.  Johnson  explains  the  phrase, 
swam  in  a  gondola  (As.  IV,  1,  38), 
thus:  "That  is,  been  at  Venice,  the 
seat  at  that  time  of  all  licentiousness, 
where  the  young  English  gentlemen 
wasted  their  fortunes,  debased  their 
morals  and  sometimes  lost  their  re- 
ligion," 

good.  Such  phrases  as  "good  my  lord," 
' '  good  my  friends, "  "  good  my  mother , ' ' 
frequently  occur  in  Sh.  and  seem  rather 
awkward  to  modern  ears.  Abbott  notes: 
"The  possessive  adjectives,  when  un- 
emphatic,  are  sometimes  transposed, 
being  really  combined  with  nouns  (like 
the  French  monsieur ,  milord).  "  Dear 
my  lord  (Caes.  II,  1,  255) ;  Good  my 
brother  (Hml.  1,3,  46).  See  Sh.  Gram., 
§13. 

good  life.     See  life. 

Qordlan  knot.  This  familiar  phrase  is 
used  twice  in  the  plays ;  its  origin  is  as 
follows :  Internal  disturbances  having 
broken  out  in  Phrygia,  an  oracle  fore- 
told that  a  car  would  bring  them  a 
king  who  should  settle  their  disputes. 
While  the  people  were  discussing  the 
words  of  the  oracle,  Gordius,  with  his 
wife  and  his  son  Midas,  drove  into  the 
market  place  and  was  at  once  hailed 
as  king.  The  new  king  dedicated  to 
Jupiter  his  car  and  the  yoke  to  which 
the  oxen  had  been  fastened — this  yoke 
having  been  attached  to  the  pole  of  the 
car  by  means  of  a  rope  of  bark  tied 
with  a  wonderfully  intricate  knot.  An 
oracle  declared  that  whoever  should 
untie  that  knot  should  reign  over  all 
Asia,  and  when  Alexander  the  Great 
arrived  at  Gordium,  one  of  the  first 
things  he  did  was  to  try  to  untie  it. 
•Not  being  able  to  succeed,  he  cut  the 
knot  with  his  sword  and  applied  the 
oracle  to  himself.  HV,  I,  1,  46 ;  Cym. 
II,  2,  34. 

Qorgon.  The  Gorgon  referred  to  in 
Mcb.  II,  3,  77,  and  Ant.  II,  5,  116, 
was  Medusa,  whose  head  was  cut 
oflf  by  Perseus  and  afterwards  be- 
came the  boss  of  Minerva's  shield. 
According  to  Homer,  there  was  but  one 


Gorgo,  who  is  represented  as  a  frightful 
phantom  in  Hades.  Hesiod  mentions 
three  sisters,  Stheno,  Euryale  and 
Medusa.  They  were  frightful  beings; 
their  heads  were  covered  with  hissing 
serpents  instead  of  hair,  and  they  had 
wings,  brazen  claws  and  enormous 
teeth.  Medusa,  who  alone  was  mortal, 
was  at  first  a  beautiful  maiden,  but 
having  defiled  one  of  the  temples  of 
Minerva,  the  goddess  changed  her  hair 
into  serpents  and  made  her  head  so 
fearful  that  every  one  who  looked  at  it 
was  changed  into  stone.  Hence  the 
great  difiiculty  which  Perseus  had  in 
killing  her ;  for  an  account  of  which 
see  Perseus. 

Qrace  to  boot.    See  boot  in  Addenda. 

grain,  in.  While  this  sometimes  means 
dyed  with  kermes,  a  material  extracted 
from  the  coccus  insect,  it  also  means 
that  a  color  or  other  quality  belongs  to 
the  natural  substance,  fibre  or  grain  of 
any  object,  as  in  Tw.  I,  5,  255,  and  Err. 
Ill,  2, 108.  Thus  we  speak  of  evil  being 
"ingrained"  in  some  persons,  i.e.,  ex- 
isting in  the  very  grain  or  fibre  of  their 
being.  In  Tw.  I,  5,  255,  Olivia  means 
to  assert  that  her  color  is  natural,  not 
artificial  like  a  dye  or  paint. 

grange.  A  lonely  farm-house.  Meas.  Ill, 
1,  277 ;  0th.  I,  1,  106. 

gravel-blind.    See  sand-blind. 

griffin.  A  fabulous  beast  found  only  in 
tiie  zoology  of  heraldry.  It  was  half 
beast,  half  bird  of  prey.  Mids.  II,  1, 
232;  IHIV.  111,1,  152. 

grow  to.  Sometimes  explained  as  "a 
household  phrase  applied  to  milk  when 
burnt  to  the  bottom  of  the  sauce-pan, 
and  thence  acquiring  an  unpleasant 
taste."  Wright.  Others  explain  it  as, 
having  a  tendency  to.     Merch.  II,  2, 18. 

gyves.  Fetters.  Convert  his  gyves  to 
graces.  Hml.  IV,  7,  21.  This  expres- 
sion has  been  the  subject  of  some 
criticism,  but  the  meaning  is  evident 
even  though  Schm.  does  call  it  "an 
obscure  passage  not  yet  satisfactorily 
explained  or  amended."  It  needs  no 
emendation,  and  the  meaning  is  obvious, 


HAB 


411 


HER 


simple  and  appropriate.  The  king  says 
in  effect  that  if  he  were  to  restrain 
Hamlet,  the  love  of  the  people  (the 
general  gender)  for  him  is  such  that 
they  would  look  upon  him  as  a  martyr, 
and  his  fetters,  instead  of  being  a  dis- 
grace, would  be  graces. 

Elzeasks:  " Ho w can coporeal  'gyves' 
be  converted  into  incorporeal  abstract 
'graces'?"  and  adds:  *'An  abstract 
noun  in  this  connection  ruins  the  whole 
metaphor  and  is  illogical."  Very  il- 
logical, perhaps,  but  very  expressive. 


HABITS.    Johnson  explains  the  phrase, 
thhi  habits  and  poor    liklihoods 
ofTnodern  seeming  (0th.  I,  3,  108), 
as  "weak  show  of  slight  appearance." 
Hunter  paraphrases  it :  "  Than  the  thin 
garb  with  which  you  invest  the  matter. ' ' 
hair,  men  of.    See  saltiers. 
hand.    The  phrase,  at  any  hand  (Shr.  I, 
2,   147)  =  at  any  rate ;    at  all  events. 
Nares. 

Give  me  your  hands  (Mids.  V,  1,  444) 

=  applaud  by  clapping. 

happy.    Lucky ;  accidental.     Lr.  II,  3,  2, 

harlotry.    "Used  much  as  'slut'  might 

be  used  at  a  later  date.     Compare  the 

description  of  Lady  Mortimer  in  IHIV. 

III,  1,  198 :  'a  peevish,  self-will'd  har- 
lotr}%  one  that  no  persuasion  can  do 
good  upon.'"    Doivden.     See  peevish. 

harp.    See  m^iraculous. 

hate.    See  love. 

haud  credo.  (Latin)  =  I  do  not  believe 
it.     LLL.  IV,  2,  11. 

havoc.  This  quarry  cries  on  havoc  (Hml. 
V,  2,  375)  =  "This  heap  of  dead  pro- 
claims an  indiscriminate  slaughter." 
White. 

health.    See  importing. 

heart.    See  Richard  Coeur-de-lion. 

hedge-pig.   A  hedge-hog  or  urchin.   Mcb. 

IV,  1,  2. 

The  urchin,  or  hedge-hog,   from  its* 
solitariness,  the  ugliness  of  its  appear- 
ance, and  from  a  popular  opinion  that 
it  sucked  or  poisoned  the  udders  of  cows, 
was  adopted  into  the  demouologic  sys- 


tem, and  its  shape  was  sometimes  sup- 
posed to  be  assumed  by  mischievous 
elves.  Hence  it  was  one  of  the  plagues 
of  Caliban  in  The  Tempest  T.  Warton. 
Hercules.  As  might  well  be  expected, 
Sh.  refers  very  frequently  to  Hercules, 
who  is  acknowledged  to  be  the  most 
celebrated  hero  of  all  antiquity.  Many 
of  these  references  are  merely  allusions 
to  him  as  a  symbol  of  immense  strength 
and  prowess,  but  some  of  them  are  con- 
nected with  incidents  in  his  career  which 
must  be  known  before  we  can  fully 
understand  the  passages  in  which  they 
occur. 

According  to  Homer,  Hercules  (Her- 
acles) was  the  son  of  Jupiter  by  Alcmena, 
of  Thebes,  in  Boeotia,  who  was  a  grand- 
daughter of  Perseus.  She  was  the 
wife  of  Amphitryon,  in  whose  likeness 
Jupiter  came  to  her  while  her  husband 
was  absent  warring  against  the  Taphians. 
On  the  day  on  which  Hercules  was  to 
have  been  born  Jupiter  boasted  of  his 
becoming  the  father  of  a  hero  who  was 
to  rule  over  the  race  of  Perseus.  Juno 
prevailed  upon  him  to  swear  that  the 
descendant  of  Perseus,  born  that  day, 
should  be  the  ruler,  and  then  she  hast- 
ened to  Argos  and  caused  the  wife  of 
Sthenelus,  the  son  of  Pei'seus,  to  give 
birth  to  Eurystheus,  and  at  the  same 
time  she  delayed  the  birth  of  Hercules, 
thus  robbing  him  of  the  empire  which 
Jupiter  had  destined  for  him.  Jupiter 
was  enraged  at  the  trick  played  upon 
him,  but  he  could  not  violate  his  oath, 
Juno,  inspired  by  her  hatred  of  the 
children  of  Jupiter  by  all  mortal 
mothers,  sent  two  serpents  to  destroy 
him  while  yet  in  his  cradle,  but  the 
infant  hero  strangled  them  with  his 
fists.     LLL.  V,  2,  595. 

His  first  great  adventure  happened 
while  he  was  still  watching  the  oxen  of 
his  step- father,  Amphitryon.  A  huge 
lion,  which  haunted  Mount  Cithaeron, 
made  great  havoc  among  the  flocks  of 
Amphitryon  and  Thespius.  Hercules 
slew  the  lion  and  afterwards  wore  its 
skin  as  bis  ordinary  garment,  its  mouth 


413 


and  head  forming  the  helmet.  The  gener- 
ally accepted  story  of  the  lion's  skin,  how- 
ever, is  that  it  was  that  of  the  Nemean 
lion  (LLL.  IV,  1,  90,  and  Hml.  I,  4,  83). 
It  is  related  that  after  some  other 
achievements  he  was  driven  mad  by 
Juno,  and  while  in  this  state  killed  his 
children  by  Megara,  and  also  two  of 
those  of  Iphicles.  He  then  consulted 
the  oracle  at  Delphi ;  the  Pythia  called 
him  for  the  first  time  Heracles  (Her- 
cules), for  his  name  had  hitherto  been 
Alcides  or  Alcaeus,  and  ordered  him  to 
live  at  Tiryns  and  do  as  he  was  bid  by 
Eurystheus.  Eurystheus  commanded 
him  to  perform  twelve  feats,  which  are 
known  as  "the  twelve  labours  of  Her- 
cules," and  proverbial  for  their  diffi- 
culty. Ado.  II,  1,  880.  These  labours 
were  as  follows : 

1.  The  fight  with  the  Nemean  lion. 
This  lion  was  brought  up  by  Juno  ;  it 
was  a  monstrous  animal,  and  after 
using  his  club  and  arrows  in  vain  the 
hero  seized  it  with  his  hands  and 
strangled  it.  He  carried  the  dead  lion 
on  his  shoulders  and  presented  it  to 
Eurystheus,  but  the  latter  was  so  fright- 
ened at  the  gigantic  strength  of  the 
hero  that  he  ordered  him  in  future  to 
deliver  the  account  of  his  exploits  out- 
side the  town. 

2.  The  destruction  of  the  Lernaean 
hydra.  Like  the  lion,  this  monster  was 
brought  up  by  Juno  and  ravaged  the 
country  of  Lerna,  near  Argos.  It  had 
nine  heads,  the  middle  one  being  im- 
mortal. Hercules  struck  ofT  its  heads 
with  his  club,  but  in  place  of  the  head 
he  struck  off  two  new  ones  grew  forth 
each  time.  A  gigantic  crab  also  came 
to  the  assistance  of  the  hydra  and 
wounded  Hercules.  But  with  the  as- 
sistance of  his  faithful  servant,  lolaus, 
he  burned  away  the  mortal  heads  and 
buried  the  immortal  one  under  a  huge 
rock.  He  then  dipped  his  arrows  in 
the  gall  of  the  monster,  and  this  made 
the  wounds  inflicted  by  them  incurable. 

3.  The  capture  of  the  Arcadian 
stag.    This  ftuimal  had  golden  autleri? 


and  brazen  feet.  Hercules  pursued  it 
for  a  whole  year,  and  finally  wounded 
it  with  an  arrow  and  carried  it  away 
on  his  shoulders. 

4.  The  capture  of  the  Erymanthian 
boar.  Hercules  was  ordered  to  bring 
this  animal  alive  to  Eurystheus;  he 
chased  it  through  the  snow,  tired  it  out 
and  caught  it  in  a  net. 

5.  His  fifth  task  was  the  cleansing  of 
the  stables  of  Augeas,  King  of  Elis. 
These  stalls  had  not  been  cleansed  in 
thirty  years,  though  three  thousand 
oxen  were  kept  in  them.  Hercules 
turned  the  rivers  Alpheus  and  Peneus 
through  them  and  cleansed  them  in  a 
single  day. 

6.  The  destruction  of  the  Stymphalian 
birds.  These  voracious  creatures  had 
been  brought  up  by  Mars;  they  had 
brazen  claws,  wings  and  beaks,  and 
used  their  feathers  for  arrows.  By 
means  of  a  brazen  rattle  furnished  by 
Minerva,  Hercules  startled  the  birds, 
and  when  they  attempted  to  fly  away 
he  shot  them  with  his  arrows. 

7.  Capture  of  the  Cretan  bull.  Ac- 
cording to  some,  this  bull  was  the  one 
which  had  carried  Europa  across  the 
sea.  Hercules  ca  ught  it  and  brought  it 
home  on  his  shoulders. 

8.  The  capture  of  the  mares  of  the 
Thracian,  Diomedes.  These  animals 
were  fed  on  human  flesh  and  were  very 
savage.  Hercules  slew  Diomedes  and 
fed  his  flesh  to  these  mares,  after  which 
they  became  quite  tame. 

9.  Seizure  of  the  girdle  of  the  Queen 
of  the  Amazons.  Some  traditions  say 
that  he  slew  Hippolyta  and  carried  off 
the  girdle,  but  this  does  not  seem  to 
accord  with  the  account  given  under 
Theseus,  q.  v. 

10.  The  capture  of  the  oxen  of  Ger- 
yones. 

11.  Fetching  the  golden  apples  of 
the  Hesperides.  Being  unable  to  find 
them  himself,  by  the  advice  of  Pro- 
metheus he  sent  Atlas  to  fetch  them, 
and  in  the  meantime  bore  the  weight  of 
heftvew  for  him,    See  Hmi,  II,  2,  §78* 


HEE 


413 


IFG 


12.  Bringing  Cerberus  from  the  lower 
world.  This  was  the  most  difficult  of 
all  his  tasks,  and  he  accomplished  it 
only  through  the  assistance  of  Mercury 
and  Minerva. 

For  other  allusions  to  Hercules  see 
Deiayiira  and  Lichas. 

hereby.  When  Jaquenetta  says,  ThaVs 
hereby  (LLL.  I,  2,  141),  she  means,  that 
is  as  it  may  happen ;  Armado  takes  it 
in  the  sense  of  just  by  or  near  by.  It 
has  this  latter  sense  in  this  play,  IV,  1, 
9.  In  RIII.  I,  4,  94,  it  has  the  sense  of 
' '  by  this. ' '  These  are  the  only  passages 
in  which  the  word  occurs  in  the  plays. 

Hero.  The  priestess  of  Venus  with  whom 
Leander  was  in  love.     See  Leander. 

The  Helen  mentioned  in  Mids.  V,  1, 
199,  is  probably  intended  for  Hero,  but 
in  the  speeches  of  these  plaj^ers  the 
names  and  facts  are  so  confused  that 
it  would  be  a  vain  task  to  try  to 
straighten  them  out. 

Hesperus.    See  Lucifer  and  unfold. 

Hobgoblin.  This  name  is  equivalent  to 
Robin  the  Goblin,  i.e.,  Robin  Good- 
fellow.    See  Puck. 

hog.    See  wolf. 

horn.  Aubrey,  in  his  "  Natural  History 
of  Wiltshire  "  (1656),  tells  us  that  "Bed- 
lam beggars  wore  about  their  necks  a 
great  home  of  an  ox  in  a  string  or 
bawdrie,  which,  when  they  came  to  an 
house  for  almes  they  did  wind,  and  they 
did  put  the  drink  given  them  into  this 
home  whereto  they  did  put  a  stopple." 
This  explains  Edgar's  allusion  in  Lr. 
Ill,  6,  79. 

horologe.  On  page  138  {ante}  a  double 
set  of  the  horologe  is  said  to  be  twenty- 
four  hours,  but  Halpin,  in  his  "Drama- 
tic Unities,"  p.  18,  says  that  the  Italian 
horologe  had  twenty-four  hours  upon 
its  dial-plate;  this  would  make  the 
double  set  equal  to  forty-eight  hours. 
Twenty-four  hours  is  not  a  long  period 
to  keep  awake ;  forty-eight  hours  would 
be  notable. 

humour.  As  this  word  has  in  Sh.  a  sense 
different  from  that  in  which  we  now 
use  it,  we  add  to  the  definitions  pre- 


viously given  the  following  note  from 
Trench's  "Select  Glossary":  "The 
four  '  humours '  in  a  man,  according  to 
the  old  physicians,  were  blood,  choler, 
phlegm,  and  melancholy.  So  long  as 
these  were  duly  mixed,  all  would  be 
well.  But  so  soon  as  any  of  them  un- 
duly preponderated,  the  man  became 
'  humourous,'  one  '  humour '  or  another 
bearing  too  great  a  sway  in  him.  As 
such,  his  conduct  would  not  be  according 
to  the  received  rule  of  other  men,  but 
have  something  peculiar,  whimsical, 
self-willed  in  it.  In  this  self-asserting 
character  of  the  '  humourous '  man  lay 
the  point  of  contact,  the  middle  term, 
between  the  modern  use  of  '  humour ' 
and  the  ancient.  It  was  his  humour 
which  would  lead  a  man  to  take  an 
original  view  and  aspect  of  things,  a 
'humourous'  aspect,  first  in  the  old 
sense,  and  then  in  that  which  we  now 
employ."  As.  I,  2,  278. 
Hyperion.  By  this  name  Sh.  always 
means  either  the  sun  or  Apollo.  HV. 
IV,  1,  292 ;  Hml.  I,  2,  140. 


ICARUS.  The  son  of  Daedalus.  He  was 
drowned  in  the  Icarian  Sea,  which 
was  named  after  him.     See  Daedalus. 

ice,  hot.    See  snow. 

idle.    Weak ;  foolish.     Lr.  I,  3,  16. 

lUyria.  Douce  suggests  that  there  is  a 
play  on  Illyria  and  Elysium  in  Tw.  I, 
2,  2.  That  the  name  Illyria  may  have 
suggested  Elysium  to  Viola  is  more  than 
probable,  but  there  does  not  seem  to  be 
much  room  for  a  play  on  the  words, 
and  Viola  certainly  was  not  in  a  punning 
mood. 

impone.  Osric's  affected  way  of  pro- 
nouncing impawn.     Hml.  V,  2,  155. 

impair.    Unworthy ;    unsuitable.     Troil. 

IV,  5, 103.  This  being  the  only  instance 
of  the  use  of  the  word,  Johnson  suggested 
impure,  which  was  adopted  by  Dyce. 

inform.    To  give  form  or  shape.    Mcb. 

II,  1,  48. 
ingenious.   Quick  in  apprehension.   Hml. 

V,  1,  271 ;  Lr.  IV,  6,  287. 


INK 


414 


JAS 


ink,  license  of.  This  expression,  as  it 
occurs  in  Tw.  Ill,  2,  48,  is  thus  explained 
by  Furness :  "That  is  with  all  the  free- 
dom of  speech  which  the  written  word 
allows."  May  not  the  phrase  be  thus 
paraphrased :  Taunt  him  with  a  license 
which  you  would  not  dare  to  use  if  you 
were  face  to  face  with  him  ?  Sir  Andrew 
was  a  great  coward,  and  both  he  and 
Sir  Toby  knew  it. 

Inoculate.  In  Hml.  Ill,  1,  119,  the  word 
is  evidently  used  in  the  old  horticul- 
tural sense  of  to  "bud,"  a  kind  of 
grafting  in  which  a  bud  or  eye  (oculus) 
was  used  instead  of  a  branch.  The  word 
was  in  common  use  among  the  old 
gardeners.  Bishop  Hall  has :  "  That 
Palatine  vine,  late  inoculated  with  a 
precious  bud  of  our  royal  stem." 

insinuate.  To  suggest ;  to  thrust  in.  It 
insinuateth  me  of  insanie  (LLL.  V,  1, 
27),  evidently  means :  it  maketh  me 
mad.  Holof  ernes  explains  it  in  the  next 
line  as,  to  make  frantic,  lunatic.  The 
expression  has  given  occasion  for  con- 
siderable discussion. 

insinuation.  Thrusting  in.  Hml,  V,  2, 
59,  Their  own  insinuation  =  by  their 
having  insinuated  or  thrust  themselves 
into  the  employment,    Malone. 

inter* gatories.  Questions  ;  interroga- 
tories,    Merch.  V,  1,  298. 

In  regard  to  this  expression  Lord 
Campbell  says :  "  In  the  court  of  Queen's 
Bench,  when  a  complaint  is  made  against 
a  person  for  a  '  contempt,'  the  practice 
is  that  before  sentence  is  finally  pro- 
nounced, he  is  sent  into  the  Crown 
Office,  and  being  there  '  charged  upon 
interrogatories^''  he  is  made  to  swear 
that  he  will  '  answer '  all  things  faith- 
fully. Another  palpable  allusion  to 
English  legal  procedure." 

intendment.  Purpose ;  intention.  As.  I, 
1,  140;  Oth.  IV,  2,  208;  HV.  I,  2,  144. 

invention.  Imagination,  Ven.,  Ded.  5 ; 
LLL.  IV,  2,  129;  As,  II,  5,  49;  HV,, 
Prol.  2. 

invisible.  In  some  eds.  this  is  the  reading 
in  John  V,  7,  16.  Hanmer  changed  to 
insensible,  and  this  has  been  adopted 


by  most  of  the  eds. — Dyce,  Staunton, 
Singer,  White  and  others.  It  makes 
good  sense,  Marshall  retains  invisible, 
and  says :  "  But  may  not  invisible  be 
used  adverbially,  meaning  that  Death, 
having  preyed  upon  the  body,  passed 
unperceived  (invisible)  to  attack  the 
mind  ?  But  it  is  only  fair  to  say  that 
insensible  is  certainly  in  accordance 
with  the  first  two  lines  of  this  speech." 


JANUS.  Mentioned  twice  in  Sh.  (Merch. 
I,  1,  50,  and  Oth,  I,  2,  33),  and  both 
times  as  a  deity  to  swear  by.  Janus 
is  only  another  form  of  Dianus,  and  is 
from  the  same  root  as  dies,  day.  He 
presided  over  the  beginning  of  every- 
thing, and  was  therefore  always  invoked 
first  in  every  undertaking.  He  opened 
the  year  and  the  seasons,  and  hence  the 
first  month  (January)  is  named  after 
him.  He  was  the  guardian  deity  of 
gates,  and  is  therefore  represented  with 
two  heads  or  faces  because  every  door 
looks  two  ways.  At  Rome,  Numa  is 
said  to  have  dedicated  to  Janus  the 
covered  passage  bearing  his  name,  which 
was  opened  in  times  of  war  and  shut  in 
times  of  peace.  This  passage  is  com- 
monly, but  erroneously,  called  a  temple. 
Jason.  The  story  of  Jason  and  the 
golden  fleece,  alluded  to  in  Merch.  I, 
1,  172,  and  III,  2,  244,  is  as  follows : 
When  Phrixus,  the  son  of  the  nymph 
Nephele,  was  about  to  be  sacrificed  to 
Jove  by  the  people  of  Orchomenus,  in 
Boeotia,  Nephele  obtained  from  Mercury 
the  gift  of  a  ram  with  a  golden  fleece, 
which  can-ied  off  Phrixus  and  his  sister 
Helle  through  the  air.  Phrixus  was 
carried  safely  to  Colchis,  but  Helle  fell 
off  and  was  drowned  in  the  strait  which 
was  called  after  her,  Hellespont,  i.  e.\ 
Helle 's  sea.  The  ram  was  sacrificed  to 
Jupiter,  and  its  fleece  was  nailed  to  an 
oak  tree  and  guarded  by  a  fierce  dragon. 
Pelias,  the  uncle  of  Jason,  having  de- 
prived the  latter  of  his  right  of  suc- 
cession, wished  to  destroy  him,  and 
accordingly   sent   him    to    Colchis   to 


JEK 


415 


LAK 


obtain  the  golden  fleece.  With  the  aid 
of  Minerva  he  built  the  famous  ship, 
the  Argo,  and  sailed  for  Colchis,  which 
he  reached  in  due  time,  and  by  the  aid 
of  Medea  obtained  the  fleece.  See 
Medea. 

Associated  with  him  in  the  expedition 
was  a  band  of  heroes  known  as  the 
"  Argonauts  "  after  the  name  of  the 
ship,  and  this  name  was,  in  modern 
times,  applied  to  those  adventurers  who, 
in  1849,  set  out  for  California  to  seek 
for  gold  in  its  mines. 

Jerusalem  Chamber.  Of  this,  as  men- 
tioned in  2HIV.  V,  5,  235,  Rolfe  says : 
"  The  Jerusalem  Chamber  is  not  a  bed- 
room. The  king  is  holding  a  council 
there  when  he  swoons ;  and  when  he 
asks  to  be  taken  to  '  some  other  chamber ' 
(that  is  to  a  bedroom),  he  is  of  course 
obeyed,  and  the  scene  shifts  to  that 
chamber,  where  he  remains  until  he 
asks  to  be  borne  back  to  the  Jerusalem 
Chamber  on  account  of  the  prophecy 
concerning  his  death."  Considerable 
discussion  has  taken  place  o%er  the 
change  of  scene  in  this  part  of  this  Act, 
for  an  excellent  exposition  of  which  see 
Rolfe'sed.  of  2mV.,p.  193. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  note  that  it 
was  in  this  Chamber  that  the  Assembly 
of  Divines  met  in  1043  and,  during  the 
five  years  which  followed,  drew  up  the 
Presbyterian  "  Confession  of  Faith,"  a 
"Directory  of  Public  Worship,"  the 
"Shorter  Catechism,"  etc. 

jewel.    See  watch. 

Jezebel.  When  Sir  Andrew  calls  Mal- 
volio  Jezebel  (Tw.  II,  5, 46),  "  he  merely 
knows  this  name  as  a  term  of  re- 
proach; and  his  applying  a  woman's 
name  to  a  man  is  of  a  piece  with  his 
other  accomplishments."  C.  and  M. 
Cowden-Clarke. 

Jove.  In  most  passages  where  Jove  is 
used  as  a  form  of  oath,  as  in  Tw.  II,  5, 
107,  it  is  probable  that  God  was  the 
original  word  which  was  altered  on 
account  of  the  statute  of  James  I. 
HaUiwell.  See  Cod,  Jupiter  and 
Philemon, 


KILLINQWORTH.  An  old  form  (and 
even  now  a  local  pronunciation)  of 
Kenil worth,  i^o^/e.  2H VI.  IV,  4, 39. 
One  of  the  places  described  in  Scott's 
famous  novel  of  that  name. 

kind.    Species.    Tit.  II,  1,  116. 

kiss.  In  Sh.  time  it  was  the  custom  for 
partners  to  kiss  at  the  beginning  of 
some  dances.  Tp.  I,  2,  378.  In  HVIII. 
I,  4,  95,  the  king  says  :  /  were  un- 
tyiannerly,  to  take  you  out  and  not  to 
kiss  you. 

kitchen-vestal.    See  vestal. 

knap.  To  strike  smartly.  Lr.  II,  4,  125. 
Steevens  retains  the  rapp''d  of  the  Q., 
and  says:  "  Rapp'd  must  be  the  true 
reading,  as  the  only  sense  of  the  verb  to 
knap  is  to  snap  or  break  asunder. ' '  But 
in  Scottish  or  old  English  knap  means 
to  strike.  It  is  so  used  both  by  Allan 
Ramsay  and  Burns. 

knife,    iiee  fast  and  loose. 

knis:ht.    See  virgin. 


LABEL.    The  seal  of  a  deed.    Rom.  IV, 
1,  57 ;  RII.  V,  2,  56. 

"  The  seals  of  deeds  in  our  author's 
time  were  not  impressed  on  the  parch- 
ment itself  on  which  the  deed  was 
written,  but  were  appended  on  distinct 
slips  or  labels  affixed  to  the  deed.  Hence, 
in  King  Richard  II,  the  Duke  of  York 
discovers  a  covenant  which  his  son,  the 
Duke  of  Aumerle,  had  entered  into  by 
the  depending  seal :  What  seal  is  that 
which  hangs  without  thy  bosom f^^ 
Malone. 

Schm.  says:  "Used  for  the  deed  it- 
self," and  cites  Cym.  V,  5,  430.  But 
surely  the  label  which  Posthumus  found 
on  his  bosom  when  he  awoke  was  any- 
thing but  a  deed. 
lady-she.    See  she. 

lantern,  i  This  word  is  generally  spelt 
lanthorn.  \  lanthorne  in  the  Fl.  In 
the  g.  a.  text  this  spelling  is  retained  in 
Mids.  Ill,  1,  61,  and  V,  1,  136,  etc.,  and 
2HI V.  I,  2,  55,  because  in  these  passages 
there  is  a  quibble  upon  horn  referring 
in  Mids.  to  the  horns  of  the  moon,  and 


LAP 


416 


LIF 


In  2HIV.  to  the  horns  of  the  cuckold. 
Elsewhere,  as  in  Wiv.  V,  5,  82,  and 
2HVI.  II,  3,  25,  it  is  spelt  properly, 
lantern.  Before  glass  became  so  com- 
mon, the  manufactui-e  of  thin,  trans- 
parent plates  from  the  horns  of  the  ox 
was  extensively  carried  on,  and  in  the 
best  lanterns  such  plates  were  used  to 
protect  the  lamp  or  candle  and  yet 
allow  the  light  to  shine  through.  From 
this  fact  came  the  popular,  though 
erroneous,  etymology  of  the  word  and 
the  consequent  spelling,  lanthorn. 
lapsed.  The  meanings  ordinarily  given 
to  this  word  (e.  g.,  as  it  occurs  in  Hiul. 
Ill,  4,  107),  do  not  make  sense  in  Tw. 
Ill,  3,  36,  and  Hunter  therefore  pro- 
posed to  substitute  latched^  a  word 
which  has  the  meaning  of  caught,  in 
several  passages,  e.g.,  Sonn.  CXIII,  6, 
and  Mcb.  IV,  3,  195.  Schm.  makes 
lapsed  =  "surprised,  taken  in  the  act " 
both  in  Tw.  and  Hml.,  but  by  this,  as 
Furness  says,  "  the  passage  in  Ha^nlet, 

*  who  lapsed  in  fume  [sic\  *  and  passion  ' 
is  altogether  misinterpreted."  Lapsed 
usually  signifies  fallen,  and  although 
the  mode  of  expression  is  unusual  and 
probably  unique,  we  might,  perhaps, 
thus  paraphrase  Antonio's  saying  :  If  I 
should  fall  into  their  power. 

lard.    1.    To  fatten.     Tim.  IV,  3,  12. 

2.  To  baste,  as  grease  is  applied  to  meat 
during  the  process  of  roasting.  IHIV. 
II,  2,  116. 

3.  To  stuff.     Hml.  IV,  5,  37. 

The  word  as  it  occurs  in  HV.  IV,  6, 
8,  has  been  explained  as  enriching  and 
also  as  garnishing.  Either  definition 
makes  good  sense,  and  the  word  has 
both  meanings  in  Sh. 

lay-by.  Stand  still.  IHIV.  I,  2,  40; 
HVIIL  III,  1,  11. 

Learning.  The  passage  in  Mids.  V,  1,  52, 
The  thrice  three  Muses  mourning  for 

*  This  word  is  time  in  the  Fl.  and  the  g.  a. 

text.  CoUier'sMS.  suggested /wme,  but 
Furness  rejected  it  in  his  text,  and  in 
his  notes  gave  strong  reasons  for  so 
doing.  He  has  adopted  it  in  his  quota- 
tion.   See  his  ed.  of  Tw.,  p.  313. 


the  death  Of  Learning,  late  deceased 
in  beggary,  has  been  supposed  by  Knight 
to  refer  to  the  death  of  Greene,  which 
took  place  in  1593,  in  great  poverty  and 
misery.  Greene  took  great  pride  in  the 
fact  that  he  was  a  graduate  of  the 
University,  and  the  following  tjvo  lines: 
This  is  some  Satire keene  andcriticall, 
agree  very  well  with  the  fact  that  Sh. 
had  no  good  reason  to  either  respect  or 
love  him. 

Warton  thought  that  it  referred  to 
Spenser's  Tears  of  the  Muses,  but  the 
entire  passage  does  not  sustain  this  idea. 
Rolfe  seems  to  think  that  it  is  nothing 
more  than  an  allusion  to  the  general 
neglect  of  learning  in  that  day. 

leek.  The  national  plant  of  the  Welsh, 
who  wear  a  leek  on  St.  David's  day 
(the  first  of  March)  in  honor  of  their 
patron  saint.  Much  doubt  exists  as  to 
the  origin  of  this  custom.  According 
to  the  Welsh,  it  is  because  St.  David 
ordered  his  Britons  to  place  leeks  in 
their  caps  that  they  might  be  distin- 
guished in  fight  from  their  Saxon  foes. 
Sh.  in  HV.  IV,  7,  101,  et  seq.,  puts  in 
the  mouth  of  Fluellen  another  explana- 
tion. Dr.  Owen  Pughe  supposes  the 
custom  arose  from  the  practice  of  every 
farmer  contributing  his  leek  to  the 
common  repast  when  they  met  at  Cym- 
mortha,  an  association  by  which  they 
reciprocated  assistance  in  ploughing 
the  land.     Dyer. 

let-alone.  The  power  of  preventing  it, 
of  saying  "  Do  it  not."  Craig.  Lr.  V, 
3,  79. 

lieutenantry.  Substitution.  Dealt  on 
Lieutenantry  =  fought  by  proxy.  The 
etymological  or  radical  meaning  of  the 
word.     Ant.  Ill,  11,  39. 

life.  The  phrase,  a  song  of  good  life,  as 
it  occurs  in  Tw.  II,  3,  37,  is  explained 
by  Malone,  Schm.  and  some  others 
as  a  good  course  or  manner  of  living. 
Steevens  thought  it  meant  "harmless 
mirth  and  jollity. ' '  Furness  thinks  that 
the  clown  knew  his  company  too  well 
to  propose  a  song  of  a  moral  turn,  and 
that  Steevens  has  given  the  right  defln- 


LIN 


417 


MAL 


ition,  the  "harmless"  being  possibly 
omitted.  Foi-  the  expression  good  life, 
as  it  occurs  in  Tp.  Ill,  3,  8,  see  observa- 
tion. 

linger.  To  delay ;  to  protract ;  to  put 
off.    Mids.  I,  1,  4;  RII.  II,  2,  72. 

lion.    See  wolf. 

lion-fell.  A  lion's  skin.  Mids.  V,  1,  227. 
Field  suggested  lion^s  fell  or  lion-fell. 
Furness  makes  this  comment:  "Field's 
high  deserving  lies  in  his  discerning 
that  '  fell '  is  a  noun  and  not  an  adjec- 
tive; and  that  by  this  interpretation 
point  is  given  to  'lion's  dam,'  For 
Snug  to  say  that  he  is  '  neither  a  lion 
nor  a  lioness  '  is  to  me  pointless,  but  all 
is  changed  if  we  suppose  him  to  say  that 
he  is  a  lion's  skin,  and  only  because,  as 
such,  he  encloses  a  lion,  can  he  be  a 
lioness."  The  objection  to  this,  in  my 
mind,  is  that  the  idea  is  too  subtle  to  be 
put  into  the  mouth  of  a  "patch"  like 
Snug,  and  Sh.  generally  adapts  the 
language  of  his  characters  to  their 
personalities.  Daniel  conjectures  the 
foUovping :  '•  I  am  Snug  the  joiner  in  A 
lion-fell  or  else  a  lion's  skin."  Rowe 
read  No  lion  for  A  lion.  It  veould  not 
be  a  great  stretch  to  paraphrase  Snug's 
words  thus:  "I,  one  Snug  the  joiner, 
am  merely  a  lion's  skin,  not  even  a 
lioness. ;'  The  words  lion  and  fell  are 
not  hyphenated  in  the  Fl.  The  hyphen 
has  been  adoped  in  the  Globe  and  most 
modern  eus. 

lion-sick.  Sick  of  proud  heart.  Troil. 
II,  3,  93. 

live.    See  die. 

loam.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  the  Fl. 
in  Mids.  V,  1,  162,  was  changed  to  lime 
in  3rd  Var.,  after  a  conjectural  emend- 
ation by  Capell.  Lime  is  probably  the 
correct  reading,  as  that  material,  and 
not  loam,,  forms  an  ingredient  in  rough- 
cast. A  very  little  loam  would  spoil 
the  rough-cast. 

loathly.    Loathingly.    Lr.  II,  1,  52. 

Lord.  The  expression  for  the  Lord^s 
sake  was  the  supplication  of  imprisoned 
debtors  to  the  passers-by.  Meas.  IV,  3, 
21. 


lost.  For  this  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Rom. 
I,  1,  203,  Allen  would  read  left,  and 
Dowden  is  much  inclined  to  believe  that 
this  is  the  true  reading. 

love.  In  Rom.  Ill,  1,  63,  the  Fl,  reads  : 
Romeo  the  love  I  bear  thee.  In  the  Ql. 
the  reading  is  the  hate,  and  this  word 
has  been  adopted  by  most  eds.  in  place 
of  love.  The  use  of  love  indicates  irony, 
and  as  Dowden  says,  Tybalt  is  not 
given  to  irony. 


MADDED.  Made  mad  ;  driven  insane. 
Sh.  does  not  use  maddened.  Lr. 
IV,  2,  43. 

made.  The  expression  in  Wiv.  II,  1,  244, 
What  they  made  there,  is  equivalent  to 
what  they  were  doing  there.  See  also 
Rom.  V,  3,  280. 

magic.    See  verses. 

maid.  As  it  occurs  in  Rom.  II,  2,  6, 
refers  to  Juliet  as  "a  votary  of  the 
virgin  Diana. "    Dowden. 

make.  A  mate;  a  partner.  Lr.  IV,  3, 
36.  It  is  one  self  mate  and  make  in 
Ql. ;  mate  and  mate  in  Q2.  and  Q3. 
Omitted  from  Fl.  The  "Cambridge," 
"Globe"  and  most  eds.  follow  the  Q2. 
andQ3.  The  "Oxford,"  the  "Dowden" 
and  some  others  follow  the  QL,  which 
to  me  seems  altogether  the  most  Shake- 
spearean. "Make"  or  "maik"  is  a 
well-known  Scotch  and  old  English 
word  found  in  Chaucer  in  the  same 
sense,  and  quite  common  in  old  Scottish 
poetry.  The  use  of  the  word  in  this 
passage  avoids  tautology  and  is  far 
more  expressive.     See  makeless. 

mallet.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  2HIV. 
II,  4,  263,  there^s  no  more  conceit  in 
him  than  is  in  a  mallet,  does  not  seem 
to  afford  such  a  striking  comparison  as 
Sh.  usually  puts  into  the  mouth  of 
Falstaff.  If  Sh.  had  sought  some  in- 
animate object  as  an  illustration  of 
stupidity  and  lack  of  conceit,  he  cer- 
tainly could  have  found  something  more 
appropriate  than  that  tool  which  is  the 
symbol  of  handicraft  and  the  repre- 
sentative of  activity,  work  and  progress, 


HAH 


418 


MIM 


as  seeu  in  the  common  sign  of  the 
mechanic's  arm  and  hammer  or  mallet. 
It  is  more  than  probable  that  Sh.  com- 
pared Poins  to  some  stupid  animal,  and 
that  the  word  he  used  was  mullet,  the 
name  of  a  dull,  mud-loving  fish,  and 
the  very  emblem  of  an  unimaginative, 
witless  fellow.  Three  lines  below,  Fal- 
staff  speaks  of  another  fish,  the  conger 
eel.  It  is  true  that  mullet  occurs  no- 
where else  in  Sh.,  but  then  neither  does 
mallet. 

The  only  suggestion  of  a  new  reading 
that  I  can  find  is  that  by  Schm.,  who 
proposes  "mallard  " ;  but  this  certainly 
could  not  have  been  the  word.  The 
mallard,  as  Sh.  very  well  knew,  is  one 
of  the  most  wide-awake,  cunning  and 
intelligent  birds  known  to  sportsmen, 
and  one  not  at  all  devoid  of  conceit, 
which,  according  to  Schm.  and  others, 
signifies  "mental  faculty,  comprising 
the  understanding  as  well  as  the  imagin- 
ation." 

manage.    1.  The  training  of  a  horse  to 

obey  the  hand  and  voice.   As.  I,  1,  13. 

2.  The  management  or  government  of  a 

horse.     RII.  Ill,  3,  179 ;  IHI V.  II,  3, 52. 

marish.    See  nourish. 

marriage  ceremonies.  See  hair  and 
wine. 

martial  hand.  Probably  a  bold,  free 
hand  with  large  letters.  Tw.  Ill,  2, 45. 
Johnson  defines  it  as  "a  careless  scrawl, 
such  as  showed  the  writer  to  neglect 
ceremony."  Furness  says:  "Possibly 
it  may  mean  with  heavy-faced,  aggres- 
sive flourishes." 

Martin,  Saint.    See  summer. 

maugre.  In  spite  of.  Tw.  Ill,  1,  163  ; 
Lr.  V,  3, 131. 

me.  In  the  following  passage :  A  good 
sherris-sack  hath  a  twofold  operation 
in  it.  It  ascends  me  into  the  brain; 
dries  me  thet-e  all  the  foolish  ayid  dull 
and  crudy  vapours  which  environ  it. 
*  *  ♦  The  second  property  of  your 
excellent  sherris  is  *  *  *  and  then 
the  vital  commoners  and  inland  petty 
spirits  m^uster  me  all  to  their  captain. 
SHIV.  IV,  3,  103,  et  seq.    Also  Hml. 


II,  1, 7 :  Inquire  me  first  what  Danskers 
are  in  Paris.  The  me  and  you  in  these 
passages  are  what  is  known  as  the 
"ethical  dative,"  which  is  defined  as 
"  the  dative  of  a  first  or  second  personal 
pronoun,  implying  a  degree  of  interest 
in  the  person  si>eaking  or  the  person 
addressed  used  colloquially  to  give  a 
lively  or  familiar  tone  to  the  sentence." 
Cent.  Diet.  See  your. 
meet.  Fit  for ;  equal  to.  Ado.  I,  1,  47, 
/te'Z^  be  meet  with  you  =  he'll  be  a 
match  for  you. 
mellow.    Ripe;  fit  to  be  disclosed.    Tw. 

I,  2,  43. 
merchant.  See  royal  merchant. 
Merlin.  This  famous  wizard  and  prophet 
is  referred  to  twice  in  the  plays — IHIV. 
Ill,  1,  150,  and  Lr.  Ill,  2,  95.  There 
seems  to  have  been  two  of  this  name, 
but  the  one  generally  meant  is  the  hero 
of  the  Arthurian  romances.  He  is  said 
to  have  been  of  miraculous  birth  and  to 
have  been  an  adept  in  magic.  He  fell 
under  the  wiles  of  an  enchantress  and 
lies  sleeping  in  some  dark  tangled  wood, 
guarded  by  magic  from  all  intrusion. 
Amongst  other  famous  deeds.  Merlin  is 
said  to  have  instituted  the  Round  Table 
at  Carduel.  In  the  days  preceding  Sh. 
all  this  was  firmly  believed.  Tennyson, 
in  his  "  Idylls  of  the  King,"  gives  an 
account  of  Merlin  and  the  enchantress, 
Vivien.  The  prophecies  attributed  to 
him  were  written  by  H6lie  de  Borron 
about  the  year  1200. 
Merry  Tales,  The  Hundred.  See  tales. 
metheglin.     A  drink  made  of  a  solution 

of  honey,  fermented.     Wiv.  V,  5,  168. 
mettle  or  metal  of  India,    ^ee  nettle. 
Milan.     As  it  occurs  in  Tp.  V,  1,  8,  the 
word    means    Duke    of    Milan.     So  in 
Hml.   I,  2,  44 :    You  cannot  speak  of 
reason  to  the  Dane,  i.e.,  to  the  King 
of  Denmark. 
mimic.    An  actor;  a  player.    Mids.  Ill, 
2,  19. 

Various  emendations  of  this  word 
have  been  given.  Johnson  thought  it 
a  mere  term  of  contempt ;  Ritson  read 
mammockt  which  he  says  "signifies  a 


HIN 


419 


NOB 


huge  misshapen  thing."  But  Malone 
pointed  out  that  mirmnick  is  used  as 
synonymous  to  actor  in  Decker's  "  Guls 
Hornebooke;"  and  Wright  quotes  from 
Herrick's  The  Wake  (II,  63) : 

Morris-dancers  thou  shalt  see, 
Marian  too  in  Pagentrie  : 
And  a  Mimiek  to  devise, 
Many  grinning  properties. 
"Minnick  "  in  the  Ql. ;  "Minnock  "  in 
the  Q2  ;  "  Mimmick  "  in  the  first  three 
Folios. 

mine.    See  wren. 

misuse.  To  deceive.  Ado.  II,  2,  28.  cf. 
abuse. 

mock> water.    See  muck-water. 

mole.    A  blemish.     Hml.  I,  4,  2i. 

monarch.    See  north. 

mongrel.  In  Troil.  II,  1,  14,  Thersites 
calls  Ajax  a  "mongrel,"  probably  be- 
cause his  father,  Telamon,  was  a  Greek, 
and  his  mother,  Hesione,  a  Trojan,  cf. 
same  play,  IV,  5,  120.     See  Ajax. 

moon.    Beeplantage. 

moral.  Moralizing ;  like  one  who  utters 
*'  wise  saws."    Lr.  IV,  2,  58. 

moralize.  To  expound;  to  interpret.  As. 
II,  1, 44 ;  Shr.  IV,  4,  8 1 ;  RIII.  Ill,  1,  83. 

mortifying.  Killing.  Ado.  1, 8, 13 ;  Merch. 
I,  1,  82.  Frequently  used  by  Sh.  in  the 
literal  or  etymological  sense. 

murderer.  Two  murderers  appear  in 
RIII.  as  dr. p.,  and  three  in  Mcb.  A 
question  has  arisen  as  to  who  the  third 
murderer  in  Mcb.  was.  Some  think 
that  it  was  Macbeth  himself ;  others 
claim  that  it  was  merely  a  messenger 
sent  to  inform  them  in  regard  to  Ban- 
quo's  movements.  Johnson,  in  his  note 
on  line  130,  says  that  he  was  "the 
perfect  spy  o'  the  time."    See  spy. 

music,  broken.  "  Some  instruments,  such 
as  viols,  violins,  flutes,  etc.,  were  for- 
merly made  in  sets  of  four,  which  when 
played  together  formed  a  '  consort. '  If 
one  or  more  of  the  instruments  of  one 
set  were  substituted  for  the  correspond- 
ing ones  of  another  set  the  result 
was  no  longer  a  consort  but  broken 
music."  Jephson.  As.  I,  2,  150;  HV. 
V,  2,  263. 


mussel  -  shell.    Open-mouth.     VViv.   IV, 

5,29. 

mustachio.  In  the  Fl.  this  word,  in 
IHIV.  II,  1,  83,  is  hyphenated  with  the 
two  following,  thus,  mustachio-jnirple- 
huecl,  hence  some  have  interpreted  it 
as  ="  ale-topers  ;  those  who  dip  their 
mustachios  so  deeply  and  perpetually  in 
liquor  as  to  stain  them  purple  red. ' '  This 
is  doubtful.  Mustachios,  curled  up  at  the 
ends,  have  always  been  a  characteristic 
of  bravado  like  fellows  who  adopted  the 
airs  of  Spanish  bandits.  I  think  the 
meaning  probably  is  fiery-faced  fellows 
with  fierce  mustachios.  Wine  might 
dye  the  hair  purple,  but  I  doubt  if  ale 
would  do  so. 

mute.  Referring  to  this  word  in  Tw.  I, 
2,  62,  Schm.  gives  this  extraordinary 
explanation :  "  In  Turkey,  a  dumb  officer 
acting  as  executioner."  Upon  which 
Furness  very  properly  remarks  :  "  It  is 
not  easy  to  see  the  appropriateness  of 
such  an  officer  on  the  present  occasion. " 
Deighton  suggests  that  the  word  eunuch 
in  Viola's  speech  brings  to  the  captain's 
mind  the  mutes  of  the  eastern  courts. 
This  is  very  probable,  because  Viola  had 
just  requested  his  silence  as  to  her  true 
condition.  That  Sh.  sometimes  con- 
nected the  "mutes"  with  the  Turkish 
court  and  harem  is  seen  in  HV.  I,  2, 232. 

mutually.  In  Wiv.  V,  5,  103,  and  Cor. 
I,  1,  106,  this  word  evidently  means  all 
together,  and  does  not  involve  the  idea 
of  reciprocity,  which  is  the  prominent 
element  in  its  meaning  at  present. 


NEIF.    The  hand  or,  rather,  fist.    This 
word  in  2HIV.  II,  4,  200,  gives  rise 
to  half  a  page  of  comment  in  the 
3rd  Var.    It  is  a  common  Scotch  word. 
The  expression,  "a  neiv-fu'  "  is  a  com- 
mon Scotch  synonym  for  a  handful. 
night.    See  vast. 
nine.    See  wren. 
Nine  Worthies.    See  Worthies. 
Nob.     A    familiar   and   somewhat    con- 
temptuous form  of  Robert.     I  would 
not  be  Sir  Nob  =  I  would  not  be  Sir 


NOO 


420 


OUT 


Robert,  i.e.,  his  brother.  John  I, 
1,  147. 

noon.  The  expression,  Fll  go  to  bed  at 
noon  (Lr.  Ill,  6,  92),  is  not  unusual  in 
the  Elizabethan  drama.  It  was  used  to 
signify  easy-going  idleness.  Some  have 
thought  that  the  fool  prophecies  his 
own  early  death,  but  there  seems  to  be 
no  ground  for  this. 

note.  Memorandum ;  list.  Wint.  IV,  3, 49. 

notorious.  Egregious  ;  great.  Tw.  V, 
1,  337. 

notoriously.  Excessively  ;  egregiously. 
Tw.  V,  1,  388. 

nursery.  Attendance;  nursing.  Lr.  I, 
1,  126. 


OB.    An    abbreviation    of    obolus — a 
halfpenny.     IHIV.  II,  4,  590.     The 
obolus  was  the  smallest  Greek  coin 
and  was  the  silver  piece  placed  in  the 
mouth  of  each  corpse  when  properly 
prepared  for  burial.     See  Charon. 

o'er  looked.  Marshall  explains  this  word, 
as  it  occurs  in  John  V,  4,  5.5,  as  "  over- 
borne," but  a  nearer  synonym  would 
probably  be  "risen  above."  cf.  Hml. 
IV,  5,  99 — the  ocean  overpeering  of  his 
list. 

old  man.  Sir  Andrew's  expression  in 
Tw.  I,  3,  126 :  and  yet  I  ivill  not 
compare  with  an  old  man,  has  not 
been  very  clearly  explained.  Theobald 
changed  old  man  to  nobleman,  but  this 
does  not  seem  to  mend  matters.  The 
Clarkes  explain  it  thus  :  "  We  take  its 
signification  to  be,  that  the  knight,  by 
the  terra  '  an  old  man,'  means  '  a  man 
of  experience,"  just  as  he  has  before 
deferred  to  his  '  betters  ' ;  while  the  use 
of  the  word  'old'  gives  precisely  that 
absurd  effect  of  refraining  from  com- 
peting in  dancing,  fencing,  etc.,  with 
exactly  the  antagonist  incapacitated  by 
age,  over  whom  even  Sir  Andrew  might 
hope  to  prove  his  superiority."  The 
contest,  however,  was  not  about  "danc- 
ing and  fencing,"  but  about  "masks 
and  revels,"  and  in  these  Sir  Andrew 
might  be  at  a  disadvantage  with  a  man 


of  greater  experience  than  himself,  even 
though  his  antagonist  should  be  physic- 
ally less  active. 

It  is  sometimes  a  fruitless  task  to  try 
to  make  sense  out  of  the  foolish  knight's 
"  maunderings,"  but  as  a  last  desperate 
attempt  to  extract  sense  out  of  what 
may  be  mere   nonsense,   it  might    be 
suggested  that  "compare"  here  may  be 
a  form    of  "compear,"  and  that  Sir 
Andrew  means  that  he  would  not  ap- 
pear in  a  mask  with  an  old  man. 
olive.    See  three-nooked. 
one-trunk-inheriting.    "Possessing  but 
one  trunk,  one  coffer  of    effects.     To 
inherit    has    frequently    the    sense    to 
possess  in  Sh.     See  Tp.  II,  2,  179.     Here 
it  might  have  the  ordinary  meaning." 
Craig.     Lr.  II,  2,  20. 
opinion.    Reputation.    Merch.  I,  1,  91. 
orbs.    As  it  occurs  in  Mids.  II,  1,  9,  is 
generally  supposed  to  refer  to  the  ' '  fairy 
rings"  sometimes  found  in  meadows. 
See    ringlets.     Bell   thinks    the    fairy 
means  that  she  gathers  dew  to  wash  the 
eyes  of  the  queen,  Maydew  being  sup- 
posed to  be  a  wonderful  preserver  of 
beauty. 
orchard.    See  wort,  (2). 
Orion.    A  misprint  for  Arion  in  Tw.  I, 
2,  15,  occurs  in  the  Fl.  and  has  been 
copied  in  some  eds.     See  Arion. 
orphan    heirs.    This   expression,    which 
occurs  in  Wiv.  V,  5,  43,  was  changed 
by  Theobald  to  oup hen  heirs,  that  is, 
fairy  or  goblin  heirs.     But,  as  explained 
by  the  Cowden-Clarkes,  the  reading  of 
the  Fl.  makes  very  good  sense.     They 
explain  it  as :  "  Beings  created  orphans 
by  fate;  in  allusion  to  supposed  spon- 
taneous and  unnatural  births,  such  as 
Merlin's  and  others  of  his  stamp,  holding 
place  in  popular  superstition,  who  were  . 
believed  to  have    been    born  without 
fathers. ' '    See  unfathered. 
ouphen.     See  orphan  heirs. 
outlaw'd.    The  phrase  outlawed  from  my 
blood  (Lr.  Ill,  4, 172),  means  condemned 
to  outlawry  (loss  of  estate,  etc.)  through 
corruption  of  the  blood.     Those  subject 
to   attainder  (stain   or    corruption   of 


PAN 


421 


PLTJ 


the  blood)  formerly  suffered  such  loss. 

Craig,     cf.  IHVI.  Ill,  1,  159. 
overture.    See  coverture. 
owe.    S>eefall. 


PANDION.  King  of  Athens  and  the 
father  of  Procne  and  Philomela. 
Pilgr.  395.  In  return  for  assistance 
in  a  war  against  Labdacus,  King  of 
Thebes,  be  gave  his  daughter,  Philomela, 
to  Tereus,  in  marriage.  See  Philomela. 
parts.  Of  this  word,  as  it  occurs  in  0th. 
I,  2,  31,  Furness  says:  "Schmidt  and 
Rolfe  agree  in  interpreting  this  as 
merits.  It  seems  to  me  that  it  is  rather 
the  endowments  of  nature,  his  natural 
gifts,  like  '  3'^our  sum  of  parts '  in  Hml. 
IV,  7,  74."  See  parted,  (1). 
pash.  The  head.  The  comments  on  this 
word,  as  it  occurs  in  Wint.  I,  2,  128,  fill 
a  page  in  the  3rd  Var.  Malone's  note 
is  worth  reproducing.  He  says :  "I 
have  lately  learned  that  pash  in  Scot- 
land signifies  a  head.  The  old  reading, 
therefore,  may  stand.  Many  words  that 
are  now  used  only  in  that  country,  were 
perhaps  once  common  to  the  whole 
island  of  Great  Britain,  or  at  least  to 
the  northern  part  of  England.  The 
meaning,  therefore,  of  the  present  pass- 
age, I  suppose,  is  this :  '  You  tell  me 
(says  Leontes  to  his  son),  that  you  are 
like  me;  that  you  are  my  calf.  I  am 
the  horned  bull ;  thou  wantest  the 
rough  head  and  the  horns  of  that 
animal,  completely  to  resemble  your 
father.'" 

The  word  pash,  meaning  head,  is 
quite  common  in  Scottish  poetry.  Kara- 
say,  in  his  letter  to  Arbucklo  (January, 
1719),  referring  to  his  occupations  of 
poet,  bookseller  and  wigmaker,  says  : 

I  theek  [thatch]  the  out  an'  line  the 
inside 

O'  mony  a  douse  an'  witty  pash 

An'  baith  ways  gather  in  the  cash. 
See  ante,  under  shoots. 
pass  of  pate.   Sally  of  wit.    Tp.  IV,  1,344. 
passion.      The   expression,    masters    of 
passion  (March.  IV,  1,  51)  =  agencies 


(such  as  Shy  lock  has  been  speaking  of) 
that  move  either  the  sympathy  or  anti- 
pathy of  any  man.  Passion  is  used  in 
the  original  sense  ot  feeling  or  emotion, 
cf.  Caes.  I,  2,  48,  /  have  much  mistook 
your  passion,  etc.  Rolfe.  See  affec- 
tion. The  Globe,  Cambridge  and  some 
other  eds.  follow  Capell  and  read  mis- 
press of  passion. 
perfumer.    What   we   would    now   call 

a  fumigator.     Ado.  I,  3,  60. 
physician.    See  precisian. 
pig.    A  young  pig  dressed  whole  and  with 
a  lemon  stuck  in  its  gaping  mouth  was 
frequently  served  at  table.    Merch.  IV, 
1,47. 
Pigmies.    See  Pygmies. 
plummet.    A   leaden  weight  (from  the 
lusitm, plumbum,  lead).     Tp.  Ill,  3,  101, 
and  V,  1,  56  ;  Wiv.  V,  5,  173. 

The  word  is  sometimes  erroneously 
applied  to  the  line  to  which  the  plummet 
is  usually  attached.  Cotgrave  has: 
"Plombeau:  m.  A  plummet;  or  weight 
of  lead.''^  Falstaff 's  saying  in  Wiv.  V, 
5,  173,  has  given  rise  to  a  good  deal  of 
comment  and  some  curious  emendations. 
Thus  Johnson  suggested  "  has  a  plume 
o'  me,"  i.e.,  "plucks  me  and  decks 
itself  with  the  spoils  of  my  weakness"  ; 
Farmer  conjectured:  "is  a  planet  o'er 
me,"  and  there  are  others.  Tyrwhitt 
explained  the  passage  thus :  "  ignorance 
itself  is  not  so  low  as  I  am  by  the  length 
of  a  plummet-line, ' '  evidently  forgetting 
not  only  that  a  plummet-line  has  no 
definite  length,  but  that  Falstaff  is 
speaking  of  a  plummet,  and  not  a 
plummet-line.  R.  G.  White  thinks  it 
means:  "ignorance  itself  points  out 
ray  deviations  f rora  rectitude. "  Schm. : 
"  ignorance  itself  sounds  my  depth  and 
searches  my  bottom."  The  Cowden- 
Clarkes:  "ignorance  itself  can  sound 
the  depths  of  my  shallowness  in  this." 
Marshall  and  Daniel:  "I  am  at  the 
lowest  point  of  Fortune's  wheel ;  ignor- 
ance, at  the  highest,  triumphs  over 
rae";  but  what  a  plumraet  has  to  do 
with  Fortune's  wheel  is  not  so  easily 
seen.    It  seems  to  me  that  the  meaning 


POS 


m 


&08 


is  simple  and  obvious:  "  iguorauce 
itself  (the  'Welsh  flannel'  making 
*  fritters  of  English  ')  is  a  heavy  weight 
directly  over  me  and  crushing  me 
down." 

So,  in  Laws  of  Candy,  by  Beaumont 
and  Fletcher,  IV,  1,  we  find  : 

For  when  sad  thoughts  perplex  the 

mind  of  man 
There  is  a  plummet  in  the  heart  that 

weighs 
And  pulls  us,  living,  to  tho  dust  we 

came  from. 

poem.    See  scene. 

point.    The  expression  "  at  point "  means 
in  armed  readiness,  fully  equipped  or 
accoutred.     Mcb.  IV,  3,  135;   Hml.  I, 
2,  200  ;  Lr.  I,  4,  347. 
possessed.    Insane.    Tw.  Ill,  4,  9.    In 
Sh.  time  madmen  were  supposed  to  be 
possessed  of  devils.     Hence  the  mock 
exorcisms  in  Act  IV,  Sc.  2,  same  play. 
post.    See  sheriff's  post. 
prick,  V.    Under  def.  (4)  of  this  word  I 
have  suggested  that  Sh.  refers  to  the 
word  "prick- louse,"  which  is   a  cant 
name  for   a   man's  tailor.    That  this 
word  was  in  use  in  the  time  of  Sh.  is 
certain.    The  earliest  use  of  the  word, 
that  I  had  found,  was  by  Sir  Roger 
L'Estrange  (1616-1704),   but    Professor 
Dowden  has  kindly  pointed  out  to  me 
that  it  occurs  in  a  ballad  by  the  Scottish 
poet,  William  Dunbar  (1460-1525),  en- 
titled, "  The  Justis  Betuix  the  Tailyeour 
and  Sowtar,"  which  begins : 
Nixt  at  a  Tornament  was  tryit 
That  lang  before  in  Hell  was  cryit 

In  presens  of  Mahoune 
Betuix  a  Tailyeour  and  a  Sowtar 
A  priklouss  and  a  hobbill  clowtar 
Thair  barrass  was  maid  bonne. 
—Dunbar^a  Poems,  ed.  David  Lang,  1834. 
process.    See  set. 

progeny.    1,   Offspring;  children.   LLL. 
V,  2,  754 ;  Mids.  II,  1,  115. 
2.  Progenitors ;  ancestry.    IHVI.  V,  4, 
38;  Cor.  I,  8,  12.    Bee  ivhip. 

The  first  sense  is  the  only  one  in  use 
now,  but  Sh.  and  other  authors  of  the 
time  use  the  word  in  both  senses. 


propertied.  Endowed  with  qualities  or 
properties.     Ant.  V,  2,  83. 

property,  v.  To  appropriate;  to  con- 
vert into  property.  Tw.  IV,  2,  99 ; 
JohnV,  2,  79;  Tim.  1,1,57. 

Collier  suggested  that  in  Tw.  Sh.  had 
some  allusion  to  the  properties  (as  they 
were  then,  and  are  still  called)  of  a 
theatre,  which,  when  out  of  use,  were 
thrust  into  some  dark  loft  or  lumber- 
room.  From  Sh.  familiarity  with  play- 
house terms,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  this 
suggestion  may  be  well  founded.  Fur- 
ness  seems  inclined  to  accept  it. 


QUALIFIED.    Endowed  with  all  good 
qualities.     Shr.  IV,  5,  66 ;  Cym.  I, 
4,  65. 
Ingleby  cites  Davenant's  Unfortunate 
Lovers,  I,  1,  for  an  instance  of  the  use 
of  this  word  in  this  sense  : 
But  why,  Rampino?  since  this  lady  is 
So  rarely  qualified. 
See  constant-qualified. 


RAG.    This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Tim. 
IV,  3,  271,  does  not  seem  to  make 
good     sense.      Johnson     suggested 
rogue,  a  word  which  is  probably  the 
correct  reading.     See  3rd  Var.  XIII, 
391. 

recollected.    See  terms. 

recomforture.   Fresh  comfort.   RIII.  IV, 
4,  425. 

red-breast.    See  robin  red-breast. 

rliyme.    See  verses. 

rose.  This  flower  occupies  a  prominent 
position  in  the  writings  of  Sh.,  and  it 
well  deserves  it.  Ellacombe,  in  his 
"Plant -Lore  and  Garden -Craft  of 
Shakespeare,"  devotes  over  ten  pages 
to  the  rose  and  its  history.  The  scene 
in  the  Temple  Garden  (IHVI.  II,  4), 
where  the  White  and  Red  Roses  were 
taken  as  the  colors  of  the  houses  of 
York  and  Lancaster  was  the  prelude  to 
civil  wars  which  sent  thousands  of 
" souls  to  death  and  deadly  night." 
Ellacombe  tells  us  that   the   White 


!ROtf 


m 


SPE 


Rose  of  York  has  never  been  satisfac- 
torily identified,  but  he  seems  to  hold 
that  the  Red  Rose  and  the  Provengal 
Rose  are  the  colors  of  Lancaster,  and 
"are  no  doubt  the  same  andare  what  we 
now  call  E.  Centifolia,  or  the  Cabbage 
Rose."  To  a  rose  whose  petals  were 
striped  with  red  and  white  the  name  of 
"York  and  Lancaster"  has  been  given. 
The  white  rose  has  a  very  ancient 
interest  for  Englishmen,  the  flower 
having  been  connected  with  one  of  the 
most  ancient  names  of  the  island.  The 
elder  Pliny,  in  discussing  the  etymology 
of  the  word  Albion,  suggests  that  the 
land  may  have  been  so  named  from  the 
white  roses  which  abounded  in  it. 

rounded.  Whispered,  Wint.  I,  2,  217; 
John  II,  1,  566.  This  use  of  the  word 
is  common  in  Chaucer  and  the  writers 
of  Sh.  time. 

rowel-head.  Defined  by  most  dictionaries 
and  by  Schm.  as  "the  axis  on  which 
the  rowel  turns."  Surely  not.  The 
rowel-head  is  the  fork  which  serves  to 
hold  the  rowel  and  its  axis.  The  ends 
of  the  forks  prevent  the  rowel  from 
sinking  into  the  hide  ;  hence  the  expres- 
sion :  "up  to  the  rowel-head."  2HIV. 
1,1,46. 

rushes.    See  cage. 


SAMPHIRE.  A  plant  which  grows  on 
rocks  within  the  influence  of  sea 
spray.  The  name  is  said  to  be  a 
corruption  of  Saint  Peter,  and  the  plant 
was  called  in  Italian,  Herba  di  San 
Pietro — Peter,  as  is  well  known,  signifies 
a  rock.  In  Sh.  time  the  gathering  of 
samphire  was  a  regular  trade,  and  the 
leaves  were  used  to  make  a  pickle,  "the 
pleasantest  sauce,  most  familiar  and 
best  agreeing  with  man's  body,"  but 
which  has  now  fallen  out  of  use  and 
ia  rarely  seen,  though  the  plant  grows 
round  all  the  coasts  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  wherever  there  are  suitable 
rocks.  Lr.  IV,  6,  15. 
sanctuarise.  To  give  a  sanctuary  or  place 
of  refuge  to.    Even  the  church  should 


not  protect  Hamlet,  he  being  the  mur- 
derer of  Polonius.    Hml.  IV,  7,  139. 
saying.    See  deed. 

set.  A  term  in  tennis.  LLL.  V,  2,  29. 
silver.  The  piece  of  silver  referred  to  in 
Kins.  IV,  3,  18,  is  the  obolus,  the  small- 
est silver  coin  among  the  Greeks.  It 
was  placed  in  the  mouth  of  every  corpse 
that  received  proper  burial.  See  Charon. 

sinews.  Nerves.  Ven.  903;  Lr.  Ill,  6, 
105.  In  the  latter  passage  (which  is 
omitted  from  the  Folios,  but  is  found 
in  the  Quartos)  the  "Globe"  reads 
senses,  which  was  suggested  by  Theo- 
bald. The  "Cambridge,"  Dyce  and 
many  others  adhere  to  the  reading  of 
the  Quartds,  which  is  probably  correct. 

sing.  On  the  passage  in  Lr.  V,  3,  9,  We 
two  alone  will  sing  like  birds  V  the 
cage,  Craig  has  this  note:  "We  must 
not  forget  that  cage  had  the  meaning  of 
prison.  See  2HVL  IV,  2,  56."  True  it 
had  and  still  has  that  meaning  in  the 
slang  of  jailbirds  and  thieves  (see  latest 
ed.  of  the  "Lexicon  Balatronicum "), 
but  what  has  that  to  do  with  the  pure  . 
Cordelia  and  her  kingly  father  ?  Even 
though  we  learn  from  our  study  of 
"peddler's  French"  that  "cage" isslang 
for  prison,  why  should  we  destroy  an 
exquisite  metaphor  by  reading  into  such 
a  beautiful  expression  of  affection  and 
hope  a  coarse  idea  which  certainly  has 
no  place  there  ? 

soothe.    To  humor.     Lr.  Ill,  4,  182. 

Sophy.  "  The  title  of  Sophy,  by  which 
the  Shah  of  Persia  was  most  commonly 
known  in  the  16th  and  17th  centuries, 
was  derived  from  the  Safavi  dynasty, 
founded  in  1500  by  Shah  Ismail,  whose 
descendants  occupied  the  throne  until 
1736,  when  the  power  was  seized  by 
Nadir  Shah."  Wright.  Their  ambassa- 
dors spent  money  so  lavishly  that 
their  wealth  was  supposed  to  exceed 
anything  known  to  western  nations. 
Tw.  II,  5,  197. 

spear-grass.  The  identification  of  this 
plant  has  puzzled  the  coms.  Ellacombe 
thinks  it  is  the  couch-grass  {Triticum 
repens),  but  it  is  doubtful  if  the  leaves 


SPE 


424 


TAK 


of  that  plant  are  rough  enough  for  the 
purpose  indicated  in  IHIV.  II,  4,  840. 

spectacles.  Eyes ;  organs  to  see  with. 
2HVI.  Ill,  2,  112 ;  Cjni.  I,  6,  37. 

states.    Estates.    As.  V,  4,  181. 

stelled.  This  word,  as  it  occurs  in  Lr. 
Ill,  7,  61,  is  explained  by  Craig  as  fixed, 
with,  perhaps,  a  play  on  the  other  sense 
— starry.  His  note  on  p.  162  of  the 
"  Dow  den  "  ed.  of  Lear  is  well  worth 
consulting. 

stones.    See  thunder. 

strange.    See  snow. 

swan.  When  Celia  (As.  I,  8,  77)  speaks 
of  Juno's  swans  she  forgets  that  the 
peacock,  and  not  the  swan,  belonged  to 
Juno.  The  Swan  was  sacred  to  Venus. 
See  Juno  and  Venus. 

sweep.  The  expression.  To  sweep  the 
dust  behind  the  door  (Mids.  V,  1,  39T), 
is  explained  by  Halliwell  as  "to  sweep 
away  the  dust  which  is  behind  the  door, ' ' 
and  this  is  undoubtedly  right.  Good 
housewives  have  a  proverb  :  *'  Sweep 
the  corners  clean  and  the  middle  will 
take  care  of  itself."  Wright  says:  To 
sweep  the  dust  behind  the  door,  where 
it  would  be  likely  to  escape  notice — 
a  doubtful  gloss. 


TABLE.  In  the  Fl.  the  line  HV.  II,  3, 17, 
reads :  his  Nose  was  as  sharpe  as  a 
Pen,  arid  a  Table  of  greene  fields. 
This  was  changed  by  Theobald  to :  his 
nose  was  as  sharp  as  a  pen,  and  a' 
babbled  of  green  fields,  and  the  emend- 
ation has  not  only  been  generally  ac- 
cepted, but  is  regarded  by  the  best 
Shakespearean  scholars  as  one  of  the 
happiest  restorations  that  has  ever  been 
made  in  the  text.  Other  readings 
have  been  suggested,  but  none  that  so 
well  meets  the  conditions  of  the  case. 
Desperate  attempts  have  been  made  to 
defend  the  text  as  it  stands,  chiefly  by 
the  Baconians,  who  see  in  it  a  reference 
to  Hippocrates,  a  medical  writer  whose 
works  it  is  very  improbable  that  Sh. 
had  ever  seen,  but  whose  description  of 
the  appearances  which  usually  precede 


death  has  been  quoted  by  Bacon.  But 
the  fades  Hippocratica  (the  Hippo- 
cratic  face)  was  well  known  to  the  doc- 
tors, and  even  to  the  old  women  nurses, 
of  Sh.  time  and  must  have  been  common 
talk  amongst  them.  Theobald's  reading 
is  sustained  by  what  is  previously  said 
about  his  playing  with  flowers  and  the 
well-known  tendency  of  the  dying  to 
revertf  to  the  times  of  childhood  and 
boyhood,  and  to  dream  of  wandering 
about  cool  streams  and  green  fields. 
The  word  is  fields  in  theFl.,  and  not 
field,  which  it  would  naturally  have 
been  if  used  as  a  synonym  for  back- 
ground. 

tail.  Upon  the  expression  in  Mcb.  I,  2, 
9,  And  like  a  rat  without  a  tail, 
Steevens  has  the  following  note:  "It 
should  be  remembered  (as  it  was  the 
belief  of  the  times)  that  though  a  witch 
could  assume  the  form  of  any  animal 
she  pleased,  the  tail  would  still  be  want- 
ing. The  reason  given  by  some  of  the 
old  writers,  for  such  a  deficiency,  is 
that  though  the  hands  and  feet,  by  an 
easy  change,  might  be  converted  into 
the  four  paws  of  a  beast,  there  was  still 
no  part  about  a  woman  which  corre- 
sponded with  the  length  of  tail  common 
to  almost  all  our  four-footed  creatures ' ' ; 
and  in  Dyer's  "Folk  Lore"  we  find: 
"  In  German  legends  and  traditions  we 
frequently  find  notice  of  witches  as- 
suming the  f oi-m  of  a  cat,  and  displaying 
their  fiendish  character  in  certain  dia- 
bolical acts.  It  was,  however,  the 
absence  of  the  tail  that  only  too  often 
was  the  cause  of  the  witch  being  detected 
in  her  disguised  form.  That  horrible 
creature  of  superstition,  the  wer-wolf, 
or  human  being  changed  into  a  wolf, 
was  distinguished  by  having  no  tail." 

Capell  makes  the  following  note  on 
this  point:  '■^  Tails  are  the  rudders  of 
water-animals,  as  the  rat  is  occasionally, 
so  that  it  is  intimated  in  effect  that  she 
would  find  her  port  without  a  rudder 
as  well  as  sail  in  a  sieve." 

take.  Although  this  word  is  properly 
defined  in  its  regular  place  and  reference 


TAL 


4'25 


VEA 


made  to  Wint.  IV,  4,  119,  it  may  be 
well  to  call  special  attention  to  it  as  the 
ordinary  reader  frequently  fails  to  per- 
ceive the  exquisite  beauty  of  the  ex- 
pression : 

*    *    *    daffodils, 
That  come  before  the  swallow  dares, 
[and  take 
The  winds  of  March  with  beauty. 

That  is :  that  fascinate  or  bewitch  the 
winds  of  March. 

tales.  The  book,  "A  Hundred  Mery 
Talys  "  was  reprinted  in  1866,  from  the 
only  perfect  copy  known.  After  going 
over  it  attentively,  I  cannot  describe 
it  better  than  in  the  language  of  Dr. 
Furness:  "lb  is  a  coarse  book,  the 
natural  product  of  coarse  times,  and  its 
flavor  is  not  unlike  the  atmosphere  of 
the  houses  which  demanded  daily  and 
prolonged  fumigations.  Well,  indeed, 
may  Beatrice  have  deeply  resented  the 
imputation  that  from  it  she  drew  her 
■wit — and  yet  there  is  a  tradition  that 
this  book,  and  others  like  it,  were  the 
solace  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  dying 
hours."    Ado.  II,  1,  135. 

tears.    See  crocodile. 

teem.    See  crocodile. 

temperance.    Sanity.    Lr.  IV,  7,  24. 

throat.  On  the  passage  in  2HIV.  I,  2, 
94,  /  had  lied  in  my  throat,  if  I  had 
said  so.  Hunter  makes  this  remark  : 
"The  lie  in  the  throat  was  a  lie  uttered 
deliberately ;  the.  lie  in  the  teeth  was 
one  for  which  some  excuse  was  al- 
lowed on  the  ground  of  its  having 
proceeded  from  haste  or  some  palliating 
cause." 

throughly.  An  early  form  of  thoroughly. 
It  is  really  the  same  word.  Sh.  uses 
both  forms.  Tp.  Ill,  3,  14 ;  Merch.  IV, 
1,  173,  etc.,  etc. 

throughfare.  Same  as  thoroughfare. 
Merch.  II,  7,  42  ;  Cym.  I,  2,  11. 

trunks.  Upon  Antonio's  expression, 
empty  trunks  o'' er flourish'' d  by  the 
devil  (Tw.  Ill,  4,  404),  Steevens  has  the 
following  note :  "  In  the  time  of  Shake- 
speare, trunks,  which  are  now  deposited 
in   lumber-rooms,    or    other    obscure 


places,  were  part  of  the  furniture  of 
apartments  in  which  company  was  re- 
ceived. I  have  seen  more  than  one  of 
these,  as  old  as  the  time  of  our  poet. 
They  were  richly  ornamented  on  the 
tops  and  sides  with  scroll-work,  em- 
blematical devices,  etc.,  and  were 
elevated  on  feet." 


UP  AND  DOWN.  Exactly ;  out  and 
out.  Gent.  II,  3,  32 ;  Tw.  II,  1,  124. 
This  was  an  idiomatic  expression  of 
the  time,  similar  to  our  present  phrase, 
downright.  As  found  in  Mids.  Ill, 
2,  396;  2HIV.  II,  1,  114,  and  several 
other  passages  it  has  the  ordinary 
meaning. 

upshot.  The  result.  A  common  expres- 
sion at  this  day.  While  in  some  passages 
it  no  doubt  means  the  decisive  shot  (as 
the  word  is  used  in  bowls  and  archery), 
yet  in  Tw.  IV,  2,  76,  it  probably  has 
the  ordinary  meaning. 

unpossessing.  Incapable  of  inheriting; 
not  lawful  issue,  and  therefore,  as 
Blackstone  says  :  "  nullius  filius,  and 
therefore  of  kin  to  nobody."  Lr.  II, 
1,  79. 

usurp.  To  counterfeit ;  to  assume  that 
which  does  not  belong  to  one.  Shr. 
Ind.,  I,  131;  Tw.  I,  5,  198;  do.  V,  1,' 
257.  An  usurped  heard  =  a  false  beard. 
Oth.  I,  3,  346. 


VEAL.  Upon  this  word,  as  used  in 
LLL.  V,  2,  247,  Veal,  quoth  the 
Dutchman,  Malone  says:  "I  sup- 
pose by  veal,  she  means  well,  sounded 
as  foreigners  usually  pronounce  that 
word ;  and  introduced  merely  for  the 
sake  of  the  subsequent  question. "  Bos- 
well  adds:  The  same  joke  occurs  in 
The  Wis  dome  of  Doctor  Dodypoll  : 

Doctor  :  "  Hans,  my  very  speciall  friend; 
fait  and  trot  me  be  right  glad  for  to  see 
you  vecUe.'''' 

Hans :  "  What,  do  you  make  a  calfe  of 
me,  M.  Doctor  ? " 


WAL 


4r26 


WRO 


WALL.  Icicles  hang  by  the  wall 
when  they  hang  from  the  eaves 
of  a  building.     LLL.  V,  2,  922. 

well  advised.  This  expression,  as  it 
occurs  in  LLL.  V,  2,  434,  is  explained 
by  Rolfe  as  "  probably  =  in  your  right 
mind.  cf.  Err.  II,  2,  215:  'mad  or 
well  advis'd.'  See  also  RIII.  I,  3,  318. 
The  ordinary  sense  of  '  acting  with  due 
deliberation,'  which  most  editors  give 
here,  seems  rather  tame." 

whale.  The  expression  in  All's.  IV,  3, 
249,  who  is  a  whale  to  virginity,  is 
thought  by  Douce  to  refer  to  the 
story  of  Andromeda,  who,  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  oracle  of  Ammon,  was 
chained  to  a  rock  so  that  she  might 
be  devoured  by  a  sea  monster.  See 
Perseus.  Douce  tells  us  that  in  the 
old  prints  the  monster  was  very  fre- 
quently represented  as  a  whale.  But 
the  allusion  to  "small  fry"  and  the 
fact  that  the  whale  devours  so  many  of 
them  renders  this  explanation  doubtful. 
The  comparison  in  LLL.  V,  2,  332, 
as  white  as  a  whalers  bone,  probably 
owed  its  origin  to  the  fact  that  "the 
ivory  of  western  Europe  in  the  middle 
ages  was  the  tooth  of  the  walrus." 
Nares.  The  simile  was  a  very  common 
one,  and  is  employed  by  Spenser,  Lord 

'    Surrey    and    others.     In    Turberville's 
Poems  (1567)  we  find : 
A  little  mouth  with  decent  chin, 

A  corall  lip  of  hue 
With  teeth  as  white  as  whale  his  bone 
Ech  one  in  order  due. 

windowM.  1.  Placed  in  a  window  for 
exhibition.  Ant.  IV,  14,  72. 
2.  Full  of  holes  or  windows.  Lr.  Ill,  4, 
31.  The  original  sense  of  window  is 
"wind-eye,"  i.e.,  eye  or  hole  for  the 
wind  to  enter  at;  an  opening  for  air 
and  light.    Skeat. 

witch.  The  phrase,  I  forgive  thee  for  a 
witch  (Ant.  I,  2,  40),  is  "from  the 
common  proverbial  reproach  to  silly, 
ignorant  females — 'you'll  never  be 
burnt  for  a  witch. ' "    Steevens. 

When  Sir  Hugh  Evans  (Wiv.  IV,  2, 
202)  says  of  the  disguised  Falstaff,  l3y 


yea  or  no,  I  think  the  ^oman  is  a  ivitch 
indeed:  I  like  not  when  a  ^onian  has  a 
great  pear  d;  I  spy  a.  great  peard  under 
his  muffler,  he  refers  to  a  recognised 
characteristic  of  the  witfch.  Thus,  in 
The  Honest  Man^s  Fortune,  it  is  said  : 
"The  women  that  come  to  us  for  dis- 
guises must  wear  beards,  and  that's  to 
say  a  token  of  a  witch." 

wit-snapper.  One  who  affects  repartee. 
Johnson.  "One  hunting  after  wit." 
Schmidt.    Merch.  Ill,  5,  55. 

wooden  O.  This  expression,  as  found  in 
HV.,  Prol.  13,  refers  to  the  Globe 
theatre,  so  called  because  of  its  hexagonal 
or  nearly  round  shape.  See  theatre 
and  O,  and  also  Globe  in  the  Addenda. 

wooden  thing.  "  An  awkward  business ; 
an  undertaking  not  likely  to  succeed." 
Steevens.     IHVI.  V,  3,  89. 

word.  Steevens  tells  us  that  when  Hamlet 
says  (Hml.  1, 5, 110),  '■'Now  to  my  ivord: 
it  is  ^  Adieu,  adieu!  remember  me,'  he 
evidently  alludes  to  the  watchword 
given  every  day  in  militaiy  service. 
The  ghost  had  already,  in  line  91,  given 
him  these  words.  But.it  would  rather 
seem  that  by  "word"  here  Hamlet 
intends  a  motto  or  maxim,  as  in  RIII. 
V,  3,  349,  our  ancient  word  of  courage, 
fair  Saiyit  George,  Inspire  us.  The 
term  watchword  is  used  in  both  senses, 
but  I  think  Hamlet  uses  it  here  in  the 
second  sense  and  not  in  that  given  by 
Steevens.  Dowden  suggests  that  it 
means  "word  of  command"  as  given 
by  the  ghost. 

world.  The  expression  found  in  LLL.  V, 
2,  799,  To  make  a  world-without-end 
bat-gain  in,  means  an  everlasting, 
never-ending  bargain,  alluding,  no 
doubt,  to  the  words  of  the  marriage 
service  "  till  death  do  you  part. " 

wroth.  To  our  previous  explanation  of 
this  word,  as  found  in  Merch.  II,  9,  78, 
we  may  add :  It  is  wroath  in  the  Fl. ; 
White  thinks  it  is  "used  somewhat  in 
its  radical  sense,  which  connects  it  with 
the  idea  of  suffering."  Steevens  tells 
us  that  "  wroath  is  used  in  some  of  the 
old  books  for  misfortune  ;  and  is  often 


YIE 


427 


GOO 


spelt  like  ruth,  which  at  present  signi- 
fies only  pity  or  sorrow  for  the  miseries 
of  another.^'' 


YIELD.  Referrii%  to  the  explanation 
which  I  have  given  of  this  word,  as 
it  occurs  in  Lr.  IV,  1,  12,  the  ob- 
jection has  been  made  that  it  calls  for  an 
emendation — yeild  for  yield.  But  the 
accepted  reading,  yield,  is  quite  as 
much  an  emendation  as  yeild.  It  is 
yeelde  in  the  Fl.  The  usually  accepted 
meaning  of  yield  in  this  passage  is 
that  given  by  Schm,— "to  submit," 
and  the  reading  then  would  be  "life 
would  not  submit  to  age,"  which  cer- 
tainly is  not  a  forcible  expression.  Now, 
when  Hh.  uses  language  he  generally 
employs  it  to  express  some  very  clearly 


defined  thought,  and  if  we  adopt  the 
old  word  the  meaning  is  clear  and  strong 
and  to  the  point.  Moberly  's  explanation 
of  this  line  (adopted  by  Rolfe)  does  not 
seem  to  me  to  quite  meet  the  point.  It 
is :  "  We  so  hate  life  that  we  gladly  find 
ourselves  lapsing  into  old  age  and  ap- 
proaching death,  which  will  deliver  us 
from  it." 

The  verb  to  eild,  meaning  to  grow 
old,  is  used  by  the  old  Scottish  poet, 
Douglas,  in  his  translation  of  "  Virgil  ": 

All  thocht  he  eildit  was,  or  step  In  age. 
In  Vol,  I  of  Jamieson's  Diet.  (4  Vols., 
4to.,  1808)  the  definition  of  eild  is  "to 
wax  old."  The  y  is  a  common  prefix 
to  words  of  this  kind  and  is  often  used 
by  Sh. 

The  word  eld,  signifying  old  age  or 
old  people,  occurs  in  Wiv.  IV,  4,  86. 


bed.  Upon  the  line  in  Feste's  closing 
song,  But  when  I  came  unto  my  beds 
(Tw.  V,  1,  410),  Halliwell  has  this  note 
from  Overbury's  "  New  and  Choice 
Characters  "  (1615) :  "  It  is  said  among 
the  folkes  heere,  that  if  a  man  die  in 
his  infancsy,  hee  hath  onely  broke  his 
fast  in  this  world.  If  in  his  youth,  hee 
hath  left  us  at  dinner.  That  it  is  bedde 
time  with  a  man  at  three  score  and 
tenne." 

dolphin.  Under  this  word  reference  is 
made  to  All's.  II,  3,  31,  and  I  have 
adopted  Malone's  explanation  that  "dol- 
phin "  here  means  the  so-called  "  fish  " 
of  that  name,  in  support  of  which  he 
quotes  Ant.  V,  3,  89.  Steevens,  how- 
ever, thinks  the  reference  is  to  the 
dauphin,  the  heir  to  the  throne,  a  young 
man  who  would  be  likely  to  be  healthy 
and  lusty.  The  Clarkes,  in  their  ed.  of 
Sh.,  think  there  is  a  punning  allusion 
to  both,  but  in  their  "Shakespeare 
Key  "  they  adopt  the  dauphin  sense. 

Good  morrow.  In  the  year  1883  Mrs. 
Henry  Pott  published  a  book  entitled 


"The  Promus  of  Formularies  and 
Elegancies,"  by  Francis  Bacon.  This 
was  a  sort  of  common-place  book  in 
which  Bacon  had  jotted  down  various 
ideas  and  expressions,  presumably  for 
future  use,  and  amongst  others  was  a 
collection  of  about  a  dozen  different 
forms  of  salutation  such  as  "good 
morning,"  "bon  jour,"  "bon  soir," 
etc.  Upon  this  Mrs.  Pott  based  the 
amazing  assertion  that  such  forms  of 
salutation  as  "good  morning"  and 
"good  evening"  were  not  in  use  in 
England  until  introduced  by  Bacon. 
See  Mrs.  Pott's  "Introductory  Chap.," 
page  61.  And  in  a  work  recently 
issued  we  are  gravely  told  that  "it  is 
evident  that  Bacon  was  making  an 
effort  in  1594-96  to  introduce  salutations 
of  this  kind  into  English  speech."  And 
again:  "'Good  morrow,'  which,  it  is 
believed,  had  been  used  but  once  before 
in  England,  as  a  salutation  [!  !],  occurs 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  times  in  them," 
i.e.,  the  plays. 
Mrs.    Pott,  however,    in    her   book. 


HEB 


438 


STJN 


gives  two  instances,  one  from  Gascoigne 
(1587)  and  one  as  early  as  1548,  in  the 
"Interlude"  of  John  Bon  and  Mast 
Person.     The  latter  begins  : 

The  Parson  ;  "  What,  John  Bon!  Good 
Morrowe  to  thee." 

John  Bon :  "  Nowe  good  morrowe,  Mast 
Parson,  so  mut  I  thee." 

Both  these  cases  she  rejects,  however, 
the  latter  on  the  ground  that  it  does 
not  appear  to  have  been  "used  as  a 
morning  salutation  "  !  ! 

But  in  Stanihurst's  description  of 
Ireland,  embodied  in  Holinshed's 
"Chronicle"  (1586),  the  writer  tells  us 
that  the  Irish  had  by  that  time  borrowed 
this  very  phrase  from  the  English  and 
incorporated  it  in  their  own  language. 
His  words  are  :  "  They  vse  also  the  con- 
tracted English  phrase,  God  morrow, 
that  is  to  sale,  (Jod  giue  you  a  good 
morning." 

And  Sh.  himself,  in  2HVI.  Ill,  1,  13, 
tells  us  that  a  morning  salutation  was 
common  in  his  time  and  that  the  omis- 
sion of  it  gave  great  offence.  The  words 
are: 

*    *    *    and  be  it  in  the  morning 
When  every  one  will  give  the  time  of 
day. 

One  of  the  most  dangerous  assertions 
that  a  literary  man  can  make  is  to  say 
positively  that  a  certain  word  or  form 
of  words  was  not  in  use  prior  to  a  cer- 
tain date.  lugleby,  White  and  several 
others  have  tripped  up  on  this. 

Herculean  Roman.  Antony  traced  his 
descent  from  Anton,  a  son  of  Hercules. 
Steevens.  Ant.  I,  3,  84.  Hence  his 
reference  to  his  "ancestor,"  Alcides. 
Ant.  IV,  13,  44.     See  Alcides. 

homag:er.     A  vassal.     Ant.  I,  1,  31. 

moment.  Reason ;  motive.  Ant.  I,  2, 
147. 

pole.  Probably  a  quarter-staff.  LLL. 
V,  2, 700.  The  epithet ' '  northern  man  ' ' 
is  said  by  some  to  refer  to  men  of  the 
North  of  England  because  they  were 
skilful  with  the  quarter  -  staff .  But 
the  quarter-staff  was  in  use  all  over 


England.  Strutt  mentions  the  London 
apprentices  and  men  of  Devonshire. 
Farmer  thinks  the  expression  is  equiva- 
lent to  "clown," — Vir  Borealis.  See 
3rd  Var.,  IV,  449. 

sacks.  The  expression,  more  sacks  to 
the  mill  (LLL.  IV,  3,  81),  is  said  to  refer 
to  a  boyish  game. 

serpent.  When  Cleopatra,  in  Ant.  I,  5, 
35,  says:  Or  murmuring  '■'■Whereas 
my  serpent  of  old  Nile  ?  "  she  does  not 
use  the  term  "serpent"  as  indicative 
of  cunning,  wisdom,  or  coiling  seduc- 
tiveness, but  as  referring  to  the  emblem 
of  Egyptian  royalty  which  is  frequently 
seen  as  part  of  the  head-dress  of-  kings 
and  divinities  in  old  sculptures.  See 
aspic  in  Addenda. 

This  is  one  of  those  delicate  touches 
which  show  how  thoroughly  Sh.  identi- 
fied himself  with  the  feelings  and  habits 
of  thought  of  each  of  his  characters. 
When  he  puts  a  speech  into  the  mouth 
of  Cleopatra  he  becomes,  for  the  time 
being,  the  Egyptian  queen ;  when  he 
writes  the  philosophy  of  Hamlet,  he 
becomes  veritably  Hamlet ;  and  when 
he  displays  the  ignorant,  but  honest, 
jealousy  of  Othello  or  the  cunning  of 
lago,  he,  for  the  moment,  transforms 
his  whole  being  into  an  Othello  or  an 
lago.  And  this,  it  has  always  seemed 
to  me,  is  in  a  large  measure  the  secret 
of  his  tremendous  power. 

shave.  The  expression,  /  would  not 
shaveH  to-day  (Ant.  II,  2,  8),  means,  I 
would  not  take  even  that  trouble  out 
of  respect  for  him.  See  line  339  in  same 
Scene,  bartered  ten  times  o^er. 

skipping.  Frivolous;  light;  unsteady. 
LLL.  V,  2,  771;  Merch.  II,  2,  196. 

sun.  The  expression,  get  the  sun  of 
them  (LLL.  IV,  3, 369),  is  thus  explained 
by  Malone:  "In  the  days  of  archery, 
it  was  of  consequence  to  have  the  sun 
at  the  back  of  the  bowmen,  and  in  the 
face  of  the  enemy.  This  circumstance 
was  of  great  advantage  to  our  Henry 
the  Fifth  at  the  battle  of  Agincourt, 
Our  poet,  however,  I  believe  had  also 
an  equivoque  in  his  thoughts." 


RETURN  TO  the  circulation  desk  of  any 
University  of  California  Library 
or  to  the 
NORTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 
BIdg.  400,  Richmond  Field  Station 
University  of  California 
Richmond,  CA  94804-4698 


ALL  BOOKS  MAY  BE  RECALLED  AFTER  7  DAYS 

•  2-month  loans  may  be  renewed  by  calling 
(510)642-6753 

•  1  -year  loans  may  be  recharged  by  bringing         j 
books  to  NRLF 

•  Renewals  and  recharges  may  be  made  4  «« 
days  prior  to  due  date. 

DUE  AS  STAMPED- BELOW 


OCT  2  6 1998 


12,0CXD  (11/95) 


to  as; ' 


.<pU^ 


r 


v> 


*v 


v^^ 


'.\^  '^^'S:' 


